From the age of nine, Valentina Milanova endured excruciating periods, fearing for years that she could be dying or afflicted ...

Ms Milanova, now 30, got her first period at just nine but, without any education about menstruation, feared she was gravely ...

Afterwards she told me that I had a dermoid cyst on my ovary. This, she said, was a little growth that had developed its own teeth and hair - these cysts are made up of all sorts of body cells.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, dermoid cysts are benign tumours containing tissue from hair, skin, teeth, or other body parts. They form when fully developed tissue collects in an odd location ...

There are various ovarian cysts, such as dermoid cysts and endometriomas (also called chocolate cysts). However, the most common type is fluid-filled cysts that form during the menstrual cycle.

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that form on or inside the ovaries for a variety of reasons. Often, they disappear on their own, but sometimes, they can grow very large, burst or cause an ovary to ...