No seasonal variation or familial tendencies have been identified. Cysts tend to appear during adulthood, grow slowly, and persist indefinitely. Consistency is fluctuant cystic. Size varies from a few millimeters to approximately 1.5 cm. Tumors occasionally present as multiple lesions.
Tumors have a predilection for the eyelid, particularly the inner canthus.
Tumors may arise on other areas of the head, neck, and trunk. Tumors also have been reported to occur on the penis, in the axillae, and in the anal region. Lesion edges are not well delineated but blend gradually into adjacent skin. Walls, although translucent, are sufficiently thick that they seldom rupture spontaneously. When incised, the cyst collapses and a thin, clear, brownish or blackish fluid is released.