Definition of sebaceous gland cysts
A sebaceous gland cyst is also called an atheroma in medical terminology. This term comes from the Greek and means as much as wheat grits. Colloquially, sebaceous cysts are also called groats bags. They are benign structures of the skin, which are formed when the excretory duct of a sebaceous gland is blocked by the secretion of the sebaceous gland.
Causes of sebaceous gland cysts
Most sebaceous gland cysts develop without a recognizable cause. Especially young adults are affected. They are often associated with acne, in which they occur more frequently.
In this case one speaks also of secondary sebaceous gland cysts, since they develop in the context of an underlying disease, namely acne. So-called primary sebaceous gland cysts, which develop on healthy skin without previous illness, usually have no tangible cause. They develop from blocked ducts of sebaceous glands.
It is not clear why this happens in one and not in the other. In very rare cases, sebaceous gland cysts occur in hereditary genetic defects. In this case, however, a large number of sebaceous cysts can be found. Such genetic defects have been described for the occurrence of trichilemmal cysts, which are mainly found on the scalp.
Diagnosis of sebaceous gland cysts
The diagnosis of a sebaceous gland cyst is usually made clinically. This means that the diagnosis is determined by an examination based on the symptoms and appearance of the disease. A sample from the affected tissue does not need to be examined separately for this.
For the sake of thoroughness, the entire skin should be examined once, especially if several sebaceous gland cysts occur. On the basis of the skin appearance, possible underlying diseases such as acne or a rare basal cell nevus syndrome can be determined. The latter is a rare, hereditary syndrome, which is associated, among other things, with an increased incidence of sebaceous gland cysts. The question of medications taken is also important for the diagnosis. Taking the drug ciclospoprin A, for example, can lead to an increased incidence of sebaceous gland cysts.
