Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · Last reviewed · 3 min read
Published 13 October 2026 · Reviewed by Dr Sin Yong
Sebaceous hyperplasia is a benign enlargement of a normal oil gland around a follicle, seen as a small, soft, yellowish or skin-coloured dome of 2 to 5 mm with a central dimple, on the forehead, cheeks or nose, usually from midlife. It is not acne and not a blocked pore: the bump is gland tissue, so there is nothing to squeeze out. An early basal cell carcinoma can mimic it, so a physician examines the lesion before any in-clinic removal.
Key facts
What it is
Benign enlargement of normal sebaceous glands around a follicle; often runs in families
Signature look
2–5 mm soft yellowish papule with a central dell: a tiny doughnut
Look-alikes
Milia (hard white pearl, no dip), basal cell carcinoma (pearly, fine vessels, may bleed), xanthelasma, syringoma
Treatment
Electrocautery, fine-tip RF or focused laser to each lesion under topical anaesthetic; recurrence is common and retreatment simple
Where it fits
Sebaceous hyperplasia is harmless, so treatment is cosmetic and chosen for precision: each lesion is flattened individually in one short visit. The gland remains, so new bumps appear over time and are treated the same way; oral or topical retinoids slow new lesions in some people. What Dr Sin Yong will not do is treat a bump that bleeds, grows or shows visible vessels as hyperplasia without examining it, because that is the picture of an early basal cell carcinoma. Full page: sebaceous hyperplasia; the pearl it is confused with on milia; the under-eye clusters on syringoma.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Acne is a blocked, inflamed follicle; sebaceous hyperplasia is the oil gland itself, enlarged. Acne products, scrubs and squeezing do nothing to it because there is no blockage to clear.
The treated lesion is flattened, but the underlying tendency remains, so new papules can form elsewhere over the years. Retreatment is simple and done the same way.
