A small cyst that requires magnification to be seen, may be called a microcyst. Similarly, a cyst that is larger than usual or compared to others, may be called a macrocyst.

The aneurysmal bone cyst is a neoplastic cyst, more specifically, an aggressive lesion with radiographic cystic appearance.

Due to its classification, a dermoid cyst can occur wherever a teratoma can occur.

Dermoid cysts can appear in young children, often near the lateral aspect of the eyebrow (right part of the right eyebrow or left part of the left eyebrow). Depending on the perceived amount of risk, these are sometimes excised or simply kept under observation.

An inflammatory reaction can occur if a dermoid cyst is disrupted, and the cyst can recur if it is not completely excised. Sometimes complete excision is not practical if the cyst is in a dumbbell configuration, whereby it extends through a suture line in the skull.

If dermoid cysts appear on the medial aspect, the possibility of an encephalocele becomes greater and should be considered among the differential diagnoses.

Dermoid cysts develop during pregnancy. They occur when skin cells and things like hair, sweat glands, oil glands or fatty tissue get trapped in the skin as a baby grows in the womb.Dermoid cysts are present at birth (congenital) and are common. It can be months or years before a dermoid cyst is noticed on a child because the cysts grow slowly.

Dermoid cyst symptoms are minor and the cysts are usually painless. They are not harmful to a child’s health. If they become infected, the infection must be treated and the cyst should be removed. It is easier to remove cysts and prevent scars if the cyst is removed before it gets infected.

Symptoms are assessed on a case by case basis. Some cysts in the CNS can be asymptomatic (producing or showing no symptoms), depending on their location in the brain or spinal cord. If the cysts develop in critical areas of the central nervous system, they can present one or more of the following symptoms:

- Pressure in the spinal cord or brain

- Rupture of nerves around the cyst

- Weakness in specific parts of the body controlled by the cyst-infected brain region

- Inflammation

- Hydrocephalus

- Brainstem hemorrhage

- Seizures

- Visual disturbances and hearing Loss

- Headache

- Difficulty with balance or walking

In general, symptoms vary depending on the type of cyst and its location within the CNS.

Theca lutein cyst is a type of bilateral functional ovarian cyst filled with clear, straw-colored fluid. To be classified a functional cyst, the mass must reach a diameter of at least three centimeters.

These cysts result from exaggerated physiological stimulation (hyperreactio luteinalis) and are usually associated with markedly elevated levels of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG). They are thus associated with gestational trophoblastic disease (molar pregnancy), diabetes mellitus, alloimmunisation to Rh-D, and multiple gestations. They have rarely been associated with chronic kidney disease (secondary to reduced hCG clearance) and hyperthyroidism (given the structural homology with TSH). These cysts resolve after pregnancy. Rarely, when the theca-lutein cysts are stimulated by gonadotropins, massive ascites can result. In most cases however, abdominal symptoms are minimal and restricted to peritoneal irritation from cyst hemorrhage. Surgical intervention may be required to remove ruptured or infarcted tissue.

Women who smoke have a twofold increase for functional cysts.

This category of cysts takes over areas of necrotic tissue in the brain from injuries, diseases, or abnormalities, which occur due to the central nervous system's nonregenerative nature. These cysts can affect all germ layers of the CNS, but are most common in the arachnoid mater, and the ventricular space, which may block CSF pathways. These cysts can be static (stationary) or progressive. Some examples of cysts originating from the CNS tissue include:

- Arachnoid cysts (Leptomeningeal cysts)

- Ependymal cysts

- Cystic cerebellar astrocytomas

- Colloid cysts

Thyroglossal duct cysts most often present with a palpable asymptomatic midline neck mass above the level of the hyoid bone. The mass on the neck moves during swallowing or on protrusion of the tongue because of its attachment to the tongue via the tract of thyroid descent. Some patients will have neck or throat pain, or dysphagia.

The persistent duct or sinus can promote oral secretions, which may cause cysts to become infected. Up to half of thyroglossal cysts are not diagnosed until adult life. The tract can lie dormant for years or even decades, until some kind of stimulus leads to cystic dilation. Infection can sometimes cause the transient appearance of a mass or enlargement of the cyst, at times with periodic recurrences. Spontaneous drainage may also occur. Differential diagnosis are ectopic thyroid, enlarged lymph nodes, dermoid cysts and goiter.

Thyroglossal cyst usually presents as a midline neck lump (in the region of the hyoid bone) that is usually painless, smooth and cystic, though if infected, pain can occur. There may be difficulty breathing, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), or dyspepsia (discomfort in the upper abdomen), especially if the cyst becomes large.

The most common location for a thyroglossal cyst is midline or slightly off midline, between the isthmus of the thyroid and the hyoid bone or just above the hyoid bone. A thyroglossal cyst can develop anywhere along a thyroglossal duct, though cysts within the tongue or in the floor of the mouth are rare.A thyroglossal cyst will move upwards with protrusion of the tongue.Thyroglossal cysts are associated with an increased incidence of ectopic thyroid tissue. Occasionally, a lingual thyroid can be seen as a flattened strawberry-like lump at the base of the tongue.

The scalp, ears, back, face, and upper arm, are common sites of sebaceous cysts, though they may occur anywhere on the body except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. In males a common place for them to develop is the scrotum and chest. They are more common in hairier areas, where in cases of long duration they could result in hair loss on the skin surface immediately above the cyst. They are smooth to the touch, vary in size, and are generally round in shape.

They are generally mobile masses that can consist of:

- Fibrous tissues and fluids,

- A fatty (keratinous) substance that resembles cottage cheese, in which case the cyst may be called "keratin cyst". This material has a characteristic "cheesy" or foot odor smell,

- A somewhat viscous, serosanguineous fluid (containing purulent and bloody material).

The nature of the contents of a sebaceous cyst, and of its surrounding capsule, differs depending on whether the cyst has ever been infected.

With surgery, a cyst can usually be excised in its entirety. Poor surgical technique, or previous infection leading to scarring and tethering of the cyst to the surrounding tissue, may lead to rupture during excision and removal. A completely removed cyst will not recur, though if the patient has a predisposition to cyst formation, further cysts may develop in the same general area.

The epidermoid cyst may have no symptoms, or it may hurt when touched. It can release pus. It is very common for women on the major or minor labia. In contrast to pilar cysts, epidermoid cysts are usually present on parts of the body with relatively little hair.

Occasionally, an epidermoid cyst will present with Trigeminal neuralgia.

Although they are not malignant, there are rare cases of malignant tumors arising from an epidermoid cyst.

Rarely, cancer may be present in a thyroglossal duct cyst. These tumors usually arise from the ectopic thyroid tissue within the cyst.

A cyst of Montgomery is a benign breast mass, usually found in adolescent girls. Typically, it resolves spontaneously by itself.

Most cysts in the body are benign (dysfunctional) tumors, the result of plugged ducts or other natural body outlets for secretions. However, sometimes these masses are considered neoplasm:

- Keratocyst

- Calcifying odotogenic cyst

- According to the current (2005) classification of the World Health Organization, both (parakeratizied) odontogenic keratocyst and calcifying odotogenic cyst have neoplastic characteristics, thus renamed as Keratocystic odontogenic tumor and Calcifying odotogenic tumor, respectively.

- Cystic ameloblastoma

- Long standing dentigerous cyst, odontogenic keratocyst, and residual cyst may have neoplastic potential converting into the locally aggressive ameloblastoma, or the malignant squamous cell carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

A cyst of Montgomery may be asymptomatic. Yet, a cyst of Montgomery usually is diagnosed when a female patient, 10–20 years of age, complains to a healthcare professional of breast pain (mastalgia), inflammation or a palpable nodule in the breast. The diagnosis is made clinically, when a palpable nodule is felt in the retroareolar area.

The diagnosis can be confirmed with ultrasonography, frequently showing a simple cyst in the retroareolar area. In some patients, multiple cysts or bilateral cysts may exist. Cysts of Montgomery may have liquid content with an echogenic or calcific sediment.

Odontogenic cyst are a group of jaw cysts that are formed from tissues involved in odontogenesis (tooth development). Odontogenic cysts are closed sacs, and have a distinct membrane derived from rests of odontogenic epithelium. It may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material. Intra-bony cysts are most common in the jaws, because the mandible and maxilla are the only bones with epithelial components. That odontogenic epithelium is critical in normal tooth development. However, epithelial rests may be the origin for the cyst lining later.

Not all oral cysts are odontogenic cyst. For example, mucous cyst of the oral mucosa and nasolabial duct cyst are not of odontogenic origin.

In addition, there are several conditions with so-called (radiographic) 'pseudocystic appearance' in jaws; ranging from anatomic variants such as Stafne static bone cyst, to the aggressive aneurysmal bone cyst.

Cysts rarely cause any symptoms, unless they become secondarily infected. The signs depend mostly upon the size and location of the cyst. If the cyst has not expanded beyond the normal anatomical boundaries of the bone, then there will be no palpable lump outside or inside the mouth. The vast majority of cysts expand slowly, and the surrounding bone has time to increase its density around the lesion, which is the body's attempt to isolate the lesion. Cysts that have expanded beyond the normal anatomic boundaries of a bone are still often covered with a thin layer of new bone. At this stage, there may be a sign termed "eggshell cracking", where the thinned cortical plate cracks when pressure is applied. A lump may be felt, which may feel hard if there is still bone covering the cyst, or fluctuant if the cyst has eroded through the bone surrounding it. A cyst may become acutely infected, and discharge into the oral cavity via a sinus. Adjacent teeth may be loosened, tilted or even moved bodily. Rarely, roots of teeth are resorbed, depending upon the type of cyst. The inferior alveolar nerve runs through the mandible and supplies sensation to the lower lip and chin. As most cysts expand slowly, there will be no altered sensation (anesthesia or paraesthesia), since the inferior alveolar canal is harmlessly enveloped or displaced over time. More aggressive cysts, or acute infection of any cyst may cause altered sensation.

An epidermoid cyst is a benign cyst usually found on the skin. The cyst develops out of ectodermal tissue. Histologically, it is made of a thin layer of squamous epithelium.

A colloid cyst is a tumor containing gelatinous material in the brain. It is almost always found just posterior to the foramen of Monro in the anterior aspect of the third ventricle, originating from the roof of the ventricle. Because of its location, it can cause obstructive hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure. Colloid cysts represent 0.5–1% of intracranial tumors.

Symptoms can include headache, vertigo, memory deficits, diplopia, behavioral disturbances and in extreme cases, sudden death. Intermittency of symptoms is characteristic of this lesion. Untreated pressure caused by these cysts can result in brain herniation. Colloid cyst symptoms have been associated with 4 variables: cyst size, cyst imaging characteristics, ventricular size, and patient age. The developmental origin is unclear, though they may be of endodermal origin, which would explain the mucin-producing, ciliated cell type. These cysts can be surgically resected, and opinion is divided about the advisability of this.

A sebaceous cyst is a term commonly used to refer to either:

- Epidermoid cysts (also termed "epidermal cysts", "infundibular cyst"), or

- Pilar cysts (also termed "trichelemmal cysts", "isthmus-catagen cysts").

Both of the above types of cyst contain keratin, not sebum, and neither originates from sebaceous glands. Epidermoid cysts originate in the epidermis and pilar cysts originate from hair follicles. Therefore, technically speaking they are not sebaceous cysts. "True" sebaceous cysts, cysts which originate from sebaceous glands and which contain sebum, are relatively rare and are known as steatocystoma simplex or, if multiple, as steatocystoma multiplex.

It has been suggested by medical professionals that the term "sebaceous cyst" be avoided since it can be misleading. In practice however, the term is still often used for epidermoid and pilar cysts.

Most Bartholin's cysts do not cause any symptoms, although some may cause pain during walking, sitting, or sexual intercourse (dyspareunia). They are usually between 1 and 4 cm, and are located just medial to the labia minora. Most Bartholin's cysts only affect the left "or" the right side (unilateral). Small cysts are usually not painful, but very large cysts can cause significant pain.

Odontogenic cysts have histologic origins in the cells of the dental structures. Some are inflammatory while others are developmental.

- Radicular cyst is the most common (up to two thirds of all cysts of the jaws). This inflammatory cyst originated from a reaction to dental pulp necrosis.

- Dentigerous cyst, the second most prevalent cyst, is associated with the crown of non-erupted tooth.

- Odontogenic keratocyst, which now is considered as tumor, and therefore called "Keratocystic odontogenic tumor". This lesion may be associated with the Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.

- Buccal bifurcation cyst which appears in the buccal bifurcation region of the mandibular first molars in the second half of the first decade of life.

- Eruption cyst; a small cyst in the gingiva as a tooth erupts, forming from the degenerating dental follicle

- Primordial cyst; previous thought to be a unique entity. Most primordial cysts have proven to be Keratocystic odontogenic tumors

- Orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst; a variant of the Keratocystic odontogenic tumor

- Gingival cyst of the newborn; an inclusion cyst from remanents of the dental lamina on a newborn gingiva

- Gingival cyst of the adult; a soft tissue variant of the lateral periodontal cyst

- Lateral periodontal cyst; a non-inflammatory cyst (vs a radicular cyst) on the side of a tooth derived from remanents of the dental lamina

- Calcifying odontogenic cyst; a rare lesion with cystic and neoplastic features and significant diversity in presentation, histology and prognosis

- Glandular odontogenic cyst; cyst with respiratory like epithelial lining and the potential for recurrence with characteristics similar to a central variant of low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma

Patients with third ventricular colloid cysts become symptomatic when the tumor enlarges rapidly, causing CSF obstruction, ventriculomegaly, and increased intracranial pressure. Some cysts enlarge more gradually, however, allowing the patient to accommodate the enlarging mass without disruption of CSF flow, and the patient remains asymptomatic. In these cases, if the cyst stops growing, the patient can maintain a steady state between CSF production and absorption and may not require neurosurgical intervention.

Nabothian cysts are considered harmless and usually disappear on their own, although some will persist indefinitely. Some women notice they appear and disappear in relation to their menstrual cycle. If a woman is not sure the anomaly she has found on her cervix is a nabothian cyst, a visit to a doctor is recommended to rule out other conditions.

Rarely, nabothian cysts have a correlation with chronic cervicitis, an inflammatory infection of the cervix.

Nabothian cysts are not considered problematic unless they grow very large and present secondary symptoms. A physician may wish to perform a colposcopy or biopsy on a nabothian cyst to check for cancer or other problems. Two methods for removing these cysts include electrocautery and cryofreezing, although new cysts may form after the procedure.

The botryoid odontogenic cyst is a multi-compartmentalized variant of the lateral periodontal cyst. It is similar to the lateral periodontal cyst in all its features except that its polycystic nature is often evident through its multilocular pattern on radiographs.

Nabothian cysts appear most often as firm bumps on the cervix's surface. A woman may notice the cyst when inserting a diaphragm or cervical cap, or when checking the cervix as part of fertility awareness. A health care provider may notice the cysts during a pelvic exam.