Most vaginal cysts look like small, round, smooth lumps under the skin, often white or yellow in color and typically less than half an inch across. Many are so small you can’t see them at all and only discover them during a routine exam. But the exact appearance depends on the type of cyst, where it forms, and whether it’s become infected.
Appearance by Type of Cyst
Several types of cysts can develop in or around the vagina, and each has a slightly different look and location.
Vaginal Inclusion Cysts
These are the most common type. They’re small sacs that contain tissue from the surface of the vaginal wall, appearing white or yellow and usually less than 1 centimeter (about half an inch) across. They can range from a few millimeters to several centimeters, but the vast majority stay small. Because of their size, most cause no symptoms and go unnoticed. If you happen to feel one, it will be a smooth, firm little bump just beneath the surface of the skin.
Bartholin’s Cysts
These form near the vaginal opening, where two small glands sit on either side of the labia. A Bartholin’s cyst appears as a round, solid bump under the skin of the vaginal lips. It almost always develops on just one side, which can make one labia look noticeably larger or lopsided compared to the other. When small and uninfected, a Bartholin’s cyst is typically painless and may feel like a firm, pea-sized marble under the skin.
When a Bartholin’s cyst grows larger, it becomes more visible as a distinct lump or mass near the vaginal opening. You may feel it while walking, sitting, or during sex. These cysts can grow to the size of a marble or larger before you notice them.
Gartner’s Duct Cysts
These develop specifically on the side walls of the vagina. They form from remnants of a structure that was present during fetal development but normally disappears after birth. If parts of that duct persist, they can collect fluid and form a cyst later in life. Gartner’s duct cysts may feel like a soft lump along the vaginal wall, and in some cases they protrude slightly from the vagina. They can range widely in size, from as small as a pea to, in rare cases, as large as an orange.
How an Infected Cyst Looks Different
An uninfected cyst is generally skin-colored or slightly white or yellow, smooth, and painless. When infection sets in, the appearance changes quickly. The skin around the cyst turns red and swollen. The lump itself becomes tender and warm to the touch, and it may look like it’s filled with pus or cloudy fluid rather than appearing as a solid bump. With a Bartholin’s cyst specifically, an infection can turn the cyst into an abscess, a painful, swollen collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue. Fever can accompany this.
An infected cyst also tends to grow faster, becoming more prominent and harder to ignore. If a cyst that was previously painless suddenly becomes sore, red, or warm, that shift in appearance usually signals infection.
How Cysts Differ From Warts and Other Lumps
One of the main reasons people search for what a vaginal cyst looks like is to figure out whether a bump is actually a cyst or something else. The key visual difference is texture. Cysts are smooth, round, and feel like a solid or fluid-filled ball under the skin. They have clear, defined edges. Inside the vagina, they’re usually painless lumps that can grow to the size of a plum before you even notice them.
Genital warts, by contrast, are small, pebbly growths with an irregular, rough surface, sometimes described as cauliflower-like. You can feel the textured surface with a finger, which is distinctly different from the smooth dome of a cyst. Warts also tend to appear in clusters rather than as a single isolated bump.
Polyps are another possibility. These are small, finger-like or teardrop-shaped growths that dangle from a stalk, giving them a different shape from the round, embedded feel of a cyst.
When a Cyst Needs Medical Attention
Most vaginal cysts require no treatment at all. They stay small, cause no symptoms, and may never change. But certain visual changes are worth having evaluated: a lump that appears suddenly and grows quickly, any bump that develops redness, swelling, or pus, a cyst that becomes painful where it wasn’t before, or a sore or lump with an unusual color or irregular shape. A healthcare provider will typically examine the area and, if the appearance raises any concerns (new lumps, changes in color, persistent sores), may take a small tissue sample to rule out anything more serious.
For Bartholin’s cysts that become infected or grow large enough to cause discomfort, drainage is a common next step. Smaller, asymptomatic cysts of any type are generally left alone and simply monitored over time.