Lump - don't read if squeamish!

[Lisa78]

Ugh! Last night, I found a red lump inside the top of my thigh, it was bright red and felt hot. It looked like it had two white "heads" on it and I know I shouldn't have, but I did, I had a little squeeze! (God it hurt, but I won't learn my lesson!) They popped and I won't go into lurid detail, but it made even cast-iron stomach me feel a bit sick - Vesuvius IYKWIM. Today its not as big, but is still very red and very tender, and is still inflamed around the main lump - and I can feel swelling around it still. Its about a centimeter across.
Any ideas what it is, how I got it and what I should do (apart from leave it alone, obviously )

I think it's probably a boil, Lisa - or maybe a carbuncle, I never found out what the difference is. I think it's basically an infected hair follicle. I have had them and they are horrible, very painful, disgusting stuff comes out and you may end up with a small scar depending how deep they go, but no big deal really.

If it doesn't start dwindling soon go to your GP and get some antibiotics, there are specific ones for this kind of thing.

Definition for you :

A carbuncle describes confluent infection of multiple, contiguous hair follicles in which the infection is limited to the subcutaneous tissue by overlying dense skin and fascia. The causative organism is usually Staphylococcus aureus.

Carbuncles commonly occur on the back of the neck and in diabetics.

Treatment:

incision and drainage
antibiotics e.g. antistaphylococcal penicillins, erythromycin or clindamycin
measurement of blood glucose in non-diabetics

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And a website for you.

Can you tell I'm avoiding doing other things this afternoon?

Oh goody, so I can look forward to it popping again! Not the chemist SB, its right next to my knicker line and even I do have SOME shame!!
I haven't picked it since I squeezed it, it hurts too much, I just bathed in it witchhazel.
Shall leave it alone now, and just watch its progress with interest - I liked the info on the website JanH - may infect other areas including bone and brain! Its a lot of fat to get thru to reach my bone - brain might be nearer

Hope it's not AT your knickerline, Lisa, they are the worst! Have you been able to put a plaster over it? It might be easier (and more comfortable) to get an actual dressing pad and stick it on with tape. Hope it stops hurting soon.

infected hair follicle definitely
hope you feel better soon!

Although I haven't had one for a while I used to get what sounds identical to yours every month before my period was due, same place as well. Sometimes it had a 'head' on it sometimes it didn't.
If it didn't have a head I used to bathe it in hot salt water (soaked cotton wool pressed on it) and that would bring the head out and so 'shorten it's life', Like you Lisa I'm a devil for picking and if I did the thing would erupt.......disgusting and I only did it a few times as I could face the pain and to be honest the yukky stuff that came out of it.

Is your period due? thats when I got mine so maybe thats why yours appeared.

Try adding a few drops of tea tree oil to your bath water, then dabbing some directly on the lump. My caesarian scar got a bit infected, and this is what the Comm. midwife recommended and it worked really well.

No, am only 2 months postnatal and BF so no periods yet Its not actually on my knicker line but v close - I have to be very careful when I go for a wee! It does seem to be subsiding a bit now, its not come back to a head - though not for want of me checking it 10 times an hour. I've restrained myself in public though. Can't believe how much the bloody thing hurts

Lisa, if it's no better by Monday, get yourself to your GP and get some antibiotics. I had one of these a couple of days before giving birth to ds2 - I reckon it's a lot to do with manic hormones.

If that were the case Marthamoo, I would be permanently covered in them

Are antibiotics OK when you're BF?

Some are, some arent!

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Yes, how is that lump Lisa?

Sorry to hyjack ..... I have a lump ( size of a pea ) under my arm .... BUT it's painful .... It'll just be a spot or a blocked hair follicle .... won't it ???

Sorry Lisa .... how's your lump ... sounds like a boil to me ... i used to suffer from them quite badly.... hope you are OK