Sexiest person ever - hard painful lumps on inner thighs 🤦🏻

[WildSideWalk]

Not sure if this should be here or in the Sporner section. I'm a bit overweight so my thighs do rub together and I'm sure it's also due to the hot (ish) weather but I've got these lumps/cysts/boils/spots all over my inner thighs and also 1 or 2 on my pubic area 😳 They're raised and red but cant be squeezed and when they do go away they leave horrible scars - I'm really self conscious as they look awful. I sometimes get similar under my arms but also with sore/itchy patches and was told that was a fungal infection.

I'm slathering them in sudocreme and tea tree oil and using a medicated wash but it's not working. Really dont want antibiotics as they always make me sick. Please can anyone suggest what else I could try?

Could they possibly be ingrown hairs? I occasionally get these and got some Ingrow from amazon to dab on rather than squeezing

Does it look like it could be impetigo?

It sounds as though it may be this - Hidradenitis Suppurativa - I have had experience of it, armpit and inner thigh area. Can be hard to treat but it is something that you will need to see your Gp about. A lot of gps don't seem to know much about it but you will likely need a referral to a dermatology clinic at the hospital. It can go away on its own for a while, but likely will come back, but it can be extremely painful and make you feel really awful about yourself.

This link explains a bit about what it is www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=134&ContentID=163 so if you think it sounds similar you should make an appointment with your gp as the first point of call.

It doesnt look like impetigo from the pictures on Google and I had wondered about HS but they aren't weepy and dont have any discharge, it doesnt look like those pictures either.

Bumping for the weekend

Have you been to your GP? I get that it might be embarrassing but probably easier for them to make a diagnosis.

I thought early stages of HS too.
Your GP is unlikely to know enough about it - you'd 100% need to see a skin specialist.

I’d put good money on it being HS.

I’ve had it since I was 13. If I unwell (I am now) I can expect a flare up. It’s also worse if im
bigger (my weight has fluctuated through adulthood and I’m back at the upper end again, plus or minus 2 stone is the bracket).

sometimes it can be made worse by eating stuff in the nightshade family - so keep an eye and see if that happens for you. Red peppers are bad for some reason!

during a flare up washing the areas with Hibiscrub (Amazon) helps, and dusting with an anti bac talc like cuticura.

it can be very painful but it can be kept under control - if it very bad the GP can give a long term, very low dose of antibiotics.

Staph infection

@Whatwaswrongwiththatusername @Morewineplease10 @Mykittensmittens you were right, spoke to the nurse at my practice today and she diagnosed HP after seeing photos and hearing the symptoms. What a lovely thing to have 🙄😩

Hey OP - don’t worry ! Can I help? I may have guessed right but if I can make you feel better, I’ve had this since I was a young teen and it’s manageable for me - i really don’t have to think about it other than once in a blue moon. Plus the older I have got, it’s improved.

what can we help with? What are you trying so far?

Thank you! I guess I’m more self conscious than anything. This is maybe tmi but I’m in a newish relationship and I hate that part of me being seen because it looks so awful 😳 I’m scrupulously clean and I know it’s not infectious but it makes me feel horrible.

Nurse has prescribed an antibiotic cream and wash - have you used anything like that?

It’s also a definite incentive to lose some weight.

Yes I’ve used a wash - hibiscrub (pink stuff). Then after I’ve washed I dust on a bit of powder - medipure is the one I like best but cuticura also works - both from Amazon. Tops of legs, under boobs and armpits.

HS is much worse for me when I shave a lot, so I keep that down to once a week.

it dissapeared in both my pregnancies then came back after, and as I am now peri menopausal I can see it fading off - which apparently it often does.

weight is absolutely a factor for some but in my case genetics - my BMI is higher than it should be but my uncle and grandfather both have/had HS and they were a normal weight.

I've got HS as well. Turmeric (eaten/taken as capsules) can help some people. Also, antiandrogens can help some people.

I tend to have a flare with each period, then it goes away for a month.

I have HS too. I've had abscesses in my groin and armpit, though not had a problem now for years. The only thing that ever worked was TRIMOVATE cream, on prescription.

I have it and can't get it under control at all 😔.