Skin bumps are extremely common and usually harmless. From pimples to moles to bug bites, your skin reacts to everything from hormones to allergens to minor injuries. But while most bumps are benign, some can signal infection, allergy, or even skin cancer.
Here’s how to tell the difference—and when it’s time to see a doctor.
🔍 Common Types of Harmless Skin Bumps
|
Type
|
What It Is
|
Appearance
|
Duration
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Milia
|
Tiny keratin cysts
|
Small white bumps (often on cheeks/nose)
|
Weeks to months; go away on their own
|
|
Sebaceous hyperplasia
|
Enlarged oil glands
|
Soft, yellowish bumps with central dimple
|
Permanent but harmless
|
|
Cherry angiomas
|
Clusters of blood vessels
|
Bright red, smooth, round spots
|
Increase with age; benign
|
|
Skin tags
|
Extra skin growths
|
Soft, flesh-colored flaps (neck, armpits)
|
Permanent unless removed
|
|
Keratosis pilaris
|
Clogged hair follicles
|
Rough, sandpaper-like bumps (upper arms/thighs)
|
Chronic but improves with moisturizing
|