Dear Doctor

Bumps on scrotum. I have had them for years. Slowly, more have appeared.

Dear Patient

These are scrotum epidermoid cysts.

Epidermoid cysts which are also known as epidermal cysts, are sacs in the skin which contain cheesy yellow material made of keratin, cholesterol and other debris.

Epdermoid cyts develop when the skin is injured or the hair follicles damaged or due to defects in the skin.

These slow-growing skin tumors are benign (not cancer). However, they can rupture and release their contents to the surrounding skin which causes pain, redness and swelling. These lesions can heal and leave scars.

It is important to note that some types of skin cancer like squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma have been reported to arise from epidermoid cysts.

Scrotum Epidermoid Cyst Treatment

The treatment of scrotum epidermoid cysts is surgical excision. In this procedure, the doctor numbs the area with local anesthesia and then makes a small cut through which they remove the entire cyst together with its contents.

This surgical removal is usually followed by the application of antibiotic creams like Bacitracin until the wound heals.

The gauze pads which are used to dress the wound after the excision should be changed after 1 day.

In some situations, scrotum epidermoid cysts which are removed tend to recur. The treatment of these recurrent cysts is also surgical excision.

The treatment of epidermoid cysts is not mandatory though a very small percentages develop basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinomas and other types of skin cancers within them.

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