All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Hair cyst: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
Hair cyst [syn: trichylemal (pilar) cyst, follicular cyst, sebaceous cyst] may be single or multiple, especially in women older than 40 years. It occurs mainly on the scalp, rarely on the skin of the back and other places, can exist from birth or, more often, appears in the elderly, reaches a considerable size, has a dense elastic consistency, is painless. Often there are family forms, inherited, probably, autosomal dominant.
Pathomorphology of the hair cyst. The wall of the hairy cyst is lined with an epithelium similar in structure to the epithelium in the region of the isthmus of the hair follicle, which is characterized by the presence of basal and prickly layers and the absence of granular layers. The contents of the cyst consist of a homogeneous keratin, sometimes with deposits of cholesterol and crystals of fatty acids. In 25% of cases, cyst is calcified. If the cyst wall breaks around its contents, a giant-cellular reaction can occur.
[How to examine?