Five cases of apocrine hidrocystoma of the anal glands are described, two of which are dealt with in detail, as they were a primary cause of the patients' complaints. The three additional cases were found incidentally during histologic examination of hemorrhoidectomy specimens. All five patients were women between 32 and 65 years of age. The similarities with the better known cutanous hidrocystomas of other sites harbouring apocrine sweat glands are emphasized and the morphogenesis of these lesions is considered. In addition, a rare adenoma of the apocrine anal glands in a 46 year old woman is described and the problems of diagnostic classification in examples lacking predominantly papillary structures are discussed.