There is no discrimination when it comes to the development of dermoid cysts. Indeed, race, gender, and age have no effect on whether an ovarian dermoid cyst will grow. When the cysts develop on the face, scalp or on the neck, they are generally quite prominent at birth. They can also occur in the ovary and this is obviously specific to women.

A dermoid cyst usually occurs in the ovaries. Ovarian Dermoid cysts are usually found in women of childbearing age, from their 20s until about age 40, but can occur in women of any age. These complex cysts, which develop from totipotential germ cells, often contain tissue such as hair or teeth, or even bone tissue.  Dermoid cysts can appear on the scalp, face, or neck and on either or both ovaries. They may need to be surgically removed when found on the ovaries if they cause severe pain or circumvent blood flow to the ovaries.

The dermoid or mature teratoma is a tumor on the ovaries that is benign. Dermoids are a fairly common occurrence. They very rarely are cancerous, and make up approximately 50% of all benign ovarian tumors. One or two percent of all dermoid cyst occurrences prove cancerous, with the majority of these being in women older than forty.

Cancerous dermoid cysts are referred to as immature teratomas. The development that occurs early on will determine if or not a dermoid cyst may become cancerous. Dermoid cysts are rarely ever cancerous, and can vary in its content, often known to contain hair, sweat glands, cartilage, and muscle fibers. There is slim to no chance that a dermoid cyst will turn into a cancerous cyst once there are hairs or other similar features that appear on it.

Dermoid cysts can be found on one or both ovaries.  They usually can be detected during a pelvic examination. They are usually asymptomatic but can twist or rupture, causing severe pain in either the pelvic or abdominal area. Potential complications can be avoided by removing dermoid cysts that develop in ovaries. If the cyst is not removed and continues to develop, peritonitis may result, which is a painful irritation of the abdominal area.

An ovarian cyst can twist or burst, which causes abdominal pain or pain in the pelvic area. This is the most common symptom of a dermoid cyst. In this instance, the cyst will usually be removed surgically. The symptoms will not differ from a dermoid cyst and any other ovarian cyst, and can only be identified as an ovarian dermoid cyst by a doctor.

As is the case with any other type of complex ovarian cyst, a dermoid cyst requires repeated examination to avoid future complications. There are specific symptoms that women should be aware of and contact their health care provider if they experience them. Neither fertility nor risk of pregnancy complications are affected by removing a dermoid cyst. Patients should still use caution following surgery to reduce the risk of scar tissue formation.