Hi..thanks for writing here. A small lump on back hard to touch and small black hole inside is mostly suggestive of sebaceous cyst.You need not to be worry much about it.It just occurs when a oil secreting gland is blocked or a hair follicle is swollen.It is usually free from symptoms ,but at times it may get ruptured and become inflamed which will produce pain and swelling.so it is better you consult a dermatologist ,and get removed the cyst which is usually done under local anesthesia.All lumps are not cancers so do not worry about that.Take care.

Hi Char
Welcome to HCM and thanks for posting your query here.

The description you are giving seems to be a sebaceous cyst. Sebaceous glands are a type of skin glands which will produce sebum in the human beings. They are like sweat glands. The sebum gives a peculiar odour to every human being. If the mouth of the gland is blocked it causes the retention of the sebum within the gland and causes a cyst formation. The blocked opening can be seen as a dark spot in the middle of the cyst.
It is very common on the back, face, scalp, behind the ears. The palms and soles are spared.

If the cyst is infected by the cutaneous organisms it gives an inflammed appearance like- redness around the cyst, swelling around the cyst and a bad smell.
The treatment of the cyst depends on its site and size. A simple cyst without any symptoms can be left like that. If infected it can be treated with antibiotics and antiinflammatory drugs. If the size of the cyst is more or cosmetically problem then simple excision is advised. If the total cyst is removed with the capsule chances of recurrences are rare.
Final diagnosis of your swelling can be made by looking it directly. Please visit your surgeon who will guide you in a right way.
Hope this is helpful to you.
Regards

Dear Char,

Hi and Welcome to HCM.

the very first thing to be told to you is it is NOT AT ALL CANCER. So first relieve your tension regarding the same.

Now you must be asking - What it is Doctor??

It is Sebaceous cyst/ Epidermoid cyst. You noticed a very important thing in the lump that is- darker spot in the middle, which is almost equivalent of the diagnostic point of this problem - known as central punctum. This is asymptomatic felt only as a lump on the site. People can have one or multiple of these but are not a thing of worry at all.

The other possibility is of Lipoma but as per your history is decently not.

Both of these above conditions are quite common and can be treated very well with small procedure of excision.

You can visit a dermatologist or a surgeon who will relive you within 5 minutes.

So stay healthy and be tension free, the world needs your contribution for next 50- 60 years..!!

With best heath wishes,

Dr Sanjay K Kanodia