A sebaceoma is a benign tumor that originates from sebaceous glands. It commonly appears as a small, smooth papule with a yellowish, speckled appearance. Sebaceomas are usually asymptomatic and slow growing; they can occasionally ulcerate and bleed.

These tumors are most frequently observed on the head and neck, where sebaceous glands are abundant, especially the central face and scalp, but they can rarely appear in other areas of the body with hair. The precise incidence of sebaceoma is unknown, and there is no established race / ethnicity or sex preference. They tend to develop more commonly after age 50, with an average onset around 60 years, although younger individuals can also be affected.

Sebaceomas can arise either as primary tumors or within existing nevus sebaceus. While they are benign and typically do not exhibit aggressive growth or metastasis potential, there have been around 5 reported cases of transformation into sebaceous carcinoma.

The presence of a sebaceoma may raise concerns due to its association with Muir-Torre syndrome (MTS). This syndrome is a variant of Lynch syndrome and is characterized by underlying visceral malignancies, primarily affecting the gastrointestinal tract, along with sebaceous neoplasms and keratoacanthomas.