Sebaceous cyst on penis

[617161]

About a week and a half ago I noticed a lump on the underside of penis about half way down the shaft.  It resembled a rather large pimple.  I squeezed puss from it and it became inflamed.  Over the course of the week I popped it again when it again filled with fluid. It doesn't hurt, but it wasn't healing either.  
I have just returned from seeing a general practitioner at an international clinic.  He diagnosed me with a sebacious cyst, which was slightly infected, due to the popping.  It is small, moveable and slightly itchy.  He is presently setting up a surgery to have it removed.  He assured me that it was nothing to worry about, but it should be taken care of.  
After reading some articles, I noticed that not all doctors believe that surgery will eliminate the problem.  I also got the impression that it could be related to hair follicle inflamation (inflammation).  I ask this because I do shave my genitalia and was wondering if they could have caused the cyst.   I would also like to know about cyst growth.  Does it continue to grow if left unchecked?  Any information that you could give me would be appreciated.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Your doctor certainly sounds correct about the diagnosis, but I'm less certain about the recommendation for surgery.  Cutting the cyst out will most likely take care of it, but if it is from inflammation of an ingrown hair, then surgery isn't necessary--the body will reabsorb it by itself.  Even if it is a cyst, you realyy don't have to remove these things.

My advice: leave the cyst alone--no picking or squeezing-- and wait 2 months.  If the bump is gone, or small enough to ignore, forget about it.  If it's still bothersome, see a dermatologist about getting it off.  But in all the years, I've seen fewer than 5 patients who actually had genital cysts removed.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[Face]

Dr., I went to a doctor about a month ago about two white bumps on the top shaft of my penis.  I was concerned that they were possibly and STD.  I was told by the doctor that they were cysts and they wouldnt go away but are not harmful.  Now, one of them seems to be infected.  It hurts when I touch it or rub against it and has turned reddish in color.  Could the doctor have gotten his prognosis wrong? Could it be an STD?  What can I have done about it?

[oaktownraidaz]

I have the same thing on my penis but i havent got it checked out but i was wondering i shave down there and i get ingrown hairs could it be a ingrown hair because in the past i would just pull the hair out and the bump would go away but this time i cant pull the hair out and its been there for around 3 months or longer is there any medicine i can get for it?????

[Maat]

I also have a red bump on the under part of my penis, about halfway up the shaft. it always was there and didn't care much. But just recently, I think it must have popped or cut while i was masturbating and now it is enflamed and hurts when something touches it. I'm quite positive that it is a cyst, but im not sure if i should be waiting for it to shrink back down or go get it checked out. Any advice helps, thanks.

[glass24down]

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[youwontknow3]

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