Vaginal Cysts Explained

Dr. Lisa Masterson: Well, Charity was brave enough to join us today for the answer. Charity how you doing?

Charity: Hi, good. Thanks.

Dr. Lisa: Great. So, let’s help her and everybody understand what’s going on here. Basically, a Bartholin cyst which is really common, I see this about once a month, is on either side of a woman’s vagina. We’re going to use this chayote squash. I mean what a pretty little example of a woman’s vagina there. I actually like this. I think this is very lovely although we know they’re not green.

But basically these are like the lips of the vagina and this is the vaginal opening. You have these two glands called Bartholin's gland on either side of the vagina. Now, these little tax here represent the Bartholin's gland. What they do, they’re function is to lubricate the vagina all the time, so that it stays soft and supple. So, they’re very important, these glands.

Now what happens when you have a Bartholin cyst it’s a sac full of fluid that can fill up with either these clear fluid or pus. Basically that gland you saw on the other side of the vagina, it fills up, it swells up to about five, six centimeters and it can become red, inflamed. You could kind of feel like you have a testicle or you’ve grown something down there. Yeah?

Charity: Yeah.

Dr. Lisa: So, they can be embarrassing and painful the same time. But again I see this all the time. Now, what kind of concerns do you have?

Charity: It’s still to the point where it’s painful. It’s hard to wear clothing. I’m afraid of doing the surgery and become deformed down there where losing my ability to do enjoy sex.