Lumps & Bumps Specialist

What are lumps and bumps?

Many people develop an unusual lump somewhere on their body. Though they’re quite common, you should always have them examined by your primary care physician. Many lumps are benign, but others can harbor cancer.

Dr. Madni frequently removes two types of lumps and bumps, lipomas and cysts.

What type of lump and bump is a lipoma?

A lipoma is a soft lump of fat cells that are enclosed in a layer of tissue and lie just under your skin. Lipomas are benign (not cancerous), but they can slowly enlarge. You may have one or more lipomas anywhere on your body.

Most lipomas don’t cause symptoms. However, a large lipoma can become painful when it presses against nerves. A large lipoma may also make you feel self-conscious or make it hard to wear well-fitted clothing.

Since they don’t pose a risk for cancer, you don’t need to have a lipoma removed. But if your lipoma is painful, bothersome, or embarrassing, you can choose to have it surgically removed.

What type of lump and bump is a cyst?

Cysts develop in tissues throughout your body, including under your skin, where they create a noticeable bump. A cyst is a sac-like structure that contains liquid or other substances.

Sebaceous and epidermoid cysts represent two of the most common skin cysts. Sebaceous cysts develop when an oil-secreting gland gets blocked and the oil, called sebum, accumulates into a cyst.

An epidermoid cyst occurs when old, dead skin cells don’t slough off. Instead, they clump together and secrete a fluid that forms into a cyst.

Cysts seldom cause symptoms other than the lump, but they can become infected. Infected cysts turn red and painful and may release a foul-smelling fluid. An antibiotic treats the infection. Otherwise, cysts never disappear unless you have surgery to remove them.

What happens during surgery to remove a lump?

Dr. Madni talks about the type of anesthesia you may need and explains the procedure before your surgery. Removing a lump basically involves cutting out the tissues. However, the procedure can be more complex, depending on the location and size of your lump.

Surgery to remove a lump takes about an hour and you go home the same day. Dr. Madni gives you instructions about how to care for the incision site at home.  

You can return to most activities the next day. However, Dr. Madni may recommend holding off on vigorous exercise for a short time, depending on your specific procedure.

If you have a lump that needs to be removed, call Dina Madni, MD, or schedule an appointment online today.