Skin Lump

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Causes of Skin Lumps

• Insect Bites. The most common cause of an itchy bump is a mosquito bite. Other insects can also cause little bumps.
• Stings. A bee sting can cause a painful bump. The swelling can become quite large.
• Lymph Nodes. Most common cause of a lump or mass felt under the skin. Commonly found in the neck or groin. Nodes have a boundary or edge and are movable. This is not the case for the swelling seen with insect bites. Lymph nodes become larger with infections.
• Scalp Hematoma. The most common cause of a lump on the head is a scalp hematoma (goose egg). In a child under 2 years of age the injury may not have been seen.
• Injuries. New lumps anywhere can be caused by an injury that wasn't observed. A bruise is often present with the swelling.
• Callus. Broken bones heal with new bone formation. The medical term is callus. The callus feels like a bony knot that is larger than the bone itself. A callus is most commonly felt after a collarbone fracture.
• Boils. A boil is a skin abscess. It causes a very painful red lump.

Lumps that are a Normal Part of the Body

• Breast Bud. A small disc-shaped lump felt under the nipple. It indicates the onset of puberty in 7-12 year old girls.
• External Occipital Protuberance. The bony lump felt at the base of the skull in back.
• Mastoid Process. The bony lump felt behind each lower ear.
• Xiphoid Process. A small hard lump felt at the lower end of the sternum (breastbone).

Common Objects Used to Guess the Size

• Pea or pencil eraser: ¼ inch or 6 mm
• Dime: ¾ inch or 1.8 cm
• Quarter: 1 inch or 2.5 cm
• Golf ball: 1 ½ inches or 3.8 cm
• Tennis Ball: 2 ½ inches or 6.4 cm

When to Call for Skin Lump

Care Advice

Treatment for a Small Lump or Swelling

What You Should Know:

• Most new swellings are due to insect bites. Mosquito bites account for 90% of them. Your child may not even know that he got bit.
• Suspect an insect bite if there are bites on other parts of the body.
• While most insect bites cause a small red bump, some are larger (like a hive).
• This does not mean your child has an allergy or the bite is infected.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Cold Pack For Swelling:

• Apply a cold pack or cold wet washcloth for 20 minutes.

Steroid Cream for Itching:

• If the swelling is itchy, use 1% hydrocortisone cream (such as Cortaid). No prescription is needed.
• Do this 3 times per day.

Allergy Medicine for Itching:

• If itching becomes severe, give a dose of Benadryl.
• No prescription is needed. Age limit: 1 and older.

What to Expect:

• Most insect bites itch or hurt for 1 or 2 days.
• The swelling usually peaks in 2 days, but may last a week.
• If the swelling becomes larger or doesn't go away, it needs to be examined.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Swelling becomes very painful
• Fever occurs
• Swelling becomes large (over 1 inch or 2.5 cm)
• Swelling lasts over 7 days
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

Lumps that are a Normal Part of the Body

Breast Buds - Normal Lump Under the Nipple:

• Breast buds are normal, small disc-shaped rubbery lumps felt under the nipple.
• Age. They normally occur in 8-12 year old girls and are the first sign of puberty. Sometimes, they are even normal in 7 year olds.
• One Side. They sometimes start just on one side. Don't worry about that. Within 2 or 3 months, a breast bud will also appear on the other side.
• Importance. The entire breast develops entirely from the breast bud, taking 2 or 3 years to completion.
• Symptoms. Breast buds normally can be somewhat tender.
• Caution: Never squeeze or massage breast buds. Reason: Can cause a serious infection.
• Risks. None. Breast buds have no risk of turning into cancer.
• Follow-up. You can have your child's doctor check the breast bud during the next regular office visit.

External Occipital Protuberance - Normal Lump on Back of Head:

• The lump you feel at the base of the skull in back is normal. It is a bony part of the skull that sticks out and feels hard.
• If you feel carefully, you will find one on yourself or other children.
• This is not caused by any injury.

Mastoid Process - Normal Lump Behind the Ear:

• The mastoid process is a bony lump you can feel behind the lower ear.
• Muscles that turn the neck attach to the mastoid process.
• The process is larger in men because of larger neck muscles.
• The mastoid is filled with air cells that connect to the inner ear.

Xiphoid Process - Normal Lump at Bottom of Breastbone:

• The small hard lump at the lower end of the sternum (breastbone) is normal. It is called the xiphoid process. You can feel it.
• It is more prominent in babies and slender children. Sometimes, it's more visible when breathing in.
• If you feel carefully, you will find one on yourself or other children.
• It's made of cartilage, but turns to bone in adults.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You have other questions or concerns

Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.