What should you know about a small dark lump under the skin?

A dark lump may be a blocked pore, an inflamed follicle, a healing spot, a cyst with a visible opening, or a mole or other skin growth. A boil can become tender, red, and swollen as inflammation develops; read about [Boils](/conditions/boils/). A dark or pearly spot that repeatedly crusts, bleeds, or fails to heal should be examined because [Basal Cell Carcinoma](/conditions/basal-cell-carcinoma/) is one condition a clinician may need to consider. This does not mean every dark lump is cancer.

Take a clear photograph and note when you first noticed the lump. Do not pick, cut, or squeeze it, and avoid applying harsh acids or unprescribed lightening products. Arrange a skin examination if it is new, changing, persistent, or difficult to see clearly. A clinician may recommend observation, testing, or treatment; an intralesional steroid injection may relieve selected inflamed lesions but is not suitable for every dark lump. See [Skin Lumps](/symptoms/skin-lumps/) for broader guidance.

Seek prompt medical advice for rapid growth, spontaneous bleeding, repeated crusting, an open sore, marked pain, pus, spreading redness, or fever. Arrange an assessment sooner if the lump is hard, fixed, irregular, or developing several different colours. Urgency is based on these warning changes, not simply on the fact that the lump is dark.

Ask what features make the lump look inflammatory, cystic, or pigmented; whether it needs monitoring or testing; and whether any injection or other treatment could alter its appearance before diagnosis.