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Causes and Types of Lumps

• Insect Bites and Stings cause itchy and painful bumps. Swelling can range from small to large. You may be able to see the bite or sting mark in the middle of the bump.
• Skin Abscess or Boil is a painful red pocket of pus, often around an infected hair root. Some large abscesses can be drained if the pain is severe.
• Cysts feel like smooth, hard lumps under the skin. They are filled with fluid and are not painful unless they get infected. They are not cancerous. They can grow to be large.
• Lipoma is a fatty lump. Often appear on the back, arms, shoulder or chest. They are not cancer. Small lipomas can be left alone. Larger ones can be removed with minor surgery.
• Swollen Lymph Glands. Lymph glands can be found in many places on the body and are part of the immune system. If they are fighting an infection, they may swell and feel tender. The swelling may depend on where the infection is. Some viral infections may cause glands to swell all over the body. Call your doctor if glands are swollen for more than a few days or get larger. Swollen lymph glands can sometimes be caused by cancer.
• Lumps on the Head or Face:
  • Sty is a red, painful lump filled with pus on the edge of the eyelid.
  • Chalazion is a clogged gland at the base of an eyelash.
  • Salivary Gland swelling is caused by small stones blocking the channel that saliva (spit) flows through. A lump may form as the gland swells and then go down when the stone moves. Tumors can also occur in the glands and cause swelling and pain.
• Breast Lumps. Most are not cancer. Always get a breast lump checked by your doctor. See the Breast Symptoms care guide.
• Groin or Scrotum Lumps. These are most often lymph glands, but could be a hernia. See the Penis and Scrotum Symptoms care guide.
• Rectal Lumps are most likely piles (hemorrhoids) or harmless skin tags. Painful lumps at the anus could be an abscess or blood clot that has formed in the hemorrhoid.
• Hand or Foot Lumps are often a ganglion. This is a harmless, fluid-filled cyst which forms around the joints or tendons. They sometimes go away on their own or can burst.
• Cancerous Lumps can form in any part of the body. These are often hard and odd shaped, but do not hurt.
• Injuries. New lumps on any part of the body can be caused by an injury. A bruise is often seen with the swelling.

Causes of Skin Changes

• Basal Cell Cancer looks like a pearly or waxy spots in sun-exposed part of the skin. It sometimes looks flat and brown. It may bleed and scab. The spots seem to go away, but then return. They grow slowly and often do not hurt. These rarely spread to other parts of the body.
• Squamous Cell Cancer also occur on sun-exposed parts of the skin. They appear as flat, crusted or scaly spots. The spots may grow into a wart-like lump. They may bleed. Unlike basal cell cancer, these can hurt and slowly grow into other parts of the body. Seek care early if you think you have this type of lump.
• Melanoma is the most severe type of skin cancer. People of all ages can get it. Many cases are linked to sun exposure, but they can also be due to genetics. Melanoma can grow on any part of the skin. The spot may look odd-shaped and be more than one color. It is not easy to treat if it spreads to other body parts. Always tell your doctor about skin changes.

Other Skin Growths

• Seborrheic Warts and Verrucas(foot warts) are harmless lumps, common in people 40 years and older. They are not viral warts and are also not cancerous. They can itch and be flaky. They can appear on any part of the body and have color. They can be removed by a doctor. Get these checked out by a doctor to make sure they are not a type of skin cancer.
• Viral Warts are very common. You can find wart removal meds at a pharmacy or they can be removed by a doctor.