What is skin cysts and lipomas?
Epidermoid and pilar cysts are slow-growing lumps formed when a sac of skin cells fills with keratin — the cheesy material sometimes released if they burst — most often on the face, scalp, neck and trunk. Lipomas are soft, doughy overgrowths of fatty tissue under the skin, usually on the shoulders, back, arms or thighs. Both are common, benign and often run in families; cysts can become inflamed or infected, while lipomas mainly cause bother through size, visibility or pressure discomfort.
Diagnosis is usually made confidently on examination by a GP or dermatologist. An ultrasound scan is occasionally used for deeper or unusual lumps, and any lump that is hard, fixed, rapidly growing or painful deserves prompt assessment to exclude rarer causes.
Common symptoms
- A smooth, round lump under the skin
- Cysts: often with a central punctum, sometimes discharging thick material
- Lipomas: soft, doughy and slightly mobile under the fingers
- Slow growth over months or years
- Redness, pain and swelling if a cyst becomes infected
- Discomfort from catching on clothing or pressure
How long will you wait?
The NHS rarely removes benign cysts and lipomas: removal for appearance's sake is classed as cosmetic and not funded, and even symptomatic lumps face restrictive criteria and long waits, so most people who want them gone pay privately.
Privately, you can typically be assessed within 3–7 days, with removal under local anaesthetic often possible at the same visit or within 1–2 weeks.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Reassurance and monitoring. Confirmed benign lumps that cause no trouble can safely be left alone.
- Surgical excision. Removal under local anaesthetic takes 20–40 minutes and, for cysts, must include the whole sac to prevent recurrence.
- Incision and drainage. An acutely infected cyst may need draining first, with formal removal once inflammation settles.
- Histology. Removed tissue is routinely sent for laboratory analysis to confirm the benign diagnosis.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, private removal of a cyst or small lipoma typically costs £400–£900 including histology, with larger or multiple lipomas ranging from £1,000 to £2,500 or more.
Does health insurance cover skin cysts and lipomas?
Cover here hinges on why the lump is being removed. Insurers will generally pay to investigate a new or changing lump, since establishing that it is benign is genuine medical care, and may cover removal where there is documented pain, infection or functional problems. Removal purely because a benign lump looks unsightly is classed as cosmetic and excluded by virtually all policies, so most straightforward cyst and lipoma removals end up self-funded.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my lump is not something serious?
Benign cysts and lipomas share reassuring features: they grow slowly over months or years, feel smooth or doughy, move slightly under the skin and behave predictably. Features that warrant prompt medical review are rapid growth, a hard or fixed lump, pain without infection, size over about five centimetres, a deep location, or regrowth after removal. A doctor can usually distinguish these on examination, with ultrasound for any doubt.
Can I squeeze a cyst to get rid of it?
It is best resisted, tempting as it is. Squeezing forces the contents into surrounding tissue, triggering inflammation, and introduces infection risk — and because the sac itself stays behind, the cyst simply refills. Repeated squeezing also creates scarring that makes eventual surgical removal harder and the cosmetic result worse. If a cyst bothers you, proper excision of the whole sac under local anaesthetic is quick and permanent.
Will removal leave a scar?
Yes — any procedure that cuts the skin leaves some mark, and honesty about that beats disappointment later. The realistic aim is a fine, flat line that fades substantially over six to twelve months, and skilled surgeons place incisions along natural skin lines to minimise visibility. Scars on the back and chest tend to stretch or thicken more than facial ones. Discuss likely outcomes for your specific site before deciding.