Dermoid Cysts

Key Points
Non-cancerous
Present at birth in 40 percent of cases
Caused by defect during skin tissue development
Appear most often on the face

Dermoid Cysts, which appear early in childhood, are non-cancerous tumors. 40 percent are present at birth. They occur because of a defect during skin tissue development – they are caused when skin and skin structures become trapped during fetal development. Dermoid Cysts may occur anywhere in the body, however, when they occur on the skin, the cysts are comprised of skin cells, hair follicles and sweat glands. They generally take the form of small (half a centimeter) dough-like lumps.

Dermoid Cysts in other parts of the body can occur at any time on people of any age.

Differential Diagnosis (Other conditions with similar appearance)

Pilonidal Cyst
Metastatic Carcinoma of the Skin
Metastatic Neoplasms to the Oral Cavity
Pilar Cyst
Pilomatrixoma
Steatocystoma multiplex

Diagnosis
Radiography, CT scanning, and MRI are helpful in diagnosing Dermoid Cysts.

Treatment
*Surgical removal

Dermoid cysts on the skin are usually removed surgically by excision biopsy. Dermoid Cysts in other parts of the body may be difficult to treat and require special surgical techniques to remove the lesion and prevent possible complications.