Are you experiencing a pink or red spot or bump on your nose? Causes can range from a common pimple to a severe skin abscess. Read more below to learn about 9 possible conditions that can cause a bump on the nose.

Red nose bump questionnaire

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Red nose bump symptom checker

9 causes of a pink or red nose bump

This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.

Pimple

Pimples are also called comedones, spots, blemishes, or "zits." Medically, they are small skin eruptions filled with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria.

Pimples often first start appearing at puberty, when hormones increase the production of oil in the skin and sometimes clog the pores.

Most susceptible are teenagers from about ages 13 to 17.

Symptoms include blocked pores that may appear flat and black on the surface, because the oil darkens when exposed to the air; blocked pores that appear white on the surface because they have closed over with dead skin cells; or swollen, yellow-white, pus-filled blisters surrounded by reddened skin.

Outbreaks of pimples on the skin can interfere with quality of life, making the person self-conscious about their appearance and causing pain and discomfort in the skin. A medical provider can help to manage the condition, sometimes through referral to a dermatologist.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination.

Treatment involves improving diet; keeping the skin, hair, washcloths, and towels very clean; and using over-the-counter acne remedies.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: pink or red facial bump, small facial lump, painful facial bump, marble sized facial lump

Symptoms that always occur with pimple: pink or red facial bump

Urgency: Self-treatment

Dermatofibroma of the nose

Dermatofibroma (superficial benign fibrous histiocytoma) is a common cutaneous nodule of unknown etiology that occurs more often in women. Dermatofibroma frequently develops on the extremities (mostly the lower legs) and is usually asymptomatic, although pruritus and tenderness can be present

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: nose itch, small nose lump, skin-colored nose bump, pink or red nose bump, marble-size nose lump

Urgency: Wait and watch

Red nose bump questionnaire

Use our free symptom checker to find out what's causing your bump.

Red nose bump symptom checker

Boil (furuncle)

A furuncle, also called a boil, is infection of a hair follicle. The infection forms under the skin at the root of the hair and may occur anywhere on the body.

The infection is caused by bacteria, most often Staphylococcus aureus or "staph." Irritation caused by clothes or anything else rubbing the skin can cause the skin to break down and allow bacteria to enter.

Staph bacteria are found everywhere. Frequent and thorough handwashing, and otherwise maintaining cleanliness, will help to prevent its spread.

Most susceptible are those with a weakened immune system; diabetes; and other skin infections.

Symptoms include a single bump under the skin that is swollen, painful, and red, and contains pus.

It is important to treat the boil, since infection can spread into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination and sometimes fluid sample from the boil.

Treatment may involve incision and drainage of the infection, followed by creams to apply to the site of the boil and/or a course of antibiotic medicine.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: pink or red facial bump, small facial lump, painful facial bump, marble sized facial lump, constant skin changes

Symptoms that always occur with boil (furuncle): pink or red facial bump

Symptoms that never occur with boil (furuncle): fever

Urgency: Self-treatment

Cherry angioma

Cherry angiomas are small, red, harmless skin findings that occur commonly in older adults. They are clumps of overgrown cells derived from the inside of blood vessels, or vascular endothelium. Cherry angiomas most commonly start appearing around age 40 and some estimates suggest that the major..

Skin abscess

A skin abscess is a large pocket of pus that has formed just beneath the skin. It is caused by bacteria getting under the skin, usually through a small cut or scratch, and beginning to multiply. The body fights the invasion with white blood cells, which kill some of the infected tissue but form pus within the cavity that remains.

Symptoms include a large, red, swollen, painful lump of pus anywhere on the body beneath the skin. There may be fever, chills, and body aches from the infection.

If not treated, there is the risk of an abscess enlarging, spreading, and causing serious illness.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination.

A small abscess may heal on its own, through the body's immune system. But some will need to be drained or lanced in a medical provider's office so that the pus can be cleaned out. Antibiotics are usually prescribed.

Keeping the skin clean, and using only clean clothes and towels, will help to make sure that the abscess does not recur.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: rash with bumps or blisters, red rash, red skin bump larger than 1/2 cm in diameter, pus-filled rash, rash

Symptoms that always occur with skin abscess: rash with bumps or blisters

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Wart

Warts, also called common warts or verrucae, are small, rough, rounded growths on the top layer of the skin. They may appear alone or in clusters. Common warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious through direct contact. They may spread from one place on the body to another simply through touch.

Red nose bump questionnaire

Use our free symptom checker to find out what's causing your bump.

Red nose bump symptom checker

Atypical mole

Moles are growths on the skin. They happen when pigment cells in the skin, called melanocytes, grow in clusters. Certain moles are considered "atypical" because of their size and characteristics, which require careful watching and possibly even biopsy in order to monitor for development into cancer.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: severe abdominal lump, brown-colored skin changes, moderate abdominal lump, atypical abdominal bump features, growing abdominal bump

Symptoms that always occur with atypical mole: black or brown abdominal bump, atypical abdominal bump features

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Hemangioma (a common, benign skin change)

A hemangioma is a birthmark that most often appears as a bright red, rubbery nodule of extra blood vessels in the skin. It is sometimes called a "strawberry mark," and it grows within the first year of life.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: growing armpit lump, cherry red armpit bump, shrinking armpit lump

Symptoms that always occur with hemangioma (a common, benign skin change): cherry red armpit bump

Urgency: Wait and watch

Severe skin abscess

A skin abscess is an infection of the deeper skin that's typically due to bacteria seen on the skin. Recently, infections are more frequently caused by Staph. Aureus (puts the "staph" in "staph infections"). If the infection begins to spread, urgent treatment is required.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: fatigue, fever, painful neck lump, marble-size neck lump, pink or red neck bump

Symptoms that always occur with severe skin abscess: pink or red neck bump, red bump

Urgency: Hospital emergency room

Questions your doctor may ask about pink or red nose bump

Is your nose bump painful to touch?
Is the bump cherry red?
Is there something coming out of the bump?
Any fever today or during the last week?

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.

Pink or red nose bump symptom checker statistics

People who have experienced pink or red nose bump have also experienced:

16% Nose Pain
9% Swollen Nose
5% Congestion

People who have experienced pink or red nose bump were most often matched with:

50% Pimple
50% Boil (Furuncle)

People who have experienced pink or red nose bump had symptoms persist for:

36% Less than a week
36% Over a month
11% Less than a day

Source: Aggregated and anonymized results from Buoy Assistant.

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