A 23-year-old male asked:
I have had a skin abcess, on the back of my neck for about a year. it goes and comes back. what can i do? i've been to the doctors aswell.
3 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. John Walesanswered
Emergency Medicine 44 years experience
Surgical removal : Sounds like a sebaceous cyst that gets infected. Contact a general surgeon, plastic surgeon, or dermatologist to have it electively removed under local anesthesia in the doctors office.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Emily Altmananswered
Dermatology 30 years experience
Abscess on neck: A recurrent abscess in one location on the skin is most likely a cyst that keeps getting inflamed over and over again. The only way to remove a cyst is to excise it. It is also important not to squeeze the inflamed cyst as squeezing will promote scarring and the cyst will get larger and more difficult to remove. When the cyst is inflamed, injections of cortisone may help shrink it.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Myra Skluthanswered
Internal Medicine 37 years experience
See a surgeon: You may need to have such an abscess surgically incised and drained. There may be a cyst which keeps filling up with sebum and pus. The sac of the cyst probably needs to be removed.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Dec 8, 2015
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