Diseases and Conditions
Epidermoid cysts
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Complications
Diagnosis
Treatment
Lifestyle and home remedies
Preparing for an appointment
Diagnosis
Doctors can usually make a diagnosis by looking at the cyst. Your doctor may also scrape off skin cells and examine them under a microscope or take a skin sample (biopsy) for detailed analysis in the laboratory.
Epidermoid cysts look like sebaceous cysts, but they're different. True epidermoid cysts result from damage to hair follicles or the outer layer of skin (epidermis).