Syst Problem

[bartender]

i've had a history of sebatious systs.  i had one on my chest a few years back that started out as a blocked hair and grew, then i had it removed.  for a while i had a blackhead on my forehead that i would extract and it would come right back to the same spot.  about 3 months ago i worked on the thing once again.  this time it grew into what is a small syst.  about half a dime in size.  i had two questions.  one was, not being insured at this current moment, what is an accurate price that you think a dermatologist would charge for removing this thing?  i'm in between jobs and don't have my healthcare at the moment.  
the other question is... i feel i could remove the freaking thing myself.  i've squezed it to no avail.  there is no pour large enough to push this stuff out.  would it be too dangerous to "extremely sanitarily" make an incision with a surgical blade on the top of this thing and push it out myself?  i know that sounds like a dumb question but i don't feel like paying a thousand dollars to get a pimpil removed.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I don't know what people charge--maybe a couple of hundred dollars.  

You may want to consider leaving the cyst alone, since taking it off the chest always leaves a scar.

You can't squeeze a cyst out of a pore.  If you squeeze out some of the contents, it just fills up again.

Please do not take a blade and incise yourself.  Thank you.

Dr. Rockoff

[dcdre14]

I recently had a cyst removed from my back...

I had insurance at the time, but I think I remember seeing the cost as listed at around $100 for the whole shabang... My doctor gave me a small shot of local anesthetic, "punched" out the cyst using a small cookie-cutter type of thing, sewed the incision with one stitch, and put a small bandage over the whole thing...

He then sent it off for a biopsy... I didn't see the price of that, but I imagine it was up there...

I suggest getting it done by a professional... No offense, but doing it yourself could turn what should be a very minor problem into a disaster, especially since this is your face you're talking about... infections and scars are the first things I think of...

Be honest with your doctor - let him know you don't have insurance and see if he can offer you a break.  

Good luck...

[bartender]

the old one was on my chest this one was on my forehead.  the doc drained the thing tonight.  he cut into it with the same exact blade i was going to use.  but i'm glad i went to him to take it out.  it only cost 80$.  so it will fill up again?  is that for sure?