A dermoid cyst is firmer and more fixed, whereas a lipoma is a classic soft, doughy, mobile, subcutaneous nodule.
An epidermoid cyst is a firm, dome-shaped nodule that is attached to the skin (often with a central punctum), unlike the deeper, softer, unattached nature of a lipoma.
An enlarged lymph node is found along a lymphatic chain and may be tender if reactive, whereas a lipoma can occur anywhere and has a characteristic soft, lobulated feel.
A neurofibroma is a soft, fleshy tumor that may have the "buttonhole" sign, a different texture than the lobulated fat of a lipoma.
