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Understanding Skin Bumps: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
Many people experience various types of bumps on their skin at some point in their lives. While most skin bumps are harmless, it's important to understand the different types, their causes, symptoms, and available treatments. In this article, we'll explore some of the most common skin bumps and provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your skin health.
Common Types of Skin Bumps
Here are some of the most common types of skin bumps:
Skin cysts (also called epidermoid cysts)
Cherry angiomas
Dermatofibromas
Folliculitis
Keratoacanthomas
Keratosis pilaris
Lipomas
Neurofibromas
Skin Cysts
Skin cysts, also known as epidermoid cysts, are noncancerous, closed pockets of tissue that can be filled with fluid, pus, or other material. They feel like large peas under the surface of the skin and can appear anywhere on the body. Cysts can develop as a result of infection, clogging of sebaceous glands (oil glands), or around foreign bodies, such as earrings.
Symptoms
Skin cysts are usually slow-growing, painless, and smooth to the touch when rolled under the skin. They typically don't cause pain unless they rupture, become infected, or inflamed.
Treatment
Most cysts don't disappear on their own without treatment. Some may need to be drained to relieve symptoms, while others can be treated with cortisone shots to shrink them. Cysts that don't respond to other treatments or keep coming back can be surgically removed.
Cherry Angiomas
Cherry angiomas are smooth, cherry-red bumps on the skin that can vary in color, including red, blue, or purple. They may be less noticeable on skin of color than on white skin. These growths, made of blood vessels or lymph vessels, usually appear on people over age 40 and have no known cause or symptoms.
Treatment
In most cases, cherry angiomas don't require treatment. However, if they are cosmetically unappealing or prone to bleeding, they can be removed by lasers, shave biopsy, or electrocautery (burning or destroying tissue with an electric current).
Dermatofibromas
Dermatofibromas are harmless round skin growths that are most commonly found on the arms and legs of adults. They contain scar tissue and feel like hard lumps in the skin. Sometimes, dermatofibromas appear after an injury, like a bug bite or bumping your arm or leg.
Symptoms
Dermatofibromas can be red, brown, or purple and may change colors over time. They are usually small, tender, painful, or itchy, but most are painless. When pinched, a dimple may appear on the growth.
Treatment
In most cases, dermatofibromas don't need treatment. However, they can be surgically removed or flattened by being frozen with liquid nitrogen.
Folliculitis
Folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicles caused by infection, chemical irritation, or physical irritation (like shaving or friction from clothing). It's more common in people with diabetes, obesity, or compromised immune systems.
Symptoms
The main symptom of folliculitis is the appearance of multiple red to purple pimples and/or pustules on hair-bearing areas of the body. The skin may also be itchy.
Treatment
Treatment for folliculitis may include topical antibiotics, oral antibiotics, or antifungal drugs, depending on the cause. Preventing further damage to hair follicles by avoiding friction from clothing, using clean razors, and keeping the area clean can also help.
Keratoacanthoma
A keratoacanthoma is a low-grade skin cancer that happens when cells in a hair follicle don't grow normally. It usually appears on sun-damaged skin as a thick growth with a central crusted plug. Ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure is the biggest risk factor.
Symptoms
Keratoacanthomas are rapidly growing, red, dome-shaped bumps with central craters. They can grow to extremely large sizes, occasionally 1 to 3 inches in diameter, and appear the same on all skin tones.
Treatment
Keratoacanthomas can be removed by cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), curettage (scraping and burning off the growth), surgical removal, or injection of a cancer drug directly into the lesion.
Keratosis Pilaris
Keratosis pilaris (KP) appears as small, rough, "chicken skin bumps" on the skin, usually on the upper arms, thighs, cheeks, back, and buttocks. While unattractive, it's harmless and doesn't itch or hurt.
Symptoms
KP appears as small, rough, white or red bumps on lighter skin and brown or black bumps on darker skin. It's usually worse during winter months or times of low humidity when skin becomes dry, and may worsen during pregnancy or after childbirth.
Treatment
KP usually improves before age 30 and treatment isn't medically necessary, but people may seek treatment for cosmetic reasons. Intensive moisturizing with creams containing urea or alpha-hydroxy acids, taking long, hot soaking baths, and exfoliating the skin can help.
Lipomas
Lipomas are soft, slow-growing, harmless tumors under the skin with a soft, rubbery consistency. They tend to form on the trunk, shoulders, and neck but can appear elsewhere on the body.
Symptoms
Lipomas can appear as solitary nodules or in groups. Most are less than 5 centimeters in diameter and have no symptoms, but they can cause pain when they compress nerves.
Treatment
Lipomas are usually not removed unless there's a cosmetic concern, compression of surrounding structures, or an uncertain diagnosis. They can be removed by excision, manual squeezing through a small cut, liposuction-assisted lipectomy, or lipotherapy (injecting a fat-dissolving drug).
Neurofibromas
Neurofibromas are soft, fleshy, usually harmless growths found on or under the skin, sometimes even deep within the body. In rare cases, they can turn cancerous.
Symptoms
Symptoms of neurofibromas may vary depending on their location and size, but can include a painless, slow-growing mass, occasional pain, an electric-like "shock" when touched, and neurological problems if the tumor involves or compresses a major nerve.
Treatment
If the neurofibroma isn't causing any symptoms, no treatment is necessary. However, doctors may surgically remove it if it's affecting a major nerve. In most cases, neurofibromas are treated successfully and don't come back.
If you have a skin bump that's growing, red, swollen, hard, or doesn't move, talk to your doctor as soon as possible, as these symptoms can be signs of a more serious condition. Cancerous skin lumps usually have uneven edges, feel hard, and may be raised and pink or red in color.
Remember, most skin bumps are harmless, but it's always best to consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about your skin health. By understanding the different types of skin bumps, their causes, symptoms, and available treatments, you can take better care of your skin and know when to seek medical attention.
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