Epidermoid cysts occur rarely on the palms and soles, where hair is not present.
These cysts have long been assumed to arise from traumatic implantation of epidermal fragment, but the pathogenesis is still controversial.
Recently, with microscopic findings, immunohistochemical features, and molecular studies, the epidermoid cysts of the sole may be induced by the human papillomavirus. We report two cases of epidermoid cysts of the sole with the discussion of the pathogenesis.