What should you know about melanoma cyst?

A cyst is usually a sac containing fluid or other material, while melanoma is a cancer of pigment-producing cells. Melanoma can sometimes appear as a raised nodule or a firm lump, but its surface and colour are variable. A benign cyst, inflamed follicle, mole or other skin growth can look similar without close inspection.

Features that deserve attention include a lump that enlarges, becomes firmer, develops uneven colour, crusts, bleeds, or fails to settle. These features do not prove melanoma; they show why an in-person assessment is more useful than squeezing it or judging it from a photograph.

Book a dermatology appointment for a lump that is new, changing or unexplained. Do not puncture, cut or repeatedly squeeze it, because this can cause infection and alter the skin before assessment. A clinician may examine it with a dermatoscope and recommend removal or a biopsy if the diagnosis is uncertain.

If melanoma is diagnosed, surgery usually removes the lesion with a planned margin. Further assessment, including selected lymph-node testing or imaging, depends on the pathology and examination findings. Keep the wound clean according to the instructions and attend the review that explains the result.

Arrange prompt review for rapid growth, repeated bleeding, a non-healing surface, increasing pain, or a new lump near a previous melanoma site. Seek urgent help if redness spreads quickly, pus and fever suggest infection, or bleeding does not stop with firm pressure.

Ask whether the lump looks like a cyst, whether dermoscopy or removal is appropriate, when the pathology result will be available, and what changes should trigger another appointment.