Cysts is a very common type of skin disorders but is very dangerous also. A cyst is a harmless sac-like growth in the deeper layers of the skin, which is filled with a soft, whitish brown material that sometimes oozes onto the skin surface.

Types of Cysts

Endometriomas - These cysts develop in women who have endometriosis, when tissue from the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus. The tissue may attach to the ovary and form a growth. These cysts can be painful during sexual intercourse and during menstruation.
Cystadenomas - These cysts develop from cells on the outer surface of the ovary. They are often filled with a watery fluid or thick, sticky gel. They can become large and cause pain.
Dermoid cysts - The cells in the ovary are able to make hair, teeth, and other growing tissues that become part of a forming ovarian cyst. These cysts can become large and cause pain.
Polycystic ovaries - The eggs mature within the follicles, or sacs, but the sac doesn't break open to release the egg. The cycle repeats, follicles continue to grow inside the ovary, and cysts form.

Causes of Cysts

People who smoke are more prone to the development of large cysts. Cysts are also more likely to become infected in smokers.
We do not know why cysts appear, nor do we know why some persons get many of them. Often we are born with cysts under the skin.
Sometimes, people who have multiple cysts have a family history of this problem.
As a person gets older, sometimes a cyst which was present since birth suddenly gets larger. When this happens, bacteria often get into the cyst and an infection occurs which can resemble a boil.

Symptoms of Cysts

pressure, fullness, or pain in the abdomen
dull ache in the lower back and thighs
problems passing urine completely
pain during sexual intercourse
weight gain
painful menstrual periods and abnormal bleeding
nausea or vomiting
breast tenderness

Treatment of Cysts

Laparoscopic surgery - The surgeon fills a woman's abdomen with a gas and makes small incisions through which a thin scope (laparoscope) can pass into the abdomen. The surgeon identifies the cyst through the scope and may remove the cyst or take a sample from it.
Laparotomy - This is a more invasive surgery in which an incision is made through the abdominal wall in order to remove a cyst.
Surgery for ovarian torsion: An ovarian cyst may twist and cause severe abdominal pain as well as nausea and vomiting. This is an emergency, and an operation is necessary to correct it.
Watchful waiting - You can wait and be re-examined in one to three months if you're in your reproductive years, you have no symptoms and an ultrasound shows you have a simple, fluid-filled cyst. Your doctor will likely recommend that you get follow-up pelvic ultrasounds at periodic intervals to see if your cyst has changed in size. Watchful waiting, including regular monitoring with ultrasound, is also a common treatment option recommended for postmenopausal women if a cyst is filled with fluid and less than 2 inches in diameter.
Birth control pills - Your doctor may recommend birth control pills to reduce the chance of new cysts developing in future menstrual cycles. Oral contraceptives offer the added benefit of significantly reducing your risk of ovarian cancer — the risk decreases the longer you take birth control pills.

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