Bump/cyst on my scalp

[TreesOfEternity]

Yesterday was wash day after 5 days since my last wash. When I was letting water run through my hair I noticed a bump in the back of my head, right on top of the bone. It is 2 fingers wide, looks red and hurts quite a bit (I can even feel it when I move my head from side to side).

I never put oil or conditioner on my scalp (I have oily hair). I have never had any scalp or skin condition whatsoever apart from your regular face breakout here and there. I'm a little bit scared about this happening all of a sudden, I don't know what it is or if it's going to get worse. It has grown overnight and hurts more than yesterday.

I have a doctor appointment but until then I'd like to know if any of you know what this could be. I'll post some pictures, hope they are not too sensitive:

https://i.imgur.com/udUpZho.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/eHNGb3X.jpg

[lapushka]

I have no idea what that is; let's leave it up to the doctor. Let us know what s/he says when you get back! :flower:


Just superficially, that redness is about how my SD looks when it's bad + a good amount of flakes.

But if if is lumpy & bumpy, it just might be a cyst, and you *need* a doctor for this. If it grows bigger, you might get a bald spot and bulging of the area, so it needs to be looked at *now*!


So good on you for making that appointment. Keep us posted.

[spitfire511]

Hey there - so sorry you're dealing with this - scalp pain is terrible!

With lapushka on this one - looks like something a doctor really needs to advise you on - could be some cystic acne due to an ingrown hair or something - but any guess we make is nothing more than that!

Hope your appointment is very soon! Please keep us posted on what they say!

[browneyedsusan]

Go see the doctor, but I'll bet it's a sebaceous cyst.
A benign thing that Dr can remove. DH has had a bunch of them taken off, and know a few others that have had them removed. They're more pesky than anything.

I hope that's what it is. Let us know what you find out! :)

[TreesOfEternity]

Thanks everyone :flower: an acquaintance who is studying to be a doctor saw it yesterday and started telling me it looks like SD and that I was going to lose all my hair - people can be *so* nice sometimes sigh.

Let's hope it's not a generalised scalp condition, I'll let you know what my doctor tells me on thursday!

[spitfire511]

Thanks everyone :flower: an acquaintance who is studying to be a doctor saw it yesterday and started telling me it looks like SD and that I was going to lose all my hair - people can be *so* nice sometimes sigh.

Let's hope it's not a generalised scalp condition, I'll let you know what my doctor tells me on thursday!

Oh good heavens - I know I'm guilty too - but I wish people would think before they speak!

Fingers and toes crossed that it's something easy (and as you already know there are PLENTY of people here with SD who haven't "lost all their hair". Sheeeeesh.) Good for you for hopping on getting it taken care of whatever it is!

[lapushka]

Oh good heavens - I know I'm guilty too - but I wish people would think before they speak!

Fingers and toes crossed that it's something easy (and as you already know there are PLENTY of people here with SD who haven't "lost all their hair". Sheeeeesh.) Good for you for hopping on getting it taken care of whatever it is!

You can lose more hair (veeery temporarily) while having a bout of SD, but it's nothing "major", by any means. If you let it go on without getting a medicated shampoo and cleansing properly, yes, you can continue to lose more hair, but if you tend to it like you normally would (who wouldn't), then it's fine!

If it is that, right.

Let's just see what the doc says.

[daisy rei]

Hmm, I can't really tell from the pictures. I hope for your sake that it's nothing severe and just a mild allergic reaction/temporary rash.

I had a huge bump on the back of my neck for like a month and it ended up being a huge pimple/ingrown hair. Yuck. :( Every time I combed my hair it would get more irritated and swollen.

[vampyyri]

I had a little cyst like this on my scalp, the dermatologist was able to take it right out without any issues! It's not really what you do to your scalp, it's moreso genetics.

[TreesOfEternity]

I had a little cyst like this on my scalp, the dermatologist was able to take it right out without any issues! It's not really what you do to your scalp, it's moreso genetics.

I thought so, as I didn’t really do anything different to my scalp lately. May I ask if yours appeared again or once removed it was gone for good? My mom has had a sebum cyst (not red and painful like mine, but flesh-colored and not painful at all) and after being removed it always grows back eventually. Hope it’s not the case yikes.

[TreesOfEternity]

Hmm, I can't really tell from the pictures. I hope for your sake that it's nothing severe and just a mild allergic reaction/temporary rash.

I had a huge bump on the back of my neck for like a month and it ended up being a huge pimple/ingrown hair. Yuck. :( Every time I combed my hair it would get more irritated and swollen.


Could be something like that. It is way more swollen today than it was when I made the post, it’s a proper bump now and so uncomfortable :/

[lapushka]

I thought so, as I didn’t really do anything different to my scalp lately. May I ask if yours appeared again or once removed it was gone for good? My mom has had a sebum cyst (not red and painful like mine, but flesh-colored and not painful at all) and after being removed it always grows back eventually. Hope it’s not the case yikes.

A pilar cyst, you mean? They occur a lot on the scalp.


Could be something like that. It is way more swollen today than it was when I made the post, it’s a proper bump now and so uncomfortable :/

Ooh that sucks. When is your appointment? Hope you don't have to wait much longer.

[Reservechic]

I have scalp eczema that at times have gotten so severe till I've had to get approval for laser scalp eczema treatments done. My scalp does get irritated easily, but if I am not flaring up very badly at the time, the irritation will not very long to subside, but when I am flaring up very badly, I will see a lot of redness and irritation go my scalp, ton of flakeiness, and even bumps, that eventually pop and have blood come from out them. I still do get the bumps periodically on my scalp, but I am not sure if it will ever 100% stop occurring because it's linked to my scalp eczema. I have been diagnosed different prescription medicated shampoos, topical creams, topical sprays, shots, and even pills. And, I also happen to undergo UV Thetapy for both my face and scalp on a monthly basis. So, I have been through using a ton of stuff, and have come to the reality that having a scalp disorder at least for me, is something that I will probably end up living with my entire life, just like my seborrheic dermatitis that I also suffer with on my body. My father has psoriasis and has been dealing with such almost his entire life. Therefore, what I have us largely genetic, however, certain things can major my symptoms worse such as changes in the seasons, hair care products that happen to end up being irritating to my scalp (whether they happen to be so called "natural" or not), as anyone can be allergic to any ingredient. Plus, I stopped having different chemical processes done go my hair, because they weren't good for my scalp at all, either.

Always going to seek help from a medical professional either through ones PCP or dermatologist right away for any ongoing scalp issues experienced is always the best route to go. In my case, I kept expecting my scalp issues to go away and for such a long amount of years I never choose to speak up to my PCP or even see a dermatologist about it. I would go online searching for cures, but none of them worked. which only ended up doing way more harm than good. My scalp became a flaky, irritated mess, and then the bumps came. They aren't huge, but they're definitely noticeable when they do crop up. I've never had to have them lanced or anything, because they always eventually burst on their own, with blood coming out of them.

Because, my scalp and skin disorders are largely due to genetics, I'll be probably left to deal with such until the rest of my life. However, the best advice I can personally give anyone suffering with ongoing scalp issues is to ask as many questions as you can with your PCP or dermatologist (whichever a person chooses to see in regards to such) about all present scalp conditions experienced, so that way all concerns and questions that one may have can be properly answered ASAP at that time.

[mrsmushroom]

Hey! Nursing student here. As some others have mentioned, it could be seborrheic dermatitis. OR it could be psoriasis. They can look very similar (almost identical), and often are genetic. It could just as easily be a regular cyst or pimple. Have you noticed anything elsewhere on your skin? Does it itch at all? I have psoriasis on my scalp and sometimes it turns to pustular psoriasis, which gives me these painful, cyst/pimple-esque bumps on my scalp. I would definitely advise going to a dermatologist and leave it alone in the meantime, touching it can make it much worse

[TreesOfEternity]

Thanks for all your input guys. I know what it is to have a condition you know you will carry all your life, I think diagnose can be a relief in the sense that you know what you can expect and what you can do to make your life as comfortable as possible, and keep on with every other aspects of your life without having to focus on the downsides all the time. There’s always ups and downs but I hope you all are doing well :grouphug:

I just came back from my appointment at the doctor. Her explanation wasn’t clear at all, all she said was that it is an infection, “like some sort of huge pimple so you understand” (yes she can be a little patronizing sometimes lol). As I came early it’s not big enough to remove it immediately and told me to take antibiotics and keep an eye on it in case it keeps on growing, in which case they would need to “make a little cut” (in her own words). So let’s see if the antibiotics do the trick and it goes away by itself!

[lapushka]

I hope the ABs work! Good luck! :) At least it was taken seriously; they don't just give you ABs these days if it's not strictly necessary. :)

[browneyedsusan]

I hope the medication does the trick!

[TreesOfEternity]

I hope the ABs work! Good luck! :) At least it was taken seriously; they don't just give you ABs these days if it's not strictly necessary. :)


I hope the medication does the trick!

Thank you, I really hope so :flower: My doctor definitely won’t prescribe anything if it’s not strictly necessary so I trust her if she thinks it’s the best choice.

[daisy rei]

Thanks for all your input guys. I know what it is to have a condition you know you will carry all your life, I think diagnose can be a relief in the sense that you know what you can expect and what you can do to make your life as comfortable as possible, and keep on with every other aspects of your life without having to focus on the downsides all the time. There’s always ups and downs but I hope you all are doing well :grouphug:

I just came back from my appointment at the doctor. Her explanation wasn’t clear at all, all she said was that it is an infection, “like some sort of huge pimple so you understand” (yes she can be a little patronizing sometimes lol). As I came early it’s not big enough to remove it immediately and told me to take antibiotics and keep an eye on it in case it keeps on growing, in which case they would need to “make a little cut” (in her own words). So let’s see if the antibiotics do the trick and it goes away by itself!

Ugh, sorry about the patronizing doctor. Sounds like a nightmare for someone sensitive like me, lol. shudder: I hope the medication helps! Or a huge whitehead forms and you can pop it, heh heh heh. :wink:

I just recently discovered that I have psoriasis! Or some type of disease related to that, which isn't too much a surprise since my dad has tinea. I've never had skin issues/rashes before and now I have this terrifying looking splotchy red rash on my back that refuses to leave, no matter what kind of ointment I rub on it. It's devastating to discover that I'll always have to deal with it but like you said, a relief to know that it's normal/common or at least treatable.

[TreesOfEternity]

pathetic it’s something you have to “come to terms with” isn’t it? I don’t know why we are like that nowadays, like we are human almost everyone of us have health related things going on but we still think the norm is being spotless as if we lived in a vacuum and weren’t little organic balls haha.

I feel there’s a lot of shame behind having stuff going on, specially when it’s skin related, and it just shouldn’t it’s the natural thing to happen. Anyway it’s great we have meds and products so those things don’t bother us and just sit there quietly while we go on with our lives hehe.

[lapushka]

I just recently discovered that I have psoriasis! Or some type of disease related to that, which isn't too much a surprise since my dad has tinea. I've never had skin issues/rashes before and now I have this terrifying looking splotchy red rash on my back that refuses to leave, no matter what kind of ointment I rub on it. It's devastating to discover that I'll always have to deal with it but like you said, a relief to know that it's normal/common or at least treatable.

Would a good thick emollient, fragrance free, cream like Vaniply or some such work?