Diseases & Conditions
The bumpy truth
Most skin lumps and bumps aren't harmful, but here's what to watch.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Noticing a new lump or bump on your skin is never a happy discovery, especially if it's something unfamiliar — not your garden-variety wart, mole, or hives — and you're not sure whether to worry.
Even the term "lump" or "bump" can be confusing. Located on or just under the skin, these growths can be almost flat or "cause the skin to pooch out over them," says Dr. Rachel Reynolds, interim chair of dermatology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Beyond that, their characteristics run the gamut: soft and squishy or rock-hard, movable or fixed in place, round or irregularly shaped, or growing slowly or quickly.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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