A pubic cyst typically looks like a small, round, dome-shaped bump under the skin. It ranges from about a quarter inch to over two inches across, and it usually feels smooth and slightly movable when you press on it. The color can match your skin tone, appear pinkish or reddish, or look darker than your natural skin. Many pubic cysts have a tiny dark dot in the center, which is a plugged pore.
What a Typical Pubic Cyst Looks Like
The most common type of cyst in the pubic area is an epidermal inclusion cyst (sometimes called a sebaceous cyst, though that’s technically a different thing). It presents as a round, dome-shaped lump sitting just beneath the skin’s surface. The skin over it usually looks normal or slightly discolored, ranging from pink to red to darker than your surrounding skin.
One hallmark feature is a small dark dot, called a punctum, right in the center of the bump. This is essentially a tiny blackhead plugging the opening of the cyst. Not every cyst has a visible punctum, but when it’s there, it’s a strong clue you’re looking at an epidermal cyst rather than something else. The cyst itself is filled with a thick, cheese-like material made of keratin (the same protein in your hair and nails). If it ruptures, this material can ooze out and has a distinctly unpleasant smell.
These cysts grow slowly. You might notice a small pea-sized bump that stays the same for months or even years. They’re usually painless unless they become irritated or infected.
Bartholin Cysts Look Different
If you have a cyst near the vaginal opening rather than on the outer pubic mound, it may be a Bartholin cyst. These form when one of the Bartholin glands, located on each side of the vaginal opening, gets blocked. A small Bartholin cyst can go completely unnoticed. As it grows, you’ll feel a soft, painless lump or mass on one side of your vaginal opening. It typically appears on only one side.
Bartholin cysts don’t have the dark central dot that epidermal cysts do. They sit deeper in the tissue and feel more like a marble under the skin. Although usually painless, they can become tender, and if they get large enough, they may cause discomfort while sitting or walking.
Signs a Cyst Has Become Infected
An infected pubic cyst changes noticeably. The skin around it turns red, feels warm to the touch, and becomes swollen. The bump itself grows larger and more firm, and it becomes painful rather than just mildly tender. You may see a white or yellowish head forming at the surface as pus builds up inside.
An infected Bartholin cyst can develop into an abscess, which is intensely painful and can make it difficult to sit, walk, or have sex. The swelling near the vaginal opening becomes obvious and hot. With any infected cyst, you may also develop a fever, which signals that the infection is spreading and needs medical attention.
How to Tell It Apart From Other Bumps
Several things can cause lumps in the pubic area, and they look different from cysts in specific ways.
Ingrown hairs are the most common lookalike. They show up one to two days after shaving or waxing and appear as small, elevated bumps that are often darker than your skin tone, sometimes with a reddish or purplish tint. The key difference: you can often see the trapped hair curled beneath the skin’s surface. Ingrown hairs also tend to be itchy and irritated by clothing, while cysts are generally painless. An ingrown hair can develop its own fluid-filled cyst if the follicle stays blocked long enough, making it harder to distinguish from a true epidermal cyst.
Herpes sores look very different from cysts. They start as tiny, clear or reddish fluid-filled blisters that cluster together and have a shiny, wet appearance. When they break open, they form shallow, painful ulcers with a yellowish or grayish center that eventually crust over into scabs. A cyst, by contrast, is a single solid-feeling bump with smooth skin over it. Herpes lesions also appear in a grouped, somewhat symmetrical pattern rather than as one isolated lump.
Genital warts have a pebbly, rough surface texture, sometimes described as cauliflower-like. They’re small, flat or slightly raised growths that feel irregular to the touch. A cyst is smooth and dome-shaped, clearly distinct from the bumpy texture of a wart.
When a Pubic Cyst Needs Medical Attention
Most pubic cysts are harmless and don’t need treatment. Small ones may resolve on their own or stay stable for years without causing problems. You can encourage drainage at home by applying a warm, wet washcloth to the cyst for 20 to 30 minutes, three to four times a day. This can soften the cyst and help it drain naturally. Avoid squeezing or trying to pop it yourself, which pushes the contents deeper and increases the risk of infection.
A cyst that’s rapidly enlarging, keeps coming back after draining, or has an irregular texture warrants a closer look. These features can occasionally signal something more serious, and a biopsy may be recommended to rule out other conditions. Any cyst that shows signs of infection, especially redness spreading outward, increasing pain, or fever, should be evaluated promptly.
What Happens if a Cyst Needs Draining
When a cyst is large, painful, or infected, a healthcare provider can drain it with a simple in-office procedure under local anesthesia. A small incision is made, the contents are drained, and in some cases a tiny rubber tube is placed in the opening to keep it from sealing shut too quickly. For Bartholin cysts, this tube may stay in place for up to six weeks to allow complete drainage.
For cysts that keep recurring, a procedure called marsupialization creates a small permanent drainage opening using stitches. This is more common with Bartholin cysts. Full surgical removal of a cyst is reserved for persistent cases that don’t respond to simpler approaches. Recovery from drainage is relatively quick, though you may have some soreness for a few days afterward.