The Big Bump Breakdown

Skin lumps and bumps – when should you see a doctor, and when are they no big deal? Dermatologist Dr. Sandra Batra explains how to identify all your mysterious skin symptoms. Watch the video to see helpful images of each type of bump!

Watch: A Boil or a Blemish?

• Dermatofibromas – These raised bumps may be slightly itchy or produce no discomfort at all. They result as a form of scarring from minor injuries and are common on the legs. They’re harmless and as long as they don’t change, grow, or bleed there’s nothing to worry about.

• Seborrheic Keratosis – Clusters of dark-brown, warty bumps. They’re unattractive, but harmless.

• Cherry Angiomas – Bright red bumps that might look like blisters, but are painless. They’re the product of an overgrowth of blood cells, and they’re harmless. “I euphemistically call these ‘wisdom spots,’ because they come up with time or age,” notes Dr. Batra -- they are also more common in pregnant women.

• Intradermal Nevi – Raised bumps that look like a “permanent pimple” and feel like a colorless mole. “These are actually moles,” explains Dr. Batra. The brown pigment typical of a mole has dropped down below the skin surface and caused the mole to rise into a domed shape. If they have clear edges and a defined shape, they’re nothing to worry about.

Watch: Skin Concerns

Although all of these growths are harmless, you should always see a dermatologist if you have a skin symptom you can’t identify, or if you notice a growth that’s getting larger, bleeding, or showing any changes.