What Does Bartholin Cyst Look Like?

A Bartholin cyst often shows up as a smooth, one-sided lump near the vaginal opening that can range from pea-sized to golf-ball-sized.

Noticing a new lump on your vulva can send your thoughts spinning. Start with a calm check: where it sits, how it feels, and whether the skin around it looks irritated.

A Bartholin cyst is a fluid-filled swelling tied to the Bartholin glands, which sit near the vaginal opening. Many cysts stay small and quiet. When one gets infected and turns into an abscess, it can change fast and hurt a lot.

If you’re here because you searched “what does bartholin cyst look like?”, you’re usually trying to match what you see to a clear picture in your head. A classic Bartholin cyst tends to be on one side, close to the vaginal opening, where the inner lips meet the opening.

It often looks like a round or oval bump under the skin. The surface skin may look normal at first. The lump can feel like a small marble, a firm grape, or a soft pocket, based on how full it is.

What You Notice	How It Often Presents	What That Can Point To
Location	One-sided, near the vaginal opening	Fits the typical Bartholin area
Shape	Round or oval lump under the skin	Matches a blocked gland duct
Skin color	Normal skin tone at first	Often a non-infected cyst
Tenderness	None to mild soreness	Small cyst or early irritation
Heat or redness	Warm, red, swollen skin	More consistent with infection
Pain with sitting or walking	Pressure-like pain, worsens with friction	Often seen with larger cysts or abscess
Drainage	Fluid or pus-like discharge from a small opening	May signal an abscess that opened
Size range	From a pea to a golf ball	Wide range is normal for this condition

What A Bartholin Cyst Looks Like With Infection

A non-infected cyst often looks like a quiet, smooth bump. When infection sets in, the “look” can shift along with the feel. The area may look puffy, red, and shiny, like the skin is stretched tight.

Pain usually ramps up. People often describe a throbbing ache that makes sitting, walking, wiping, or sex feel rough. You might also notice warmth in the area, or see that one side of the labia looks bigger than the other.

If the abscess drains, you may see thick, yellowish fluid or pus. Drainage can bring sudden relief from pressure, but it still needs medical attention, since infection can linger.

Where It Shows Up And Why One Side Matters

Bartholin glands sit at about the “4 o’clock” and “8 o’clock” positions around the vaginal opening. A cyst forms when the duct that drains the gland gets blocked, and fluid backs up.

That’s why many Bartholin cysts are one-sided. Two-sided swelling can happen, but a single lump near one side of the opening is the pattern many clinicians look for.

How It Feels When You Touch It

Touch can give clues, but don’t squeeze or press hard. A small cyst can feel like a firm pea under the skin. A larger one can feel more rubbery or springy, like a fluid pocket.

An abscess can feel tense and painful, with the skin around it feeling hot. Some people notice a tender “ball” that seems stuck in place rather than sliding around.

Quick Self-Check Without Making It Worse

You don’t need a long exam to gather helpful details. A simple check can help you describe it clearly when you call a clinic.

Check the exact spot: Is it near the vaginal opening on one side?
Check the skin: Normal color, or red and shiny?
Check pain level: Mild soreness, or pain with sitting and walking?
Check growth: Did it appear slowly, or swell over a day or two?
Check systemic signs: Fever, chills, or feeling unwell calls for faster care.

Skip picking at it, popping it, or trying to drain it at home. That can worsen pain, raise infection risk, and lead to scarring.

Other Lumps That Can Look Similar

Not every vulvar lump is a Bartholin cyst. Ingrown hairs, skin cysts, acne-like bumps, irritation from shaving, and other vaginal cyst types can mimic it.

Two cues tend to separate it from many surface bumps: it sits deeper under the skin, and it lines up with that one-sided location near the opening. Still, the safest move is getting a clinician’s exam when you’re not sure.

When A Clinician Might Want To See It Soon

Small, painless lumps sometimes get monitored. Pain, fast swelling, or signs of infection shift the plan. If you want a reliable reference for typical symptoms and size range, the NHS Bartholin’s cyst guidance lays out the common presentation in plain terms.

If you’re over 40, postmenopausal, or the lump feels unusual to you, clinicians often take extra care to rule out rarer causes of vulvar masses. That can include closer examination and, at times, testing.

What The Exam Usually Includes

A clinic visit is often straightforward. A clinician will ask how long it’s been there, whether pain is building, and whether you’ve had prior cysts.

Then they’ll do a focused pelvic exam to confirm location and check the skin. If infection is suspected, they may also check for nearby cellulitis and ask about fever.

If there’s drainage, they may take a sample in certain cases. If you’re in an older age group or the mass looks atypical, a clinician may recommend additional testing to rule out other conditions.

Comfort Steps While You Arrange Care

If the lump is small and you feel well otherwise, comfort steps can help while you line up a visit. Warm sitz baths can ease soreness for some people. Use clean water, keep it warm, and avoid harsh soaps on the area.

Wear loose underwear and skip tight jeans for a bit. If friction from walking hurts, a soft pad can reduce rubbing. If you use pain relief medicine, follow the label directions and avoid doubling up on similar products.

Treatments Clinics Use When It’s Painful Or Infected

Treatment depends on size, pain, and infection. Some small cysts settle without procedures. When an abscess forms, drainage can be the turning point for relief.

Clinicians may drain it and place a small catheter to keep it open while it heals, or they may do a procedure that creates a longer-lasting opening so it can drain. Antibiotics may be used in specific situations, like fever, widespread skin infection, or other risk factors.

For a plain-English overview of common treatment routes and when tests may be suggested, the Mayo Clinic diagnosis and treatment page is a solid starting point.

When A Bartholin Cyst Turns Risky

Most people want the same answer you do: what’s normal, and what’s not. If you’re weighing that question, it can help to read a separate explainer on when Bartholin cysts turn risky so the red flags feel concrete rather than vague.

Signs That Call For Urgent Care

Some symptoms should move you from “watch and wait” to “get seen soon.” These are the ones people often regret ignoring.

Red Flag	What It Can Mean	What To Do Next
Fever or chills	Infection may be spreading	Seek same-day medical care
Fast swelling over 24–48 hours	Abscess can form quickly	Call urgent care or a gynecology clinic
Severe pain with sitting or walking	Pressure and infection are likely	Get evaluated promptly
Red, hot skin that keeps spreading	Cellulitis can develop	Seek urgent evaluation
New lump after menopause	Needs careful assessment	Book a clinician visit soon
Drainage with ongoing swelling	Infection may persist	Get checked even if pain drops

What To Say When You Call A Clinic

Clear details help you get routed to the right appointment. You can say where the lump is, when you first noticed it, whether it’s one-sided, and whether it hurts to sit or walk. Mention fever, redness, drainage, and fast growth.

If you searched “what does bartholin cyst look like?” and the lump fits that one-sided pattern, say so. It helps the person on the phone match your description to common conditions.

Aftercare And Recurrence Notes

Some people get a single cyst and never see it again. Others get repeats. If you’ve had one before, early swelling in the same spot is worth checking sooner, since abscesses can form quickly once the duct blocks again.

Try to avoid squeezing or poking the area, even if you’ve had one in the past. Let a clinician decide if drainage or a longer-term fix is needed.