Benign skin growths: Types, warning signs, and treatment

Many bumps and spots on the skin are benign and need no treatment. Appearance alone, however, cannot reliably establish that a change is harmless. New, changing, bleeding, or painful spots deserve a medical assessment.

What are benign skin growths?

A benign skin growth is a noncancerous lump, raised area, or patch of discolored skin. It develops when particular cells multiply in one place. Unlike a cancerous growth, it does not invade neighboring tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Medical terms include benign skin lesions and nonmalignant skin tumors. A “lesion” is a localized tissue change; “nonmalignant” means noncancerous.

Many of these changes appear as skin ages. Seborrheic keratoses, for example, are the most common benign tumors of the epidermis, the skin’s outer layer, seen in dermatology practice. Most benign skin growths do not need treatment, although a clinician needs to establish what a particular growth is. Barthelmann et al., 2023, Moscarella et al., 2021.

Benign growth or skin cancer: What the terms mean

“Benign” describes how a growth behaves. Its appearance alone cannot tell you that. A benign growth stays where it develops. A malignant growth invades surrounding tissue and may spread elsewhere in the body.

Confusion can work both ways. Seborrheic keratoses can resemble melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or basal cell carcinoma. Conversely, a melanoma can look like a seborrheic keratosis, making visual inspection alone insufficient even for an experienced observer. Typical features offer clues, but they do not replace an examination. Moscarella et al., 2021.

How do benign skin growths develop?

The form a growth takes depends on which cells multiply locally. It may arise from pigment-producing cells, epidermal cells called keratinocytes, blood vessels, fat, or connective tissue. Both processes within the body and outside influences can contribute.

Age, inherited susceptibility, and hormones

Many growths become more common with age. A study of 100 Australian adults found seborrheic keratoses in 12% of those ages 15–25 and in 100% of those older than 50. Among participants who had these growths, the median number rose from 6 per person in the youngest group to 69 in those older than 75. The median is the middle value when results are arranged in order, with half below and half above. These figures describe the people studied, not everyone. Age and inherited susceptibility can influence their development. Yeatman et al., 1997, Barthelmann et al., 2023.

Hormones can also affect cell growth. High insulin levels, or hyperinsulinemia, may stimulate keratinocytes and connective-tissue cells called fibroblasts through insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptors. This proposed mechanism offers one explanation for the association between some skin growths and metabolic changes; it does not establish the cause of any individual growth. González-Saldivar et al., 2017.

Sunlight, friction, and skin injuries

Sunlight, friction, and wound healing may also play a role. In the Australian study, seborrheic keratoses were more common on sun-exposed skin after accounting for the size of the body area. Yeatman et al., 1997.

Skin tags tend to develop on the neck, in the armpits, and in the groin, where skin rubs against skin or clothing. Acrochordon, StatPearls.

Wound healing can produce excess connective tissue. When this becomes a benign overgrowth of scar tissue, it is called a keloid. Keloids are more common in people with more deeply pigmented skin. James et al., 2024.

Common types of benign skin growths

Benign growths can look very different: a flat spot, a soft flap of skin, or a firm lump beneath the surface. Whether treatment is useful also depends on the type.

Skin growth	Medical name	Typical appearance	Typical location	Usually needs treatment?
Mole	Melanocytic nevus	Usually under 5 mm, round or oval, evenly colored	Anywhere on the body	No
Seborrheic keratosis	Seborrheic keratosis	Waxy thickened patch, or plaque, with a stuck-on appearance	Anywhere except the palms and soles; often the face and upper trunk	No; removal is often cosmetic
Skin tag	Acrochordon	Small, soft flap attached by a narrow stalk	Neck, armpits, and groin	No; removal depends on symptoms and preference
Cherry angioma	Cherry angioma	Small, bright red bump	Most often the front of the trunk, followed by the back	No
Lipoma	Lipoma	Soft, painless, movable lump beneath the skin	Usually the trunk	No
Sebaceous hyperplasia	Sebaceous hyperplasia	Yellowish bump with a central indentation	Face	No; treatment is mainly cosmetic
Epidermoid cyst	Epidermoid cyst	About 0.5 cm to several centimeters, with a dark central opening	Face, neck, and trunk	Sometimes, for symptoms, inflammation, diagnostic uncertainty, or personal preference
Milia	Milium, singular	Tiny cysts filled with the protein keratin	Face	Usually no; newborn milia usually clear by themselves, but later-onset milia may persist
Dermatofibroma	Dermatofibroma	Firm nodule, usually no larger than 1 cm	Arms and legs	No
Keloid	Keloid	Raised overgrowth of scar tissue	Any healed wound or piercing site	Sometimes, to address symptoms or limit scar growth

Sources for this overview: Moles, seborrheic keratoses, skin tags, cherry angiomas, lipomas, sebaceous hyperplasia, epidermoid cysts, milia, dermatofibromas: overview and StatPearls.

Moles (melanocytic nevi)

A mole, or melanocytic nevus, is a cluster of pigment-producing cells. An ordinary mole is usually less than about 5 mm across. It is round or oval, with a smooth surface and a distinct border. It is often dome-shaped and evenly pink, tan, or brown. An ordinary mole rarely develops into melanoma. National Cancer Institute.

The number of moles a person has also matters for melanoma risk. Having many is a risk marker, not a cancer diagnosis. One meta-analysis estimated that 42% of melanomas were attributable, statistically, to having at least 25 ordinary moles. Relative risk increased by about 1.7% per additional mole, although estimates varied substantially between studies. The 42% is an estimated population-level fraction, not someone’s personal risk and not the proportion of moles that become cancerous. Moles are not routinely removed. A changing mole should be assessed. Olsen et al., 2010.

Seborrheic keratoses

Seborrheic keratoses are waxy, well-defined growths that look stuck onto the skin. They are the most common benign epidermal tumors seen in dermatology practice and can occur anywhere except the palms and soles, particularly on the face and upper trunk. The Australian study illustrates how common they can become with age: every participant older than 50 had at least one. That figure applies to the study group. Removal is usually cosmetic rather than medically necessary. Barthelmann et al., 2023, Yeatman et al., 1997.

Skin tags (acrochordons)

A skin tag, or acrochordon, is a small, soft flap of skin attached by a narrow stalk. Skin tags affect an estimated 46% of the general population and become more common with age. They usually appear on the neck, in the armpits, or in the groin, where they may itch or catch on collars and straps. Acrochordon, StatPearls.

Multiple skin tags have been associated with metabolic changes. A cross-sectional study compared 98 adults with more than five tags on the neck and/or armpits with 103 controls. Insulin resistance was estimated using HOMA-IR. The researchers reported an association between multiple tags and HOMA-IR above 3.8, with an odds ratio of 7.5; their analysis accounted for other risk factors. This is an association between groups, not a prediction that an individual will develop disease. A single eyelid tag does not support the same inference. Removal is a personal choice, usually because tags are irritating or bothersome in appearance. Tamega et al., 2010.

Cherry angiomas

Cherry angiomas are the most common vascular tumors of the skin. These small, bright red bumps can resemble drops of paint. They increase in number and size with age. In one study, men had more than women: the median count was 16 versus 12. They were most common on the front of the trunk, followed by the back. Betz-Stablein et al., 2022, Pastor-Tomás et al., 2023.

A link with cancer was proposed when they were first described in the late 19th century, but this did not establish that ordinary cherry angiomas indicate cancer. They generally need no treatment. Pastor-Tomás et al., 2023.

Lipomas

A lipoma is a benign tumor of fat cells just beneath the skin. It typically feels soft and painless and moves under the fingertips. Lipomas most often occur on the trunk and are commonly first noticed between about ages 40 and 60. Most do not require treatment. Imaging may be appropriate when the location is unusual or the diagnosis is uncertain. Lipoma, StatPearls.

Sebaceous hyperplasia

Sebaceous hyperplasia is an enlarged oil gland. It appears as a small yellowish bump with a central indentation, usually on the face. It is uncommon before adulthood. Reported prevalence among people receiving long-term cyclosporine A is 10–16%.

Treatment is available but not always necessary. No single procedure suits everyone. The number of lesions, cost, skin type, age, and how much the appearance bothers the person all influence the choice. Hussein and Perrett, 2021, Sebaceous hyperplasia, StatPearls.

Epidermoid cysts and milia

An epidermoid cyst is a slow-growing, compressible lump beneath the skin. It contains keratin, a structural protein, and can range from 0.5 cm to several centimeters in size. A dark central opening, called a punctum, is often visible. These cysts are most common on the face, neck, and trunk. Milia are much smaller keratin-filled cysts, usually on the face. About half of full-term newborns have milia, which usually resolve on their own in that age group. Epidermoid cyst, StatPearls, Milia, StatPearls.

Squeezing an epidermoid cyst can cause symptoms and make later removal harder. If it ruptures, tenderness, redness, and swelling may make it resemble a boil. Definitive removal requires taking out the cyst wall, ideally intact. A damaged wall makes the procedure more difficult. Epidermoid cyst, StatPearls.

Dermatofibromas and keloids

A dermatofibroma is a firm nodule, usually no larger than 1 cm. It mainly affects the arms and legs and is more common in women, often between ages 20 and 50. About 10% of cases involve multiple dermatofibromas. Pinching the surrounding skin may produce a central dimple because the growth is attached to the tissue beneath it. Dermatofibroma, StatPearls.

A keloid develops when a scar produces too much connective tissue. This benign scar overgrowth is more common in people with more deeply pigmented skin. Associations with variants in HLA, NEDD4, and VDR have been described, but there is no established routine genetic test to predict an individual’s keloid risk. Treatment aims to control scar growth and symptoms. How keloids develop remains incompletely understood. James et al., 2024.

Birthmarks and vascular growths

Birthmarks are present at birth or become visible in the first weeks of life. Most involve pigment cells or blood vessels. Their course and care may differ from those of growths that first appear in adulthood.

Infantile hemangioma, a vascular growth in babies, is one example. Most can be observed without intervention. Babies who may need active treatment should ideally receive specialist assessment before 5 weeks of age. Propranolol is the standard systemic treatment; “systemic” means that a medication acts throughout the body. For small, superficial lesions, topical timolol or a pulsed dye laser may be considered. Sebaratnam et al., 2021, hemangioma overview.

A growing birthmark or one that becomes an open sore therefore deserves prompt assessment. Waiting too long can mean missing the early window for evaluation.

Which features look benign, and which need attention?

Symmetry, color, and changes over time help clinicians assess a skin lesion. No single feature proves that a growth is benign. Concerning features are a reason to have it examined.

Feature	More reassuring appearance	Concerning appearance
Symmetry	Round or oval and symmetrical	One half differs from the other
Border	Smooth surface with a clearly defined edge	Irregular, notched, or blurred edge
Color	Uniform pink, tan, or brown	Different colors within the same lesion
Size	Usually smaller than about 5 mm	Often larger than 6 mm at melanoma diagnosis, but sometimes smaller
Change over time	Size, shape, and color remain stable over months	Size, shape, or color changes
Bleeding or crusting	Absent unless injured	Bleeds or crusts without injury, or fails to heal
Comparison with other spots	Resembles the person’s other spots	Looks different from the others

The descriptions of shape, color, and size mainly concern ordinary moles and melanoma recognition. Neither 5 mm nor 6 mm is a general boundary separating benign from malignant growths. National Cancer Institute, American Academy of Dermatology.

Features that are more reassuring

An ordinary mole is typically symmetrical and evenly colored. Its size and appearance remain stable over months, without bleeding or crusting. These features are more reassuring and occur in many spots people notice themselves.

There are exceptions that cannot reliably be distinguished by appearance, even with experience. A melanoma may resemble a seborrheic keratosis and share features of both. A dermatologist may need more than visual inspection to tell them apart. Janowska et al., 2021.

Other benign-looking growths also have malignant look-alikes. A suspected sebaceous hyperplasia lesion may need to be distinguished from basal cell carcinoma. Fibroepithelioma of Pinkus, a subtype of basal cell carcinoma, can resemble a skin tag. Familiar appearance is therefore not enough to confirm a benign diagnosis. Sebaceous hyperplasia, StatPearls, Acrochordon, StatPearls.

The ABCDE warning signs and other changes

The ABCDE rule summarizes five warning signs in pigmented skin lesions. American Academy of Dermatology.

• A is for asymmetry: one half does not match the other.
• B is for border: the edge is irregular, notched, or blurred.
• C is for color: different colors appear within the lesion.
• D is for diameter: melanomas are often larger than 6 mm when diagnosed, but they can be smaller.
• E is for evolving: a spot looks different from the others or changes in size, shape, or color.

Growths without pigment also need assessment if they bleed or crust without an injury, fail to heal, or change in size, shape, or color.

The rule can draw attention to suspicious spots, but it has limits. A retrospective study of 144 diagnosed melanomas estimated that the chance of a non-dermatologist being the first person to suspect the lesion rose from 8% with no ABCDE features to 32% with all five. These are not sensitivity figures for a home test. More signs were not associated with diagnosis at the in situ stage, when melanoma is still confined to its original layer. Relying on ABCDE alone can miss early melanoma; missing warning signs do not reliably rule it out. Duarte et al., 2021.

How a dermatologist examines a growth

A dermatologist starts by examining the growth and surrounding skin. This is enough to identify most benign lesions. If uncertainty remains, dermoscopy or examination of a tissue sample may follow. Barthelmann et al., 2023.

Dermoscopy uses a handheld magnifying device, often with polarized light, to reveal structures invisible to the naked eye. It improves sensitivity, meaning more existing skin cancers can be recognized. It can also reduce the number of benign lesions biopsied for each malignant tumor found and help identify melanomas at a smaller thickness. Wolner et al., 2017.

Some dermoscopic structures provide additional clues. Shiny white structures and pseudopods, fingerlike projections at the edge, each had an odds ratio of about 6.7 for melanoma in a meta-analysis. These figures describe associations with diagnosis, not the probability that one person’s lesion is melanoma. Pseudopods had a specificity of 97.3%: the feature was absent in 97.3% of nonmelanoma lesions. Individual features had only moderate sensitivity, however, so their absence cannot exclude melanoma. Williams et al., 2021.

If the diagnosis remains uncertain, a biopsy provides tissue for microscopic examination. Photographs can help assess urgency but may not replace an in-person examination. In a systematic review, in-person assessment agreed with the reference diagnosis in 67–85% of cases, compared with 51–85% for remote assessment. Remote assessment did, however, consistently shorten waiting times in the studies reviewed. Finnane et al., 2017.

Treatment and removal

Most benign growths need no treatment. Removal is often considered when a lesion causes discomfort or its appearance is distressing. Several methods are available. Moscarella et al., 2021.

• Cryotherapy freezes a lesion with liquid nitrogen.
• Electrodesiccation destroys tissue using electrical current.
• A CO2 laser vaporizes superficial growths with focused light.
• An Er:YAG laser removes tissue at a shallower depth and is used for superficial growths.
• Shave excision removes a raised lesion near the skin’s surface.
• Snip excision cuts stalked growths, such as skin tags, at their base.
• Surgical excision removes the entire lesion. For an epidermoid cyst, the aim is to remove the cyst wall intact. Definitive excision is generally postponed during active infection. Epidermoid cyst, StatPearls.

Few studies compare these procedures directly. In a randomized study of 30 patients, researchers assigned four similar facial seborrheic keratoses on each person to four different treatments. At eight weeks, overall lesion improvement was significantly greater with CO2 laser, Er:YAG laser, and electrodesiccation than with cryotherapy. Satisfaction was also lower after cryotherapy. Post-treatment pigmentation and texture did not differ significantly between groups; redness lasted longer after Er:YAG laser. These findings apply to facial seborrheic keratoses, not every type of growth. Zaresharifi et al., 2021.

For sebaceous hyperplasia, treatment choice depends in part on the number of lesions, cost, and how bothersome they are. Skin type and age also matter. Hussein and Perrett, 2021.

Have a growth examined before removing it, and leave removal to a qualified clinician. Home removal can destroy tissue needed to establish the diagnosis.

When to get a skin growth checked

New, changing, bleeding, or painful growths deserve a medical assessment. The same applies to a spot that looks different from the others or whose identity is uncertain.

Pay attention to its course: is its size, shape, or color changing? Does it bleed or crust without an injury? Does it fail to heal? ABCDE features in a pigmented lesion also warrant assessment. Checking in the mirror cannot resolve these questions conclusively. Duarte et al., 2021.

People with many moles should have suspicious changes checked promptly, since melanoma risk rises with mole count. An estimated 42% of melanomas were attributable at the population level to having at least 25 ordinary moles. The attributable fractions at lower mole counts were smaller. These estimates do not describe an individual’s chance of developing melanoma. Olsen et al., 2010.

In babies, a growing birthmark or an open, sore area also calls for early assessment. Infantile hemangiomas that may need treatment should ideally receive specialist review before 5 weeks of age. The patterns described here cannot, by themselves, establish whether a particular growth is benign.

Watching your skin at home

Self-examination can help you notice changes, but it does not reliably find every concerning spot. Reported sensitivity ranges from 25% to 93%, showing wide variation in how many relevant findings are recognized. Specificity, which describes correctly identifying an unaffected finding, is generally higher at 83–97%. Training can improve recognition of early melanoma signs. A spot that appears unchanged is still not confirmed benign by a self-check. Hamidi et al., 2010.

These steps can help you keep track of changes:

• Look at all of your skin in good light, including your back, scalp, and hard-to-see areas. Use a mirror or ask someone to help.
• Photograph spots you are monitoring, including a ruler or coin for scale.
• Compare the spot with the same baseline photograph at an interval agreed with your clinician. Photographs can make changes easier to track than memory alone; there is no universal three-month rule for everyone.
• Note new, changing, bleeding, or asymmetrical spots.
• Have concerning changes assessed without waiting for further changes or the next planned photograph. American Academy of Dermatology.

Skin growths and metabolic markers

Certain growths can occur alongside measurable metabolic changes. A study comparing 113 people with skin tags with 31 healthy controls found higher HOMA-IR, fasting glucose and insulin, HbA1c, hsCRP, uric acid, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in the skin-tag group. These include measures of insulin resistance, blood glucose, longer-term glucose exposure (HbA1c), inflammation (hsCRP), and blood fats. Among participants with skin tags, 53.9% had overweight and 33.6% had obesity. These percentages describe that selected study group. Sari et al., 2010, González-Saldivar et al., 2017.

Skin tags can therefore be a reason to discuss metabolic health with a clinician. They do not diagnose a metabolic condition on their own or automatically justify a broad blood panel. The skin change itself still needs appropriate dermatologic assessment.

Frequently asked questions

Which benign skin growths are most common?

Common types include moles, seborrheic keratoses, skin tags, cherry angiomas, lipomas, sebaceous hyperplasia, epidermoid cysts, milia, dermatofibromas, and keloids. Seborrheic keratoses are the most common benign epidermal tumors seen in dermatology practice. Skin tags affect an estimated 46% of the general population, and cherry angiomas are the most common vascular tumors of the skin. An examination establishes which type a person has. Barthelmann et al., 2023, Acrochordon, StatPearls, Pastor-Tomás et al., 2023.

Are benign skin growths dangerous?

Benign growths do not invade surrounding tissue or spread to distant parts of the body as cancer can. They can still cause symptoms, such as irritation.

The main concern is assuming a lesion is benign solely because of its appearance. Seborrheic keratoses can resemble melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or basal cell carcinoma. A melanoma can also look like a seborrheic keratosis. Even an experienced dermatologist may need more than visual inspection to distinguish them. The diagnosis should therefore be confirmed clinically. Moscarella et al., 2021, Janowska et al., 2021.

Why do benign skin growths form?

They form when particular cells multiply locally. Age, inherited susceptibility, hormones, sunlight, friction, and wound healing can contribute. The age relationship is especially clear: one Australian study found seborrheic keratoses in 12% of people ages 15–25 and 100% of those older than 50. Those figures apply to the study population. Metabolic processes may also contribute: high insulin levels may stimulate epidermal keratinocytes and connective-tissue fibroblasts through IGF-1 receptors, a proposed explanation rather than an established cause in each person. Excess connective tissue during wound healing can produce a keloid. Yeatman et al., 1997, González-Saldivar et al., 2017, James et al., 2024.

How can I tell whether a growth is benign or cancerous?

Appearance alone cannot settle that. Symmetry, even color, and stability over months are more reassuring. Asymmetry, an irregular border, multiple colors, a diameter over 6 mm, or change over time are concerning in pigmented lesions. Smaller melanomas are also possible. American Academy of Dermatology.

ABCDE can flag suspicious spots but cannot safely rule melanoma out. In a retrospective study of 144 diagnosed melanomas, the estimated chance that someone other than a dermatologist first suspected the lesion rose from 8% with no ABCDE signs to 32% with all five. This was not a measure of home-test accuracy. More signs were not associated with diagnosis at the in situ stage, when the tumor remains confined to its original layer. A reassuring-looking pattern therefore does not exclude skin cancer. Duarte et al., 2021.

Do benign growths need to be removed?

Usually not. People often choose removal because a growth causes discomfort or they dislike its appearance. Seborrheic keratoses are usually removed for cosmetic reasons, not medical necessity. Lipomas without symptoms need no treatment. Newborn milia usually resolve on their own; milia appearing later in life can persist. Moscarella et al., 2021, Barthelmann et al., 2023, Lipoma, StatPearls, Milia, StatPearls.

A growth should be examined before removal, and a qualified clinician should perform the procedure. Home removal may destroy tissue that could otherwise help establish the diagnosis.

What is the best removal method?

There is no single best procedure for every growth and every person. For sebaceous hyperplasia, the number of lesions, cost, skin type, and age matter alongside the procedure itself. Hussein and Perrett, 2021.

One direct comparison studied facial seborrheic keratoses. Researchers randomly assigned four similar lesions on each of 30 patients to different treatments. At eight weeks, overall improvement was greater after CO2 laser, Er:YAG laser, and electrodesiccation than after cryotherapy; satisfaction was also lower with cryotherapy. These findings do not automatically apply to other types of growth. Zaresharifi et al., 2021.

Definitive treatment of an epidermoid cyst involves removing the cyst wall, ideally intact. The right approach therefore depends on both the type of lesion and the individual’s circumstances, which can be discussed after examination. Epidermoid cyst, StatPearls.

Does a skin tag mean I have a health problem?

A single skin tag says little about general health. Multiple tags in areas of friction have been associated with metabolic changes. In a cross-sectional study comparing 98 people with more than five neck and/or armpit tags with 103 controls, multiple tags were associated with insulin resistance measured using HOMA-IR. The reported odds ratio for the association with HOMA-IR above 3.8 was 7.5, with other risk factors considered in the analysis. This statistical association is not a prediction of an individual’s disease risk. Tamega et al., 2010.

Another study found higher fasting glucose and insulin, HbA1c, hsCRP, uric acid, and blood lipid levels in people with skin tags than in controls. That can be a reason to discuss metabolic health with a clinician, but skin tags alone do not establish a diagnosis. Sari et al., 2010.

When should I have a growth examined?

Seek assessment if a spot is new, changing, bleeding, painful, nonhealing, or different from the others. People with many moles should have suspicious changes checked promptly. An estimated 42% of melanomas were attributable at the population level to having at least 25 ordinary moles; this is not an estimate of an individual’s risk. Olsen et al., 2010.

Early assessment is also important for infants. Hemangiomas that may need treatment should ideally receive specialist review before 5 weeks of age. Sebaratnam et al., 2021, hemangioma overview.

Self-checks can reveal changes but also miss findings. Their reported sensitivity, the proportion of relevant findings recognized, ranges from 25% to 93%. A growth that looks stable is not confirmed benign by self-examination. Hamidi et al., 2010.

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