Apocrine hidrocystoma of the cheek

Apocrine hidrocystoma is an uncommon benign cystic proliferation of the apocrine sweat glands. Malignant melanoma, eccrine hidrocystoma, angioma, and follicular cysts have to be considered as differential diagnoses.

A 63-year-old man is presented with a dark mass measuring 2 x 2 cm on his right cheek. An exocrine tumor or, more unlikely, a melanoma was considered as a differential diagnosis. Pathologically, the lesion was determined to be an apocrine hidrocystoma.

This benign lesion can be excised by a narrow margin. Therefore, knowledge of this benign entity in head and neck surgery including the differential diagnosis can prevent an unnecessarily large defect by too large margins.