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Women's Health

Woman has cyst removed and is stunned to learn it had teeth, hair, and maybe even an eyeball

They're called teratomas, and they are the stuff of nightmares. They're also really misunderstood.

Canva Photos & E.dronism - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Woman lying in hospital bed.

The human body is fascinating and, to this day even, full of mysteries. Did you know there's a condition called Stoneman Syndrome where a person's ligaments slowly transform into bones? Or how about Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome where a person lives their entire life on the brink of orgasm? Or how about Auto-brewery Syndrome, where a person's gut biome naturally creates alcohol out of normal foods and beverages, thereby making them intoxicated without drinking a drop of booze?

The body is capable of extraordinary and extremely bizarre things, that's for sure.

That was certainly the case when 20-year-old Savannah Stuthers went in for a relatively routine cyst removal that turned out to be anything but.

Stuthers dealt with months of cramps, pain, and even bleeding—which doctors told her was normal after having an IUD inserted—before she couldn't take it anymore and took herself to the emergency room.

There, ER docs discovered a sizable cyst on one of her ovaries. Because the cyst was so large, the OBGYN at the hospital wanted to have it removed as soon as possible. Within a few days, Stuthers went under the knife.

When she woke up from the anesthesia, the doctors had news. Her mom was there to capture the moment Stuthers heard that what was removed from her body was no normal ovarian cyst. It was a teratoma—a unique kind of tumor that grows from germ cells (cells that eventually become sperm or, in Stuthers' case, eggs). Because of their origin, teratomas frequently grow hair and even teeth, along with various kinds of tissue. The teratoma inside Stuthers' ovary had all that, and more... The surgeons even thought Stuther's teratoma may have had an eyeball! (Later testing ruled this out... close call!)

Here's the exact moment Savannah Stuthers learned what had been growing inside of her:

 teratoma, tumor, cancer, women's health, women, health, hospital, doctor, OBGYN, reproductive health, ovarian cyst Savannah Struthers was horrified to learn that her cyst was actually not a cyst at all.  www.tiktok.com  

Stuthers posted the photo on TikTok where it went mega-viral to the tune of 34 million views. The morbid curiosity in the comment thread was absolutely off the charts. Many people had never heard of teratomas before, and most of them wish they still hadn't.

"Girl I could have went my entire life without looking up what a teratoma is," one wrote.

"I just looked at photos of teratomas and it made my arm get chills," a user added.

"it's crazy the body can actually create new eyes and teeth and THIS is what it chooses to use that ability for," said another.

Other commenters were just here to applaud the teratoma representation:

"this happened to me, they removed my ovary with the teratoma and my surgeous said it burst on her 😩 I was the first surgery of the day"

"this happened to my sister but there were brain cells in hers, causing her anti bodies to fight off both the teratoma braincells as well as her actual braincells putting her in a coma for 4 months. it was awful."

Of course, there were plenty of jokes, too:

"Why am I picturing Mike Wazoski from Monsters Inc???" one user said.

"Can we see it? ❌ Can it see us? ✅" joked another.

Mostly, people just wanted to know if they could see a picture of the actual teratoma. Stuthers did eventually show a photo briefly in a follow up video, but luckily for us, we can get a better look at these things through a plethora of high-res online images.

Ready? If you're squeamish, you might want to look away now.

 teratoma, tumor, cancer, women's health, women, health, hospital, doctor, OBGYN, reproductive health, ovarian cyst A teratoma with lots and lots of hair growth.Ed Uthman, MD. - Public Domain

Stuthers was not about to let her newfound virality go to waste: She set right to work busting myths and misconceptions about teratomas.

Obviously, with 34 million viewers and many who had never heard of teratomas, she was going to get a lot of questions. She also got a lot of opinions that needed correcting.

"Those things form from sperm so tell your man to get a better pull out game or use protection," one commenter said. In a response video, Stuthers simply wags her finger: Uh, no. Teratomas form from germ cells, which can turn into sperm, but they have nothing at all to do with sexual activity.

Another asked if the teratoma formed from a pregnancy gone wrong in the early stages. "So you would've maybe had a viable pregnancy but it didn't make it down into the uterus." Stuthers responded by citing that teratomas are actually congenital tumors, meaning they are present or begin forming prior to birth. So this was lurking in her body for a long time before it reached critical mass and had to be removed, and again, has nothing to do with her sexual activity whatsoever.

(Sorry, one more photo incoming.)

 teratoma, tumor, cancer, women's health, women, health, hospital, doctor, OBGYN, reproductive health, ovarian cyst An ovarian teratoma with a long strand of visible hair.E.dronism - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

In an interview with Newsweek, Stuthers said that discovering the teratoma inside of her made her feel "gross."

"It messed me up for a while thinking about how I never knew that it was there. In a way, it made me feel gross. The photo of the tumor truly altered my brain chemistry," she said. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Teratomas, while admittedly a little freaky and frightening, are really no different than any other kind of tumor. It's their origin from germ cells which makes them capable of growing human tissue, teeth, hair, and eyeball-like structures.

But they're understandably hard to talk about. And so as a result, the general public doesn't understand teratomas very well. But Stuthers is working to change that with her follow-up videos on TikTok.

She also wants to encourage young women to advocate for themselves medically. Doctors dismissed her pain and discomfort for months before she finally went to the ER, and she's urging women to trust their gut and fight for their own bodies:

"I got lucky as we found it in time so nothing too extreme happened. But I can't help but think that if my doctors in Illinois would've listened, I would still have both ovaries. It is so important for women to express our pain and not allow doctors to invalidate us."

This article originally appeared in May.

Popular

20 doctors share their favorite 'health hack' from their specialty

Doctor Mike gathered colleagues to offer tips from 20 different areas of medicine in less than 12 minutes.

There are many fields of medicine doctors can specialize in.

The human body is complex, which is why there are dozens of medical specialities for different body parts and systems. Keep all of those parts and systems functioning optimally is what we call "health," but considering how many years of schooling doctors go through to learn about their chosen speciality, a lot of things about our bodies remain a mystery to most of us.

Wouldn't it be nice to ask a doctor in every specialty for their No. 1 "hack" for better health in their specific field? Wouldn't that be a super efficient way to boost our overall knowledge of our bodies and hopefully make life a little easier on ourselves?

 group of doctors, doctor specialties Two doctors is better than one. Photo credit: Canva

Thanks to "Doctor Mike," we've got it. Doctor Mike is a popular YouTube account run by Dr. Mikhail "Mike" Varshavski D.O., an actively practicing board certified family medicine doctor. In a video with over 5 million views, he asked 20 doctors from 20 different specialties to offer one health tip they often give their patients. The result is nearly 12 minutes of solid, expert advice.

For instance, Doctor Mike shares that he tells patients never to put anything smaller than their elbow into their ear canal. "Too many people are using tools like Q-tips to pull out earwax, when in reality they're only packing earwax deeper in and even damaging the skin, potentially leading to an infection."

 

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

 

Opthamologist Will Flanary (who goes by Dr. Glaucomflecken online) shares that if you lose a contact lens in your eye, don't worry about it migrating back to your brain. There's tissue that keeps that from happening, and your lens is most likely just stuck way up in your eyelid.

Emergency room physician Ed Hope shares that it's super helpful to bring to an ER visit a list of any diagnoses you have and medications you're taking, the dates of any operations or significant illnesses you've had, and a phone charger (since the wait is often longer than one would hope).

Period stains, ladies? OBGYN Danielle Jones says powdered meat tenderizer is the key to saving your underwear. Yes, really.

 health hacks, health advice, teeth brushing, dentist, dental hygiene How you hold your toothbrush makes a difference.Photo credit: Canva

Did you know you've likely been brushing your teeth wrong your whole life? Dentist and orthodontist Benjamin Winters says most people brush their teeth back and forth, with the toothbrush flat against their chompers, but the key is turning it at a 45-degree angle and going in circles.

Ever dealt with a toenail fungus? Podiatrist Dana Brems says Vicks VapoRub is one of the most effective ways to treat it. "It has eucalyptus and menthol, which are both antifungal," she says.

Not all medicine is about health, of course. Plastic surgery can be for purely cosmetic reasons, but according to plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, you don't have to go under the knife or even involve needles to plump up your lips. "Put a drop or two of food-grade peppermint oil into your lip gloss, and then mix it up, and then apply the gloss to your lips," he suggests. "It should create a very mild tingling sensation, and your lips will gently plump up a bit." If you don't feel the tingle, add a little more oil. If it burns instead of tingling, toss it and start over with less peppermint oil.

 nasal aspirator, nasal suction, snotty kids, cold and flu season Helping kids out with their snot might be gross, but it can make them feel better.Photo credit: Canva

Dr. Alok Patel, a pediatric hospitalist, suggests that parents help our their snotty babies and toddlers with a nasal aspirator or nasal-suctioning device. "It clears their nose, helps them sleep better, eat better, improves their mood, and potentially prevents a problem from getting worse," Patel says. "It's also kinda satisfying."

Gastroenterologist Austin Chiang explains that the best way to prevent colorectal cancer is by being screened with a colonoscopy. During a colonoscopy, doctors can find precancerous growths and remove them before they have a chance to become cancerous.

Speaking of bowel health, general surgeon Karan Rajan says the the most underrated life hack for optimized bowel health is eating plenty of fiber: "Just increasing your fiber intake by 10 grams of fiber per day reduces your colon cancer by 10%. It's not a bad exchange."

Ten other docs weighed in with their best advice, from a urologist telling people to drink when their thirsty (not necessarily 8 glasses a day) to a psychiatrist advocating for daily personal check-ins with our feelings. Watch the full video here:

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

 

You can follow Doctor Mike on YouTube.

Women's Health

A gynecologist asked women how visits could be improved. Thousands responded, in detail.

"How would you design/optimize a visit to the gynecologist’s office? No detail is too small.”

Many would agree that gynecology visits could be improved upon.

When picturing a doctor’s office, you might imagine a less than warm atmosphere. Those oh-so-lovely fluorescent lights instantly come to my mind. Imagine if a doctor told you, “I want to design our visit in a way that makes you feel most comfortable.” Suddenly that annual check-up doesn’t sound so dreadful after all.

Dr. Ryan Stewart, a urogynecologist at the Midwest Center for Pelvic Health, recently asked women to weigh in on the redesign of his office. Posting the question to X, he wrote: “I have the opportunity to design my office from scratch. I’m asking women. How would you design/optimize a visit to the gynecologist’s office? No detail is too small.”

 gynecology, gynecologist, women's health, medicine, OBGYN The gynecologist's office is a vulnerable place.Photo credit: Canva

His tweet ended with “If I’ve ever had a tweet worthy of virality, it’s this one.”

And boy was he right. His tweet nearly instantly received thousands of replies. Turns out, there are a lot of ways to improve a visit to the gyno.

Including:

Empathy toward sexual trauma

 

This includes starting the exam off asking if a patient has any trauma, and not dismissing feelings of discomfort, according to commenters.

Improved intimacy

 
 

As part of improved privacy, many advocated to not be asked if an intern can observe while the intern is still in the room.

"It's hard to say no to them," one person wrote.

Another added "I'm sitting on the table in the gown and [the gyno] brings in this young guy and says 'you don't mind him observing this do you?' I consented but have been pissed off ever since and never went back to her."

One person mentioned that their current doctor recently swapped the thin, exposing paper gown for spa style robes, adding both privacy and a dash of luxury.

Diverse posters

 
 

This suggestion comes aptly timed, as the diagram (above) of a black fetus recently inspired a viral conversation. Many were noting that they had never seen one in medical imagery before.

One person remarked, "I am 53 years old and have never seen myself represented in anything in a doctor's office, even pamphlets. Change that!"

Mental health screenings

 

Waiting until the clothes are ON to disclose important info

"Don’t discuss care or diagnoses when people are naked," pleaded a commenter in a now-deleted tweet. "I remember how much more respected and comfortable I felt when a new gynaecologist introduced himself to me while I was clothed, did the exam, then had me get dressed and meet him in his office to discuss care! Much better!"

Bottom line: It's already a vulnerable time. Let people have a moment to get comfortable.

One person added "I have always had to specifically ask to be able to talk to my doctor clothed first. Even when I hadn't met that doctor yet. I feel like that should be default, not up to me to ask for. It's such a power imbalance already, don't add unnecessary vulnerability."

Ditching the pink

 

To some, it's mildly annoying. To others, it's even triggering.

One person tweeted, "I went through a breast cancer scare, & EVERY women's medical office I went to–pink EVERYWHERE. I was at a really terrified moment in my life, & pink, pink, pink. I 100% can't stand it anymore."

Offering pain meds

 

Potentially painful procedures like IUD insertions or cervical biopsies typically only offer medication upon request. This Twitter user suggested offering them, making it clear that the patient has the option.

More accessibility in the exam and waiting rooms

 

Tables that lower for those with mobility issues as well as higher waiting room chairs were among the most frequently suggested items.

And lastly … a variety of speculum sizes

 gynecology, gynecologist, speculum, OBGYN, women's health, pap smear Speculums may be metal or plastic, but they're always cold.Photo credit: Canva

""A wide variety of speculum sizes, and introduction to the exam room including a play by play of how the visit will go," wrote one person in a now-deleted tweet. "Most people never get this and the office staff never ask if it’s their first exam and most people wouldn’t disclose fear or stress if they have it."

The general consensus: and while you're at it, warm them up too.

Dr. Stewart’s tweet did receive constructive criticism asking for more inclusion

 

Dr. Stewart welcomed the insight, sending a follow-up tweet that read:“Folks have [correctly] pointed out that I [incorrectly] said “women” when what I should have said was “folks who may need gynecologic care.” I named the practice with this in mind @midwestpelvis, but I find that I still have a lot of internalized/implicit bias.”

This viral thread might have started a trend. Soon after another medical practitioner tweeted:

“Love urogynecologist Dr. Stewart asking for input on ideal office design and wanted to ask the oncology community something similar: given that no one wants to come to a cancer doctor…what makes the experience MOST comfortable?”

Though Dr. Stewart describes his philosophy online as “I want you to leave every appointment feeling as though you’ve learned more about yourself,” it’s lovely to see that he is equally invested in learning about his patients as well.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

An American in Italy.

As the old saying goes, you are what you eat, so our diets play a tremendous role in how we feel from day to day. Food can give us energy, vitality, and mental clarity or make us feel listless and drained. A person who spent two weeks in Italy shared an incredible revelation they had while living in the Bel Paese. Even though they ate healthily while living in America, they felt great after spending a few days in Italy.

The traveler felt so much better living the Italian lifestyle that they pledged to leave America one day, possibly in five years, and move to Italy. They felt so much better abroad because Italians are much more conscious about their food quality.

 american food, italian food, american tourist, italian pizza, wine, big sunglasses An American woman in Italy.via Canva/Photos

“I'm just so mad at the food in the US. I left for 2 weeks to Italy. My mood was better, my awareness was better. I could eat wheat (I'm extremely gluten intolerant and it messes with my autoimmune disease if I eat it among a multitude of other symptoms) with gluten pills with minor bloating,” they wrote on Reddit. “I had some of the best food, best health feelings (other than muscle soreness from walking so much) I've ever had in my life. It's made me have so much resentment for US food. I mean, even my skin cleared up quite a bit overseas.”

American food has a lot of sugar

The big realization they had is that American food is loaded with sugar. “It just makes me so mad that having any kind of sugar is just too much here. Sugar and wheat and what ever else is just so much harder on my body here than in Italy. I want to move,” they wrote.

 american food, italian food, american tourist, italian pizza, wine, big sunglasses An American woman in Italy.via Canva/Photos

It’s easy to criticize the traveler by saying, “Well, why don’t you just eat differently when you return home to America?” But it can be tough to eat healthy in America because it's nearly impossible to escape the food system. “There is sugar in f**king everything. It's so bad,” one of the top commenters wrote. “I've pretty much stopped eating anything that isn't home-cooked using whole foods. Even all the bread products I consume are baked at home. Everything from bagels to dinner rolls.”

How do Americans and Italians eat differently?

The attitude towards food in Italy and the United States couldn’t be more different. First, both cultures treat shopping completely differently. Americans go to large grocery stores where a lot of the food is processed and the produce is available, whether in season or not. Italians prefer to go to small markets for fresh meats and produce, and only eat the foods in season.

 american food, donuts, hamburger, soda, french fries, candy A big table of American food.via Canva/Photos

Further, the Italian government has much stricter rules about food consumption. Italy is one of the top food producers in the European Union, and the government has banned GMOs for commercial use.

The Italian diet is healthier because it skips processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbs. Instead, it follows the Mediterranean approach, which supports heart health, better sleep, weight control, and mental well-being, while also reducing the risk of cancer and diabetes.

On a deeper level, Italian people place a high value on food, and meal time isn’t something to be rushed but a time to enjoy a multi-course meal with friends and family. Americans have an on-the-go lifestyle, where meal time is what we fit in between working and relaxing in front of the TV. So, if Americans took a page and put food back in the center of their lives, it may help with their mental, physical, and social well-being.