Is the small lump below the nose a blackhead or an epidermoid cyst?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am an 18-year-old male, and I have a small lump located just below the right side of my nose. I think it may be a blackhead as there is a small black dot in the middle of the lump. I believe it has been there for about a year. It has slowly gotten a tiny bit bigger, but not by much. I used to be on medication Oratane (Isotretinoin). I was wondering, what possible ways are there to treat this? Can I treat it myself, or would I need to go into a clinic? Thanks.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. It does not look like a blackhead to me. I think it is an epidermoid cyst. It is a benign, harmless cyst that occurs in the dermis and is lined by epithelium. It can have various components in its cavity like hair, sebum, etc. It typically shows a central dark punctum in most cases. Though harmless and they can be left as such, sometimes they enlarge to a bit larger size and can get a secondary infection. For treatment, surgical removal is the only option. For that, you need to visit a dermatologist in person at the clinic. Not advisable to remove it at home, as you might press and pop out its contents but cannot remove its wall at home. Because from the wall, the cyst can refill itself. Take care.