Recurrent facial cyst from brow groomer-HELP, MAY BE DISFIGURED-THEY WANT TO CUT

[poopooface]

1 &1/2 YRS AGO USED ELECTRIC BROW GROOMER SEEN ON TV-NEXT DAY HAD LARGE LUMP THOUGHT WAS PIMPLE NEXT TO BROW, MID FOREHEAD. AFTER 2 DERMS, 2COURSES A.BIOTICS AND NUMEROUS TOPICALS, WENT TO DERM/P.SURGEON (RATED X-TREMELY HIGH)SAID IT WAS CYST (BROKEN SKIN, HAIR WENT INSIDE) AND DID HIS BEST TO MINIMIZE SCAR (1INCH IN A VERTICAL FURROW NEXT TO BROW) GREW BACK QUICKLY-REMOVED 3 TIMES SINCE WITH 1 OTHER SURGERY TO FIX SCAR-HE SWORE IT WAS GONE THIS LAST TIME AS WAS MORE AGGRESIVE IN REMOVING TISSUE-GREW BACK IN 2 MONTHS-SOUGHT 2ND OPINION FROM THE "BEST" DERM'P.SURGEON YESTERDAY-SCARED HELL OUT OF ME. SAID WHEN CAPSULE IS BROKEN, CELLS CAN GO EVERYWHERE AND EVEN FORM WEB-NO WEB IN MY CASE HE THOUGHT-SAID HE COULD GET IT ALL AND NEVER COME BACK BUT TALKED ABOUT MUCH LARGER SCARRING 3-4 INCHES INSTEAD OF ONE AND THEN 6 WKS LATER, USING LASER TO MINIMIZE SCARS. INJECTED MW WITH PAINFUL 5FU (WAS BENIGN OTHER TIMES) AND kENALOG TO SHRINK AND SAID NOT TO WAIT TOO LONG BEFORE REMOVAL. AM TERRIFIED-THIS IS MY FACE-I DON'T WANT TO BE CUT AGAIN, LOST FAITH THAT IT WON'T COME BACK; 5 DAYS OF BLACK AND BLUE EYE AND 2 WEEKS OF BANDAGES EACH TIME-I AM READY TO GIVE UP-LITERALLY. CANT BELIEVE A PERSON COULD BE MADE OVER FROM HEAD TO TOE AND NO ONE CAN REMOVE THIS WITHOUT CUTTING UP MY FACE SO MUCH.  (IT IS NOWON THE CORNER TOP BRIDGE OF MY NOSE,UNDER THE EYEBROW-CLOSER TO MY EYE) THE INJECTION SHRUNK IT 1/3 TO 1/2-CAN'T I KEEP JUST GETTING INJECTIONS? WON'T IT KEEP SHRINKING? IS THERE ANY HARM IN JUST LEAVING IT, AND SHRINKING IT PERIODICALLY WITH INJECTIONS? THE-I PREFER THE WAY IT LOOKS NOW TO 3-4" OF SCARS-CAN AT LEAST COVER WITH MAKE-UP. CAN INJECTIONS MAKE IT GO AWAY? DO I REALLY HAVE TO HURRY AND HAVE SURGERY OR ELSE WILL GET BIGGER AND SPREAD? I WANT TO TAKE TIME TO GET MORE OPINIONS AND SORT THIS OUT-HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? IS THERE SOME OTHER WAY? (P.S. A TINY CUT EYEBROW HAIR OOZED OUT OF IT IN THE BEGINNING) PLEASE PLEASE HELP-I AM USING ALL VACATION TIME, STOPPED DATING (AM 49) FOR MONTH AFTER EACH SURGERY, DON'T LEAVE HOUSE FOR WEEKS AFTER SURGERIES-I DON'T WANT TO BE CUT UP AND DISFIGURED-DON'T WANT TO WAIT MONTHS FOR LASER TO "IMPROVE" SCARS- I DON'T WANT MORE SCARS ON MY FACE-CAN HE REALLY GET IT ALL WITH LARGER INCISIONS-GUARANTEED- HE SAYS SO? PLEASE HELP ME; I AM AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN WHO CALLS ON DOCTORS AND WANTS TO DATE/SOCIAL LIFE-I DON'T WANT TO BE EMBARRASED TO GO TO WORK OR GO OUT BECAUSE I AM CUT UP-I DON;T WANT TO WAIT 4 MONTHS BEFORE SCARS ARE MINIMIZED-THE COSTS ARE ADDING UP AS WELL-INSURANCE DOESN;T COVER ALL-SHOULD I ALSO WRITE COMPANY (IGEA) AND TELL THEM SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO OTHERS-PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO-I KNOW THOSE WITHOUT ARMS AND LEGS WOULD THINK THIS SMALL, BUT I FEEL LIKE LIFE HAS BECOME VERY BLACK-DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN OR WHO TO BELIVE. THANK YOU, SIGN ME: THE CYST FROM HELL IN CHICAGO -IF YOU CAN RECOMMEND DERMS WHO COULD SEE ME BEFORE NEXT YEAR, I'D BE MOST GRATEFUL-PLEASE HELP

[apaul001]

Question- is it possible that PPF's bump is an epidermal inclusion cyst?  I was treated for what I was told was a molluscum on my chin several years ago.  (A dermatologist removed it with a curette.)  Everything was fine for a while, then the bump began to grow back repeatedly.  I changed providers and saw you, and you diagnosed inclusion cyst.  You treated it locally for quite some time, but seeing it in the mirror really began to bug me, and of course I couldn't help picking it, which only made it worse. You advised that to permanently get rid of it I would have to see a plastic surgeon, and treatment could result in a scar.  I eventually did just that, and the provider concurred with your diagnosis and treatment options.  He removed what turned out to be an area much larger than the cyst, and the cyst extended quite far below the skin surface by that time.  Total area removed to ensure none was left behind was the size of a pencil eraser.  While I do have a superficial scar, I am happy with the result and glad I had it done.

[apaul001]

Question- is it possible that PPF's bump is an inclusion cyst?  Several years ago I had a bump removed that I was told was a molluscum.  Everything was fine for a period of time, then it began to grow back repeatedly.  I changed providers and saw you, and you diagnosed an inclusion cyst, which you treated me for for quite a while.  However, seeing it in the mirror all the time really started to bug me and I could not seem to stop picking it, which of course only made it worse.  You advised me that to permanently get rid of it I would have to see a plastic surgeon and there was a risk of a scar.  I did just that, and the plastics provider agreed with your diagnosis and possible treatments.  In the end I had him treat it.  The cyst extended quite deep besides what was visible on the surface, and the total area removed wound up being the size of a pencil eraser!  And I do have a small scar- but I am very happy with the result.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

From your description, I think it's extremely unlikely that the kind of cyst you had was anything but an inflamed follicle.  Such things do not need to be removed; in fact, they should not b removed.  No, there is no harm in just leaving it alone.  I strongly urge you to do just that.  Injections of cortisone may be of help, but even those may not be needed.  I have no idea what the doctor meant when he said the cells could "go everywhere."

Please see a dermatologist for another opinion, which I am confident will resemble mine.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff