If you have a sebaceous cyst, your doctor can drain it, remove it, and offer medication to clear the infection from your body if necessary. A warm compress can feel nice here, too.

Our vet calls them sebaceous cysts and says we don’t need to really worry that much about them since they are not cancerous, but we always worry about infection.

Medicare covers sebaceous cyst removal when medically necessary. This includes cases where the cyst causes bleeding or pain, shows signs of inflammation or infection, or has recently gotten larger.

Infected cysts may require treatment with an antibiotic. If the cysts are uncomfortable or especially large and cosmetically unattractive, it's reasonable to consider surgery, as well.

An infected pilonidal cyst can be painful and is referred to as an abscess. If your cyst is infected, the pus may smell bad, and you may get a fever and feel nauseated.

Q: I have been plagued with sebaceous cysts most of my adult life. It’s the worst when summer comes and I want to spend more time at the beach. But ...