The best thing to put on most cysts is a warm, wet washcloth. Applied for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, a warm compress can soften the cyst, reduce swelling, and encourage it to drain on its own. Beyond that, a few over-the-counter products can help, but what you should avoid putting on a cyst matters just as much as what you apply.
Warm Compresses: The First Step
A warm, wet washcloth is the most widely recommended home treatment for skin cysts. Soak a clean washcloth in warm water (no hotter than bath temperature), then hold it against the cyst for 20 to 30 minutes. Repeat this 3 to 4 times a day. The heat increases blood flow to the area, which helps your body’s immune response and can soften the contents of the cyst so it drains naturally.
You can do this for several days. Many small, non-infected cysts will shrink or resolve with consistent compress use alone. If the cyst hasn’t improved after a week or so of regular compresses, it likely needs professional attention.
Over-the-Counter Topical Products
If your cyst is related to a blocked pore or sits close to the skin’s surface, a mild cleanser containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can help. These ingredients work by clearing dead skin cells and reducing bacteria around the cyst opening, which may prevent further irritation. Use them as part of your normal skin-washing routine rather than applying them heavily to the cyst itself.
For cysts that keep recurring in the same area, a mild retinoid cream applied at night can help over time by increasing skin cell turnover and keeping pores clear. Results from retinoids typically take several months to appear, so this is a long-term strategy rather than a quick fix.
What Not to Put on a Cyst
The most important rule: do not squeeze, pop, or try to lance a cyst yourself. Unlike a pimple, a cyst sits deeper in the skin and has a sac-like wall surrounding its contents. Squeezing it can push that material deeper into surrounding tissue, triggering significant inflammation. It also introduces bacteria from your hands and nails directly into the wound, raising your risk of infection. An infected cyst becomes painful, swollen, and discolored, and often requires antibiotics or professional drainage to resolve.
Avoid applying harsh antiseptics like rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide directly on an intact cyst. These can irritate the surrounding skin without penetrating the cyst wall, creating more redness and soreness for no benefit.
If Your Cyst Drains on Its Own
Sometimes a cyst will rupture and begin draining without any intervention. If this happens, keep the area clean by washing gently with mild soap and warm water. For a small opening with minimal drainage, apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and cover it with a bandage, changing it as needed.
If the drainage is heavier, pack the area lightly with dry gauze to absorb the excess moisture. For very heavy drainage, a sanitary pad makes a surprisingly effective dressing since it’s absorbent, cushioned, and inexpensive. Keep the wound covered and clean until drainage stops and the skin begins closing.
Alternative Remedies: Castor Oil and Tea Tree Oil
Castor oil packs are a popular home remedy. The method involves soaking cloth strips in castor oil, layering them over the cyst, covering with plastic wrap, and placing a heating pad on top for 30 to 60 minutes. Some people report relief from discomfort, particularly for deeper cysts like ovarian cysts or fibroids. However, there is no clinical evidence that castor oil packs reduce the size of skin cysts. The benefit you feel is likely from the heat itself, which you can get just as effectively from a warm washcloth.
Tea tree oil is another common suggestion. It has mild antibacterial properties, but it can also irritate sensitive skin, especially when applied undiluted. If you want to try it, dilute a drop or two in a carrier oil and apply it to the surrounding skin rather than directly into any opening.
Signs Your Cyst Needs Medical Treatment
Home treatments work well for small, painless cysts that aren’t inflamed. But certain signs mean topical care alone won’t be enough. Watch for increasing pain, redness or discoloration spreading outward from the cyst, warmth to the touch, swelling that gets worse rather than better, or any foul-smelling discharge. These are signs of infection, and an infected cyst needs professional treatment.
A dermatologist has several options depending on the situation. A steroid injection into the cyst can quickly reduce swelling and inflammation without surgery. Incision and drainage is a fast in-office procedure where the doctor makes a small cut and expresses the contents, though cysts treated this way sometimes come back because the sac wall remains. For a permanent solution, minor surgery to remove the entire cyst, including its wall, is the most effective approach and usually prevents regrowth. If the cyst is actively inflamed, your doctor may delay surgery and treat the inflammation first.
Cysts that have been present for a long time, keep growing, or sit in a cosmetically sensitive area like the face are also worth having evaluated, even if they aren’t painful. Removal is straightforward when the cyst is small and calm, and waiting until it becomes inflamed often means a harder procedure and a larger scar.