Big changes are made of gentle steps forward. Each small, steady action makes the road ahead a little easier.
This photo shows a man in his mid forties with short brown hair and light stubble, sitting shirtless on an exam table, with a large, dark red lump on his shoulder blade while a doctor’s gloved hand holds tweezers next to it.
A lump like this is most likely an inflamed epidermoid cyst, a sac under the skin that forms around a blocked follicle and fills with keratin over time.
The shoulder blade is a common spot because the skin there is thick, has many follicles and is rubbed by backpacks, chairs and shirts all day.
As the cyst grows and becomes inflamed, the skin over it stretches, turns red and shiny, and it can feel sore when lying down or carrying a bag.
A doctor will examine the lump, check how firm and tender it is and look at the skin around it for any smaller bumps.
If it is a cyst, the area is numbed, the lump is opened and drained to ease the pressure, and the sac is removed so it does not refill.
Afterwards the wound is cleaned and dressed, and it heals best when it is kept clean and not rubbed by straps for several days.
Washing the back daily, changing sweaty shirts quickly and not squeezing bumps at home all lower the chance of another cyst.
Take gentle steps forward and get it looked at early. The videos below show shoulder and back cysts being treated by professionals.
