The difference between a sebaceous cyst and an abscess is the difference in etiology, surgical treatments, and so on. 1. Different causes: Sebaceous cysts are usually caused by the blockage of sebaceous glands on the surface of the skin, which eventually accumulates into cyst-like material. On the other hand, abscess is usually caused by various reasons of bacterial infection occurring in the skin or subcutaneous tissues, and eventually some necrotic cells and leukocytes appear, leading to the manifestation of pus. 2. Surgical methods are different: usually the treatment of sebaceous cysts is only direct excision, and try to take out the envelope, and then suture. While the treatment of abscess is incision and drainage, and can be treated with dressing change after removal. It is recommended that patients with sebaceous cysts and abscesses should consult a doctor in time and standardize the treatment under the guidance of the doctor.