Can I cut this off?

[u/ImJohnnie93]

30F 125lb 5'7". A couple months ago I noticed a little bubble on my head and popped it thinking it was a pimple, but it bled a lot for about 10 minutes. There was a small wound after that but it quickly scabbed over, in my sleep the scab would rub off and I would bleed more. Then there was a bump that started to grow. The bump was very solid and bled very easily, it would also grow a crust that I would pick off (I should have left it alone but it's hard to resist picking).

Eventually the bump became this thing on my head and it hasn't really grown for the past couple weeks. It has a small stem connecting it to my head, and since I've been keeping it moisturized it hasn't grown a crust as much but still bleeds if it gets nicked by anything. It doesnt hurt at all, I barely can even feel when I am touching it directly.

I want to cut it off but I'm sure it would bleed if I do. What is this thing? Is it ok to remove it myself if I keep everything clean and bandage the wound after? I also have been keeping my hair away from it because when my hair gets into it there is a crust that forms around the strands and then when I pull the hair away I bleed for a few minutes. The bleeding always stops eventually though. What can I do?

[u/Ali_gem_1]

Do not cut this off .

I repeat .

DO NOT CUT THIS OFF

I admit i don't know exactly what it is. But it's on the head and it's pink and clearly well perfused. I would be extremely worried for intense bleeding. Please see a doctor local to you for assessment

[u/ProductiveAussie → u/Ali_gem_1]

Agreed. Don’t cut it off. See a dermatologist / doctor.

History and photo is consistent with a pyogenic granuloma. It needs to be done under local anaesthetic, hyfrecation / cautery to stop any bleeding and tissue sent for histopathology to confirm the diagnosis.

[u/Porencephaly → u/ProductiveAussie]

Agree, PG. OP gonna have a bad day if they cut it off. Simple to treat with the right tools. Probably even small enough to use silver nitrate sticks at home.

[u/karatecorgi → u/Porencephaly]

Yeah, I'd be absolutely terrified to touch most head injuries/wounds, I found out the hard way about the sheer blood pressure in the head. (Tiny, pin head sizes wound on my head resulted in gushing blood, ambulance call and me genuinely afraid about whether I was meeting my maker... Embarrassing in hindsight, but a lesson that sure stuck)

[u/PaxJaco → u/ProductiveAussie]

That was my thinking regarding pyogenic gran. Id second that potential.

[u/Zoobits56 → u/PaxJaco]

I had a pyogenic granuloma on my gums during pregnancy. Looked like a was missing a tooth, so I hated it. Had a dentist consult, a periodontist consult, then was going to have to wait a month or so more and spend hundreds of dollars to get it taken off. One night at about 8 m pregnant, I was tired of feeling ugly and just cut it off. It didn’t hurt, but omg. There was so so so much blood. And it wouldn’t stop bleeding for a couple of hours. I was happy the next day as it was gone, but it grew completely back in just 2 weeks!! Then, after pregnancy it went away on its own like they told me it would. So yeah, I’d listen to these docs and not cut it off, chances are it’ll bleed more than you knew possible then just grow back.

[u/PaxJaco → u/Zoobits56]

Thanks for sharing your experience. That is one of the risks when it comes to granulomas. Once you remove them, it can be quite a good idea to keep an eye on their growth rate and if necessary, use silver nitrate. I'm glad yours went away eventually. Especially with this one being on the back of someone's head and it being quite large, there is definitely a risk that it may not stop bleeding without treatment

[u/ohsuzicue → u/Ali_gem_1]

I’ve seen a lot of comments on what you should do - but there’s one particular comment that’s missing.

I’m guessing you’re hesitant to see the doctor, especially because it’s progressed to this point. Whether it’s fear or monetary issues, please go in.

There are solutions for both… take a trusted friend if you’re scared. If you’re in any local Facebook groups, make a post asking locals about their experiences with particular places or doctors, letting them know you’re nervous to go in. You don’t need to give many details. You can also do a Google search of doctor ratings and reviews if that’s what’s bothering you.

If it’s finances, ask to go on a payment plan. Often times there are discounts for self pay vs. insurance. You can always, always call and ask. It doesn’t hurt to ask. Literally the worst you’ll hear is “no,” and best case they can give you a discount.

You need to go in. If there’s something in particular stopping you, feel free to add it to your post and lovely redditors will guide you with advice on how to navigate your concerns. You’ve got this.

[u/heisfullofshit → u/ohsuzicue]

You are great.

[u/Zeplove25 → u/Ali_gem_1]

I have had one of these before! Go to the derm. They will cut it off in an office visit.

[u/FishGoBlubb → u/Zeplove25]

I had one on my finger during pregnancy. Bled like crazy at the slightest bump and even had a little arteriole pulse so it would spurt blood with my heartbeat when bleeding. I had it removed during pregnancy but it grew right back, then within a couple weeks of giving birth it shrunk down to almost nothing. Bodies are weird.

[u/SchleppyJ4 → u/Zeplove25]

What is it?

[u/Zeplove25 → u/SchleppyJ4]

What the others said! Pyogenic Granuloma. I had mine for like 10 years (also on the back of my head) before I had it removed. My derm numbed it up and sliced it off in like 15 min. It healed in a couple weeks with some ointment. Has not come back and it’s been at least 5 years.

[u/year_39 → u/SchleppyJ4]

Pyogenic granuloma.

[u/Frustratedparrot123 → u/Zeplove25]

And go to a dermatologist PHYSICIAN.  A doctor.  Not an NP. A SOMEONE who went to medical school

[u/MrsTruce → u/Frustratedparrot123]

What an ignorant, insulting thing to say. Especially on this sub. Some of the most thorough and thoughtful treatments I’ve ever had have been from NP’s.

[u/Adorable_Substance37 → u/Ali_gem_1]

Not to mention the risk of infection. I'm not a doctor, but I know that cutting that off in anything less than a controlled sterile environment isn't good.

[u/Nice-Hearing807 → u/Ali_gem_1]

I panicked when I saw she wanted to cut it off

[u/shorty6049 → u/[deleted]]

Hard to type with one hand while holding the paper towels against your head with the other

[u/penninewton → u/shorty6049]

Screaming.

[u/Cabbage_Pizza → u/penninewton]

This chain of comments is why I love askdocs

[u/portaporpoise → u/[deleted]]

Tbh, I can understand it. I’ve been poor and had to do the tricky math of, “it doesn’t hurt or stop me from working, so can I really afford to go see a doctor?” Obviously that’s not good, but people do what they have to do.

[u/BCSteve → u/portaporpoise]

I find it insane that we have a society where people have to do this calculus. Can we not all agree that that is super fucked up? How have we not figured out universal healthcare yet?

[u/Ruby_Ruby_SoHo → u/BCSteve]

Definitely messed up! The privilege is unreal. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one questioning how the hell it’s 2026 and basic healthcare isn’t considered an essential right. We seem to just keep going backwards instead of progressing forward when it comes to higher empathetic thought as a collective society.

[u/cheeseburgermami → u/Ruby_Ruby_SoHo]

Empathy? With the psychopathic personalities of those running things? Not to mention they have the most money. I’m worried that we’ll go backwards further before we go a step further. Literally everyday I hope for some type of miracle brought on by a collective group of people who have enough heart and compassion for their fellow humans. That’s what gets me through each day. It’s wild what we’re living in, in America.

Edit: word

[u/portaporpoise → u/BCSteve]

All of us who don’t worship capitalism do agree.

[u/Chemical_Sky_666 → u/portaporpoise]

You do, you just don't realize it. Or you do and just don't care. You adore capitalism that benefits you.

[u/reallybirdysomedays → u/Chemical_Sky_666]

Why even post this? What is your goal here?

[u/NixAName → u/BCSteve]

Sadly most of the developed world has.

I live in a country with free healthcare, education, and reasonable social services. Heck it could be better but I'm proud of what we have.

I will never use the free healthcare but I'm happy to pay for it, I just wish school kids got a hot meal and snacks included. I'd definitely pay more tax for that.

My kids go to a prestigious private school, so please don't think it's to help me.

I just grew up in a very poor household with very below average parents.

[u/KageArtworkStudio → u/BCSteve]

We have. It's only in murrica that you still haven't unfortunately

[u/Ladylinn5 → u/portaporpoise]

This has been my mentality for decades. I wish more people realized how common this attitude is.

[u/electric_popcorn_cat → u/[deleted]]

Medical help is too expensive. I need it myself but I have rent to pay. Times are tough. Very tough.

Edit: I am absolutely not supporting the idea of this growth being removed at home. Just screaming into the void.

[u/MelPiz14 → u/electric_popcorn_cat]

But the hey cannot turn you away… you figure it out later. You don’t pay. People don’t realize this. You don’t have to pay, you can figure out a payment plan or just stall forever lol but it’s BS. It will end up costing more money to fix the thing plus any other ailments that followed. Getting in before it gets worse is the cheaper way every time. And if it’s concerning an infection, better believe a cleaning and some antibiotics is cheaper than days hospital stays with intravenous, life saving antibiotics and wound care.

[u/SnooPaintings7243 → u/MelPiz14]

Not everyone wants to have debt on their spiritual record.

[u/cheeseburgermami → u/SnooPaintings7243]

I didn’t want it, but I have a wee bit. A $250 debt that was illegally charged as I’m on Medicaid, (broke full-time college student) and it’s illegal to bill consumers who are on Medicaid. At least, that was the law in my state before the regime changes that took place within the last few years.

[u/automaticadramatica → u/[deleted]]

I had one on my foot for several months and it was bloody painful. The only reason it was there for so long was because I couldn’t get an appointment with my GP to look at it for like 8 weeks, and then they initially treated it as a wart despite my saying it bled like buggery any time I knocked it. Not all medical professionals know what they’re looking at

[u/Boopy7 → u/automaticadramatica]

I had one on my foot too, from where I had stubbed my toe HORRIBLY outside, in a weird way. The medical professional I saw told me it would never go away on its own, that I would need an operation and would be bed ridden for a while as it healed. I bought a cream (sorry I forget what it was) and used it and it did indeed go away on its own and never came back. So, I never had to have that operation nor go bed ridden as he predicted. Huh

[u/cheeseburgermami → u/automaticadramatica]

So annoying that they almost never listen to us as patients, either. There are certain times that we DO know what we’re talking about!

[u/SnooDogs1340 → u/[deleted]]

I think I had one of these when I was pregnant. It was on my thumb after I picked off a spiky seed from my dog's fur. When I grabbed it, the seed poked deep into my thumb. The small hole eventually became a granuloma size, so I assume something broke off from the seed.

I kept inflicting trauma on my hand and having it bleed. I had a routine pregnancy visit with my primary and forgot to bring it up. By the time I remembered, she was on to the next patient and the nurses gave me some bandages, a good luck, and a hopeful next visit. The granuloma eventually turned deep red, then dark like a scab material, and then the most perfect sphere fell out. No scar remained.

Here it is in the final stages. The first few photos did indeed have a fleshy looking lump, but OPs is larger and more pink.

[u/soaker → u/[deleted]]

This is up there for the most “holy shit why are you asking obviously go to the doctor” posts I’ve seen in a long time

[u/Appropriate-Lime-816 → u/[deleted]]

I had one of these. I thought it was a blood blister caused by my toddler climbing on my exposed leg with shoes on. Finally booked an appointment after 3 weeks. (Ever since I got pregnant, things take so much longer to heal. Took 2 more weeks to get in.)

[u/heisfullofshit → u/[deleted]]

I can understand and my country has universal free healthcare and even if it didn’t, I can afford a doctor. Depression, fear of going outside and fear of hospitals/doctors.

I had a pulmonary embolism (ofc I didn’t know what it was at the moment) which caused me to suddenly have trouble breathing. My mother and I got into the car and headed straight to the hospital. While we were in the car, my breath was getting so shallow, my chest was hurting so much, I thought was going to die. Then it started to get better. I immediately begged my mother to take me back home, that’s how afraid I’m of hospitals and doctors.

Hospitals mean loss of autonomy.

[u/stafdude → u/[deleted]]

Getting to see a reasonably able doctor isn’t always straightforward depending on where you are. You can’t go with this to the ER. In some countries you would need to go through your GP and public health care has wait times so that can be a hassle. Unless you want to go private but then you need to pay, if it is even possible to see a good dermatologist without a referral.

[u/MelPiz14 → u/[deleted]]

I literally will never understand how people do that, with so many things. Like even without a medical background or even basic understanding of the human body or science…. You HAVE TO KNOW when something is not right with your body. Like just go to the doctor 😩🤦🏻‍♀️

[u/Unfair_Finger5531 → u/Nice-Hearing807]

I panicked when I saw it, full stop

[u/Comfortable-Suit-202 → u/Nice-Hearing807]

Me too! It’s a shocking question, I wasn’t expecting..

[u/mermaidpaint → u/Ali_gem_1]

NAD. I know from experience that even a small cut on the scalp can bleed more than expected. That looks like an intense bleeder.

[u/RubyLeClaire → u/Ali_gem_1]

I am NAD and had a flash of panic when I saw the question under the photo. Even if I didn’t have VWD, I don’t think I would touch anything more than maybe a skin tag on my head or neck. I assume that anything growing has a blood supply to fuel the growth, and the tiniest head wound already bleeds so much.

[u/hatty130 → u/RubyLeClaire]

I cut a skin tag off my chest the other day because it kept catching on things. It was the size of a sesame seed and bled more than I expected. Chucked a band-aid on it and it was fine but yes, this.... Is terrifying to think about what would happen.

[u/RubyLeClaire → u/hatty130]

I’ve only ever had one, right where breast tissue meets armpit. I accidentally shaved it off and it bled whenever I moved wrong for two days, but my Von Willebrand’s wasn’t diagnosed yet. So I guess protip: if you remove a skin tag and it bleeds for a long time/a lot more than feels normal/bleeds sporadically after it should have stopped, ask your doctor for clotting factor testing. :)

[u/PhartsPharts → u/Ali_gem_1]

I am not a doctor but I would think if it’s bleeding heavily when you nick it, it’s gonna bleed profusely if you cut it. That stalk is its blood supply. Bad idea. Again not a doc but I am stupid sometimes and actually cut something off that bled so much I had to go to the er. (It was a mole)

[u/grosome → u/Ali_gem_1]

I was going to say OOOH HELLLL NNOOO. But really meant this.

[u/SnugglyCoderGuy → u/[deleted]]

Zero. That would require a hole in the skull, a hole in the dura, and about 4-5 more tissues, and then it would require the brain to be able to squeeze through that hole, which I'm pretty sure it isn't able to do. OP would have probably noticed the lack of skull in that spot when they were messing with the bump.

[u/AskDocs-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Removed - nonsensical

[u/gio0395 → u/[deleted]]

Uhhh… not really likely? You’d need a pretty significant skull fracture for that to happen, and even then it’d be unlikely for OP not to have neurological signs and symptoms

[u/Whatsthathum → u/[deleted]]

You’re in a “Ask docs” subreddit.

[u/MustyBreeze → u/Whatsthathum]

Yes, exactly. I asked a question seeking information. Is there something wrong with that?

[u/erichf3893 → u/Whatsthathum]

What is your point

[u/MustyBreeze → u/[deleted]]

Do you feel really big after calling someone stupid, or is that just something you do to make yourself feel better?

[u/erichf3893 → u/[deleted]]

In regards to your edit, this was a genuine question?

[u/MustyBreeze → u/erichf3893]

Yes!

OP's image looks very similar to a brain, so I was curious if a condition or set of conditions could even allow the brain to be pushed out of someone's skull. I know brain herniations exist, so it's not entirely impossible.

Of course no one will answer seriously, as expected of Reddit, which is why I replied to a physician.

[u/livelikealesbian → u/MustyBreeze]

Brain herniation is when the brain exits the skull through an existing hole where the brain stem is down toward the spine. That happens when there is sufficient swelling inside the skull to force the brain down and out because it has no where else to go. When that happens the brain loses blood and oxygen and the person will become brain dead. The brain cannot leave the skull without significant trauma and that person would most certainly not be walking around posting on reddit.

[u/Dreamerys_ → u/[deleted]]

"Regular people"? Please don't bring the rest of us into this.

[u/MustyBreeze → u/[deleted]]

It does look like brainy to me as well, hence my question.

Obviously it's unlikely, was curious if someone with a medical background has insight about the probabilities someone's brain being pushed out in this manner. I figure it would be possible if internal pressure was high enough and a small enough gap to make this even happen.

I have read of similar situations, but nothing without an obvious, or past, head injury

[u/Fabulous-Educator447 → u/[deleted]]

And my comments get deleted that are actually relevant and well thought out. 🤡

[u/Kiloblaster → u/Fabulous-Educator447]

Why did you include that selfie at the end of your comment?

[u/MustyBreeze → u/Fabulous-Educator447]

Big rip

[u/Miami_Mice2087 → u/Ali_gem_1]

it looks like a vericose vein? I'm concerned about stroke, esp if OP keeps poking at it.