Before any decision, calm comes first. A steady mind sees the problem clearly, and a clear view makes the next step obvious.
This photo shows a woman with dark hair in a ponytail, seen in profile, with a tight, red swelling on the side of her neck just below the jaw and a doctor’s gloved hands holding gauze beside it.
A lump in this spot is most likely an inflamed epidermoid cyst. A blocked pore or follicle forms a sac under the skin that slowly fills with keratin.
The side of the neck is rubbed by collars, hair and jewellery, and it is often missed during washing, so blocked pores there are common.
Once the cyst becomes inflamed it can grow quickly, feel warm and tender, and make it uncomfortable to turn the head or lie on that side.
A doctor will examine the lump carefully, because swellings on the neck should always be checked by a professional before anything is done.
If it is a cyst, the area is numbed, the lump is opened and drained, and the sac is removed so the swelling does not come back.
The spot is then cleaned and covered with a light dressing, and keeping collars and hair off it for a few days helps it heal cleanly.
Washing the neck daily, keeping hair products off the skin and not picking at bumps all help prevent new cysts from forming.
Calm comes first, and the rest follows. The videos below show neck cysts being treated by professionals.
