09/08/2026
Neurofibroma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumor that grows from the covering of a peripheral nerve.
• What it is: It develops from Schwann cells, fibroblasts and other cells that make up the nerve sheath. It is not cancer and does not spread. • How it looks: On the skin it usually appears as a soft, skin-colored or slightly pinkish, rubbery bump that you can press in slightly. Size is often 2mm to 10mm, but can be larger. It is usually painless and movable. • Where it occurs: Can appear anywhere there is a nerve - skin (dermis / subcutaneous tissue), deeper under skin, or along larger nerves. • Types: 1. Solitary neurofibroma - single bump, most people have this form 2. Multiple neurofibromas - many bumps, often associated with a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) 3. Plexiform neurofibroma - larger, grows along many nerve branches