Little bumps under the skin: what they may represent

A tender bump around a hair can occur with folliculitis, while a trapped hair may sit just below the surface. Heat can cause small inflamed bumps, and keratosis pilaris can make the skin feel sandpapery. Milia are small keratin-filled cysts, usually close to the surface. Lichen planus can cause a distinct itchy, coloured rash. Feeling a lump alone cannot identify which explanation applies.

Do not squeeze, lance, or repeatedly press the area, since this can worsen inflammation and injure surrounding skin. Keep the area clean, use a bland moisturiser if it is dry, and note whether the bump is fixed, mobile, itchy, painful, or changing. Reduce shaving and friction over it. If several bumps itch, a clinician can discuss whether antihistamine treatment has a role. Cryotherapy should only be considered after a professional identifies a suitable surface lesion.

Arrange a medical assessment for a bump that grows, becomes hard or fixed, changes colour, bleeds, repeatedly returns, or does not settle. Seek prompt care for severe pain, pus with spreading redness, fever, or rapidly developing swelling. An examination is especially useful when the bump is new and its surface appearance does not explain what you can feel underneath.

Ask whether the bump is in a hair follicle or closer to the surface, whether it needs monitoring or treatment, and which changes should prompt an earlier review.