Hold your head high, even when something on your skin makes you feel self-conscious. A lump is a common problem, and it can be looked after.
This photo shows a large, red swelling on the upper back, just below the shoulder, with a small whitish head near the middle.
It is most likely an inflamed cyst. These form when a hair follicle or pore under the skin gets blocked and slowly fills with keratin, a soft protein the skin makes.
The upper back is a common place for them because the skin there is thick, has many oil glands and is hard to see and clean properly.
Once a cyst becomes inflamed, it can grow over a few days, turn warm and tender, and press uncomfortably against straps or the back of a chair.
