Skin lumps can have many different causes, which will impact how they look or feel. However, the following are some signs and symptoms that define a skin bump, says Rebecca Hartman, MD, MPH, a cutaneous oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. (Keep in mind that a single lump can’t possibly match all of the descriptions on this wide-ranging list):
- A lump that feels soft, mushy, or squishy
- A lump that feels mobile
- A lump that’s fixed
- A lump that’s firm
- A lump that feels hard
- A lump that’s red and inflamed
- A lump that’s painful
- A lump that has a central pore
- A lump that looks well-defined under the skin
- A lump that has an irregular contour
- A lump that is growing
In addition, depending on the cause, you could experience accompanying symptoms to the skin lump. For instance, one sign of lymphoma, or cancer of the lymphatic system, is enlarged lymph nodes in your armpits, neck, or groin, along with fever and night sweats. (1)