How can I remove two lumps from my face? (Photos)

Question

Help! Four years ago, I experienced intense and continuous burning pain for two days in the areas I have circled in red in the photos. After the two days passed, the burning pain stopped and two lumps appeared in the red-circled areas shown in the photos. They are not identical to each other, they are not painful, and they do not move. Visually, these two bother me a lot. 1)What are these two? 2)How can they be removed?

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

I can understand why this would be frustrating and concerning, especially since you clearly remember a sudden burning sensation before the lumps appeared. When something changes on the face so abruptly and then stays for years, it’s very normal to want clear answers and a way to make it go away.

Based on your description, there are a few possibilities for firm, non-painful, non-mobile lumps that appeared after an episode of intense inflammation:

Post-inflammatory nodules or scar tissue
A strong inflammatory event in the skin (even if it only lasted a couple of days) can sometimes lead to localized fibrosis or scar-like nodules under the skin. These can feel fixed in place and may differ slightly in size or shape from each other.

Epidermal or dermal inclusion cysts
These are small pockets of trapped skin cells deeper in the skin. They can sometimes form after inflammation or minor trauma. Not all cysts are soft or mobile; some become firm and anchored by surrounding tissue over time.

Calcified nodules (calcium deposits)
Occasionally, inflammation can lead to tiny calcium deposits in the skin, which feel hard and don’t move. These tend to be painless but noticeable to the touch and eye.

The fact that the burning pain stopped and the lumps then appeared suggests that there was an inflammatory process in that area first, and what you’re seeing now is likely a residual structural change in the skin rather than something actively inflamed.

How can they be removed?

Because these types of lumps are usually structural rather than fluid-filled, creams and topical treatments generally won’t make them go away.

Definitive removal is typically done through a minor surgical procedure:

A small incision is made.

The lump is carefully removed in its entirety.

The skin is then closed with fine sutures to minimize scarring.

This is usually performed under local anesthesia and is relatively quick. If the lumps are cysts, complete removal of the cyst wall is important to prevent recurrence. If they are calcified or scar nodules, they can be excised or sometimes shaved down depending on their depth and consistency.

In certain cases where the lump is more scar-like than cystic, steroid injections may help flatten or soften the area, but this depends on the exact diagnosis and depth of the lesion.

An in-person assessment is important before any treatment to determine:

How deep the lumps are

Whether imaging (like ultrasound) is needed

Which removal technique would leave the best cosmetic result

The reassuring part is that long-standing, stable, painless lumps like these are most often benign and can usually be addressed effectively with a targeted minor procedure when desired for cosmetic reasons.

How can I remove two lumps from my face? (Photos)

Answers (1)

More Cheek Augmentation Questions

Mid face seems very flat - would you suggest cheek augmentation? (Photos)

What can I do to make my face more attractive? (Photos)

Do I have a negative orbital vector? What solution could make my eyes and cheek area more supported? (Photos)

Facial Flatness- Seeking Model-Like Facial Structure - how can I add structure and dimension? (Photos)

My face seems too narrow - would a wider zygomatic help? (Photos)

When smiling my cheeks bunch up into prominent circles causing dimples. Are they fixable? (Photos)

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS