Dr Pimple Popper: My First INFLAMED Pilar Cyst! A Popaholic Squeeze!

This was my FIRST inflamed Pilar Cyst! I see epidermoid cysts that are inflamed or have become abscesses, but pilar cysts usually are on the scalp, and that skin is quite thick. Also the cyst wall is thicker than that of an epidermoid cyst. I think for these reasons, they are less likely to get irritated and inflamed. But this one did! An he has a popaholic coworker who tried to help him out. Warning: I don't recommend that you squeeze your own cyst at home, so I'm not endorsing this maneuver!

A Pilar Cyst, aka a trichilemmal cyst, an isthmus-catagen cyst, or a “wen”, looks identical on examination to the more common epidermoid cyst, except that 90% of them occur on the scalp. They tend to be more mobile and firmer than epidermoid cysts, and are derived from a different part of the hair follicle/skin. The internal content tend to be more “homogenous”/ smooth (looks different under the microscope), but it is also a benign growth. It is not uncommon to have multiple pilar cysts on the scalp and to have other family members to have these cysts (tend to run in families). Treatment is for cosmetic reasons usually (people don’t like the appearance of them), and excision with removal of the cyst and it’s contents is curative.