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Health Topics Category Index Health Topics for Symptoms Carver College of Medicine UI Hospitals and Clinics UI Children's Hospital Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center UI Behavioral Health UI Family Care UI Heart Care UI HealthWorks Community Events Services in Your Community
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Lumps: Skin
Most skin lumps are normal
and harmless. They can appear almost anywhere on the body. Most lumps are
'benign' – that is, they are not cancerous.
There are 7 types of common
skin lumps:
- BENIGN MOLES are small
lumps with a smooth, even border. They are one color and can be beige, pink, or
dark brown.
- SKIN CANCER may appear as
a small growth with fuzzy or irregular edges. A growth may be partly raised and
partly flat. It may grow larger than the size of a pencil eraser. Any moles
whose colors are mixed or are blue, gray, white, or black, and any mole that is
very different from other moles on the body, should be medically evaluated. A
person with a very large number of moles on the body should consider having
more frequent medical checks.
- WARTS are rough, hard
bumps on the skin, often with a tiny, black center. Warts are caused by a virus
and can spread from person to person. They are usually found on the hands and
feet or on the anus, vagina, or penis.
- CYSTS are abnormal lumps
or swellings that are filled with fluid or semisolid material.
- BOILS usually form around
a hair follicle and are painful red bumps with a white or yellow center.
- CORNS or CALLUSES are
thickened bumps on a toe, bottom of the foot, or palm.
- KELOIDS are a raised
over-growth of healed scar tissue after a cut, injury, or surgery site.
Many of these problems are
caused by or worsened by sun exposure. It is a good idea to protect the skin by
avoiding long exposure to the sun. Use a sunblock with a safety protection
factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Also, wear hats or caps and long sleeves to
protect your skin when working in the sun.
Seek medical evaluation for
lumps that show signs of any of the following:
- change in shape around the
edges
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(c) 1999. HBO & Company (602) 230-7575. All Rights Reserved.
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