Definition

A benign (not cancer) tumor that forms in the muscle tissue around a hair follicle (the opening on the skin through which hair grows). Cutaneous leiomyomas appear as small bumps that may be the same color as, or darker than, the nearby skin. They usually occur on the arms, legs, chest, and abdomen. Cutaneous leiomyomas tend to increase in size and number over time and can be painful to the touch or in cold temperatures. They often occur in patients with an inherited condition called hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer.