Skinrepublic

 Dear Dr. Jen,

 I have a sebaceous cyst on my neck.  Will it grow very big?  I am starting to get conscious about it.  My doctor said it doesn’t have to be removed.

 Sonia

 Dear Sonia,

 Sebaceous cyst is a benign growth of the skin.  It contains white material like “cottage cheese” inside.  You can live a long and happy life with it.  I agree with your doctor to keep your cyst with you.

 However, if it has become red, painful or infected, it is best removed after a course of antibiotics.  If the cyst is located on the front (anterior) aspect of your neck and you are bothered by its appearance, then you can also opt to have it removed.  Keep in mind that excision of the cyst will still leave a small scar.  The scar may eventually fade over time but it will be a little prominent for a short period of time.

 Dear Dr. Jen,

 I recently broke up with my boyfriend but have his name tattooed on my back.  Is there a way to have it removed?

 Ali

 Dear Ali,

 If your are 200% certain that you are not getting back together with him, then you can have laser tattoo removal performed.  The laser light breaks up the pigment in the dermis without damaging the skin above it.  The body then slowly removes the pigment.

The procedure is quick but many factors come into play that determine how many sessions are needed.  These include patient’s age, type of tattoo, skin type, depth of tattoo and kind of pigment used.  Some tattoo colors are harder to remove and will require more number of treatments.  Multiple sessions are usually necessary.