Condition
A lump under the skin
Something has grown or I have felt a lump — what it could be and when it should be removed.
What are the most common lumps under the skin?
Most lumps under the skin are benign changes that grow slowly and do not hurt. They differ in the tissue they come from.
A lipoma is a collection of fatty tissue. It is soft, moves under your fingers, grows slowly and usually does not hurt.
A sebaceous cyst (atheroma) is a blocked sebaceous gland. It has a small dot on the skin above it, can become inflamed and then becomes painful and red. It most often appears behind the ear, on the neck, back and scalp.
A fibroma is a small nodule of connective tissue, firmer to the touch than a lipoma.
A mole is a collection of pigment cells. Most moles are harmless, but a mole that changes needs an examination.
A keratosis is a thickening of the surface layer of the skin, rough to the touch, more common in older people.
A xanthelasma is a yellowish deposit of fat on the skin of the eyelids.
A fibroadenoma is a benign lump in the breast, firm and movable.
Where is the lump?
Where a lump is located often says more than its size.
Under the arm, in the groin or under the breasts, and it keeps coming back — this is usually not an ordinary lump but a recurring inflammation.
On a testicle or in the scrotum — these changes belong to urology and are examined with an ultrasound, at the examination itself.
In the breast — a lump in the breast is always investigated first, however harmless it looks.
Behind the ear, on the neck, back and scalp — the most common places for sebaceous cysts and lipomas.
When should I see a doctor?
It is worth showing a lump to a doctor if:
- it is growing or changing — shape, colour, edge
- it hurts, has turned red or become inflamed
- it bleeds, itches or does not heal
- it appeared quickly
- it is in the breast or on a testicle
- it gets in the way when dressing, sitting or shaving
For moles the same rule applies: what matters is not how a mole looks, but whether it is changing.
What do we look at during the examination?
Most lumps are recognised by examination by hand: we look at whether it is soft or hard, whether it moves under the skin or is attached to what lies beneath, whether there is an opening or a change of colour on the skin above it, and how fast it is growing. We ask you how long it has been there, whether it is changing, whether it hurts and whether it has ever become inflamed.
If the examination does not give a clear answer, an ultrasound is done, which tells fatty tissue, a cyst and fluid apart. A lump that is hard, grows quickly, is attached to deeper tissue or has appeared at the site of an earlier tumour is sent for further investigation before a decision on removal. Every lump that is removed goes for histopathological analysis.
What can be done?
| Problem | Procedure | Also, in the same visit |
|---|---|---|
| A soft, movable lump that grows slowly and does not hurt | Lipoma removal | With several lipomas, several can often be removed in a single visit. |
| A lump with a dot on the skin above it, which can become inflamed | Sebaceous cyst removal | Several changes in a single visit. |
| A mole that is changing, bleeding or bothering you | Mole removal | Several changes in a single visit. |
| A firmer nodule of connective tissue; a rough thickening of the skin | Skin tag and keratosis removal | When there are several, they are removed together, in the same visit. |
| Yellowish deposits on the skin of the eyelids | Xanthelasma removal | With eyelid surgery in the same procedure; several eyelids in the same visit. |
| A shiny lump or sore on the face that does not heal and occasionally bleeds | Basal cell carcinoma removal | On the nose, or near the eye or ear, reconstruction with a flap in the same procedure. |
| A skin change that the examination and ultrasound do not explain | Skin biopsy and histopathological analysis | — |
| A firm, movable lump in the breast (fibroadenoma) | Breast fibroadenoma removal | — |
A removed lump is sent for histopathological analysis. That is why removing a lump is not just an aesthetic procedure: the result is the only way to know for certain what it was.
Specialist and team
Specialty: general surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
→ Doctors and team at Poliklinika Barbel
Changes on a testicle and in the scrotum are examined by a urology specialist.
Frequently asked questions
Is a lump under the skin dangerous? Most lumps under the skin are benign changes — lipomas, sebaceous cysts, fibromas. What needs an examination is not how it looks but a change: growth, pain, bleeding or a change of colour and edge.
Can I squeeze the lump out myself? No. If you squeeze a sebaceous cyst, it becomes inflamed or bursts under the skin, so the contents spill into the surrounding tissue and the operation later is bigger. A lipoma cannot be squeezed out, because it has no opening.
The lump appeared after a blow — is that the same? After a blow, a collection of blood or scar tissue can form under the skin that feels like a lump and as a rule shrinks by itself within a few weeks. If it does not go away after two months, or it grows, it is examined like any other lump.
Does a lump have to be removed if it does not bother me? A lipoma does not have to be. It is benign and you can live with it for years; it is removed when it bothers you, grows or when you want to know for certain what it is. A sebaceous cyst is easier to remove while it is not inflamed: the cut is smaller and the capsule comes out whole.
What is the removal of a lipoma or sebaceous cyst like? The procedure is done under local anaesthesia and takes 20 to 45 minutes, and you go home straight away. The stitches are removed at a check-up after 7 to 10 days.
How long is the recovery after removing a lump? Sick leave is 0 to 2 days, you can go out in public after 1 to 3 days, and training is resumed after 1 to 2 weeks.
Is there a scar after removing a lump? There is a scar at the site of the cut, which matures over 6 to 12 months. A sebaceous cyst removed while not inflamed leaves a smaller scar than one that first had to be opened because of inflammation.
Does a lump come back after removal? A lipoma and a sebaceous cyst removed with the whole capsule generally do not come back in the same place. New ones can appear elsewhere regardless of the procedure.
How much does removing a lump cost? Removing a lipoma costs €150–500, and a sebaceous cyst €200–500. The range depends on the size and number of changes and on whether the cyst is inflamed. The price includes check-ups in the first three months and dressing changes.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.