What should you know about skin cyst behind ear?

An epidermoid cyst is a sac under the skin that may contain keratin, a protein made by skin cells. It can feel smooth and may have a small central opening. A lump behind the ear can also have other causes, including a swollen lymph node or an abscess, so appearance alone cannot establish the diagnosis. Explore Skin Lumps if you are comparing different types of bumps.

Do not squeeze, pierce, or repeatedly massage the lump; this can irritate it and introduce infection. Keep the area clean and note its size, tenderness, drainage, and changes in the overlying skin. If it is quiet and stable, a clinician may discuss observation. For an inflamed cyst, options can include an Intralesional Steroid Injection or, when infection has formed a collection, Abscess Drainage. Cyst Removal may be considered when the lump is recurrent, troublesome, or cosmetically concerning.

Arrange an examination for a new, persistent, enlarging, firm, or painful lump. Seek prompt care for spreading redness, warmth, pus, marked swelling, fever, or pain that is worsening. Urgent assessment is needed if swelling affects hearing, swallowing, breathing, or movement of the neck. A clinician can decide whether the lump is a cyst and whether treatment should wait until inflammation settles.

Does this feel like an epidermoid cyst or another type of lump? Is it inflamed or infected? Should it be observed, drained, injected, or removed? What changes should prompt an earlier review?