I have a GIANT cyst on my cheek - it has THREE small whiteheads. How do I safely get rid of this beast quickly?

I’d take some hydrogen peroxide and put that on a cotton swab, and gently brush over it. Also, are you against popping? I would just pop it, not rip it.

Is it a cyst or a pimple?

@auhsojsa I’m against “popping” as in squeezing the thing until it pops like a regular pimple, because this is no regular pimple. I’m not against any safe, scar free ways to remove it.

@prioritymail It appears to be some hybrid of both…it’s the size and pain of a cyst, but its forming a few whiteheads like a pimple. The whiteheads are very recent though, the past few days it’s just been a cyst to me.

Because it’s so big, you may need the assistance of a dermatologist. If you try to pop it yourself, there’s a chance of developing a secondary infection (the cyst is already infected, hence the pus that it’s full of) If you try to pop it yourself, make sure that you use a sterilized needle and that you have sterile cotton on hand to collect the pus and blood, and hydrogen peroxide to dab on the wound afterward, then you should cover it with a sterile bandaid. But you need to be very careful about how you squeeze it, because if you squeeze too hard, or in the wrong way, you can push the infection deeper into your skin and there’s always the chance that you can cause scarring. That is why I would advise letting a dermatologist do it for you. Plus he can numb the area first, because it will probably sting like the dickens.

That doesn’t sound like a cyst. If it’s that big, red, and hurts, it could be infected. You could pop it as @auhsojsa suggested. But you should to see a doctor in case it is infected. The doctor will also probably lance it.

I’d go with a physician, a dermatologist if possible. You are wise not to pop it and to recognize the possibility of an infection. Self treatment can also affect a scar, should there be one. Get thee to a doctor ASAP.

I think a cyst is a mass of tissue under the skin so you could have acne on the skin that it is under I suppose. I had a cyst once and it was surgically removed. Smaller than yours, and a very minor procedure.

If you insist on lancing it yourself, hold the needle so that it is as parallel to your skin as posible. This will prevent you from poking the needle in deep if the surface tension on the pimple suddenly ruptures. If it has three heads you may have to lance it several times to completely drain it.

I also recommend seeing a Dr or nurse practitioner.

What @yinglin is describing is very likely cystic acne.

Unfortunately popping it will probably only make the situation worse. Use some cover-up (even if you’re a dude, it’s ok!) and see a dermatologist to get on a treatment regimen if you haven’t already. There are lots of solutions for cystic acne but pretty much nothing over the counter will help.

Don’t mess around. Get to a doctor and get it cultured. It could be MRSA, and if it is, it’s serious and needs immediate medical treatment. I’m serious. I would not delay having it seen right away.

Put warm wet towel over it a few times a day and then coat with Neosporin or a generic. Don’t think the salve will make it worse because it’s gooey, it will help by getting into the pores, killing bacteria there and making what’s impacted softer so it can ease to the surface faster.

@GoldieAV16 Makes a very good point. All of the MRSA cases in my locale have begun with what appears to be a large pimple. Even if it isn’t MRSA, and is cystic acne, it is a matter to be treated by a doctor.

Go see your doctor asap and have it safely lanced.

MRSA or not, go to the doc pronto to get it checked out as I highly doubt you’re up to burning your face like I burned off MRSA that was developing on my wrist.

The simplest and least invasive solution has to be to irrigate the spot with very warm water for two minutes or more, several times a day. You need water from a tap or shower nozzle focused on the affected area at between 50–55 degrees C (120–130F), a little more if you can handle it, which is enough to kill most fungi and bacteria. You need time for the heat to get penetration into the skin. This temperature range can redden but not burn skin, and after a few applications a cyst can burst while being irrigated. This was advice to me in a remote part of Africa years ago, cheap and effective with no side effects. Keep it below 60C.

Try putting tea tree oil on it or goldenseal.
Personally, I find goldenseal works a bit better by making it go down. Tea tree oil can either make it come to ahead or dry it but it tends to leave the spot dry. Golden seal may take longer but it doesn’t seem to damage the skin.

Put a hot (not too hot but warm will not do it) washcloth on it for about five minutes. Keep the cloth hot. It may open and start to drain now. If not do it again and then use the cloth to try to gently rub the top of it to break the skin. Then it will probably drain. If not, use the wash cloth again and then after sterilizing a needle, prick the white head so it will drain. Avoid a lot of squeezing. Be sure and wipe it with alcohol or peroxide when finished. I would probably also put a dab on antibacterial ointment.