Skip to content

How to get more epidermoid cyst patients: a plan for dermatology and plastic surgery practices

A small team at a dermatology practice in a short morning huddle

Adults call about a lump under the skin they think is, or were told is, an epidermoid cyst: a small lump, one they do not like the look of, or one that changed. This guide is for dermatology and plastic surgery practices; lipoma, skin tag removal, seborrheic keratosis, keloid and cherry angioma have their own guides. The dermatologist, plastic surgeon or treating clinician (the clinician below) decides the plan, including whether any treatment is needed and which one.

In short

  • Speak to adults about lumps under the skin in plain words, without fear or shame.
  • Keep landing pages clear: what people notice, the visit, the clinician, the price, one way to book.
  • Book the visit with a short script that never names a condition, a cause or a method.
  • Know the MedlinePlus contact paragraph and pass every lump question to the clinical team.
  • Follow up with consent, without pressure, and track each request.
  1. SearchAn adult looks for care near them.
  2. Your pageWhat you treat, who sees them, one way to book.
  3. Call or formThey call or send a request.
  4. Front deskBooks the visit and never guesses a cause.
  5. Clinical teamThe clinician decides the plan.
How a new patient request reaches your practice.

1. Who the patients are and what they search for

Callers are adults 18 or over, of any sex. They ask for a new visit, a lump check, a removal consult or a follow-up visit. They search for epidermoid cyst removal, a lump under the skin, or a skin doctor near them.

MedlinePlus, on its Epidermoid cyst page, opens with this line: “An epidermoid cyst is a closed sac under the skin, or a skin lump, filled with dead skin cells.” Use plain words like these.

Only the clinician can say what a lump is. Staff never say a lump is a cyst, an epidermoid cyst, harmless, not harmful, not dangerous, benign, not cancer, infected, nothing to worry about or any other condition, and never guess a cause.

Aim ads at adults only. Never target by age, family history, sex, body area or any health condition, and never build audiences or keywords from health information.

2. Landing page basics

The page sells the visit, not a result.

  • Name what people notice: a small lump under the skin, one with a tiny pit in the center, or one they do not like the look of.
  • Give the clinician’s name and real credentials.
  • Give a starting price and what it includes. Self-pay patients may be entitled to a good faith estimate.
  • Show one way to book.

Many requests are about looks or comfort. Say so plainly, with no shame. Never use fear, list causes, name a method or promise an outcome. Avoid “gone for good”, “no scar”, “will not come back”, “just a cyst”, “nothing to worry about”, “risk-free” and “insurance will cover it”, and never say a lump is harmless or that removal leaves no mark. Better: “the clinician will see the lump, answer your questions and talk through the options with you”.

3. The phone script

Staff never judge urgency, never say what a lump is and never name a method; they collect answers and book.

  1. “Thanks for calling. May I take your name, your age and the reason for your visit?”
  2. “Is this a new visit, a lump check, a removal consult or a follow-up, and did a doctor refer you? Please bring a list of your medicines and any notes from earlier care.”
  3. “The visit starts at [price]. Further care may be extra. We will check your plan, but cannot promise coverage.”
  4. Is it a cyst, is it cancer, is it harmful, is it infected, should I squeeze it, can it be removed, will it scar, will it come back, which treatment do you use, and will it work? “We cannot tell that on the phone. The clinician will see the lump in person, ask about it and decide with you what the options are.”
  5. “I can book your visit now. May we text or email you about it?”

Book adults only. Pass any caller under 18, and any question on medicines or home steps, to the clinical team. See the new patient phone script.

4. Routing and safety lines

Under When to Contact a Medical Professional, MedlinePlus gives one paragraph of four sentences and no list, quoted here whole.

It says: “Contact your provider if you notice any new growths in your body. Although epidermoid cysts are not harmful, your provider should examine you for signs of skin cancer. Some skin cancers look like cystic nodules, so have any new lump examined by your provider. If you do have an epidermoid cyst, call your provider if it becomes red or painful.”

These are the source’s words for patients and the practice. The front desk never tells a caller a lump is a cyst, is not harmful, or is or is not cancer. It routes any caller who reports a new growth, or a lump that is red or painful, to the clinical team.

A caller who says a lump is red, sore, warm, draining or smells is passed to the clinical team; staff never say why. Staff add no words of their own, never suggest home steps, never tell a caller to squeeze, pop, drain, lance, compress, treat or remove a lump themselves and never tell a caller to stop, keep or change a medicine. Any other worrying report goes to the clinical team right away.

Make follow-up visits easy to book. Text or email only with the patient’s own contact details and consent; see texting patients and the TCPA. Follow up without pressure (see consultation to treatment), never pay or take payment for referrals (see patient referrals for medical practices), and track each request from first contact to visit.

Where MediLeadGen fits

MediLeadGen sends practices requests from people interested in cash-pay elective treatments. Each request goes to one practice only, with the person’s consent naming that practice, at a fixed price per delivered request.

See how it works for practices

Questions practices ask

How do we get more epidermoid cyst patients?

Answer quickly, give clear prices and real credentials, keep claims inside the sources, and book a visit where the clinician decides the plan.

Can we tell callers whether a lump is an epidermoid cyst, or how it will be treated?

No. The dermatologist, plastic surgeon or treating clinician sees the patient and decides the plan, including whether any treatment is needed and which one.

What should the front desk do when a caller says a lump is new or has changed?

Pass the caller to the clinical team (see section 4). Staff never judge urgency and never say what a lump is.

Does insurance cover a visit for an epidermoid cyst?

Coverage varies by plan. Check each patient’s plan, and do not promise coverage in ads or on the phone.

General information for practice teams, not legal or clinical advice. Check device labeling, FDA requirements, state rules and your advertising with counsel and your clinicians. Last reviewed November 2026.

More resources

All resources for practices