Good things take time, especially when the body needs a little time and the right care.
This photo shows a woman in her thirties with a dark ponytail and a black sports bra, seen from behind, with a red, swollen lump on her shoulder blade while a nurse’s gloved hands hold gauze next to it.
A lump like this is most often an inflamed epidermoid cyst, a small sac under the skin that forms around a blocked follicle and fills with keratin.
The shoulder blades sweat a lot during exercise, and tight sports bras and straps rub the same spot, which can block the follicles there.
When the cyst becomes inflamed the skin around it turns red and warm, and it can feel sore when lying on the back or lifting the arm.
A doctor will examine the lump, feel how firm it is and check the skin around it for any smaller bumps.
If it is a cyst, the area is numbed, the lump is opened and drained, and the sac is removed through a small cut so it does not come back.
The spot is then cleaned and covered, and it is best to skip hard workouts for a few days while it heals.
Showering soon after exercise, washing sports clothes after every use and not picking at bumps all help prevent new cysts.
Good things take time, and the right treatment makes all the difference. The videos below show back cysts being treated by professionals.
