Help, pls - infected thing!

[Notaprettysight82]

Going on hols on Wednesday & this little lovely suddenly appeared on my neck a week ago and is showing no signs of surrendering.

It was a pore which would block occasionally - nothing awful - then became infected.

GP prescribed Flucloxacillin for 7 days and I’m starting day 4. It’s redder and now has two tiny pus spots. I’m feeling fine in myself. GP said to go to a&e if I became feverish etc due to risk of sepsis.

GP thinks ultimately a dermatologist / surgeon will need to do incision and drain but I can’t get an appointment for weeks (private health but limited cover and dermatology lists long anyway).

Mum suggested magnesium sulphate paste in the meantime.

I’m don’t have health anxiety, btw. Just wondering if there’s anything I could / should do pre-holiday, given not able to get it seen by a dermatologist.

Will check with GP if worth taking more antibiotics away (although not great for me for other health reasons, will do if needed).

TIA. Sorry for pic, assuming it gets approved (neck with red bump!)

Looks like a cyst. Hot compress then with a clean pin I would drain it . Not saying do this but it’s what I would do personally

Put some masnwsiym sulphate paste on it. Cover with a plaster and let the heads really come up. Leave for about 12 hours. Once heads are ready to pop, use hot flannels (have 2 -3 on the go) and alternate them so there’s always a hot one on top of the spot/cyst. It should burst and you need to try and drain it.

If by Sunday things aren’t going down you need to seek proper medical advice.

I’d say it’s ready to pop and to the hot towels now - looks juicy lool

Thanks, everyone

Post picture in Sporner Corner. You will get dodgy expert advice on how to deal with it.

I had one of those twice in a couple of years, in what I believed to be the same spot, so thought it would have to be removed surgically. But it's been over ten years and not a whisper of a recurrence. Both times treated with oral antibiotics.

At this point I would recommend always carrying with you a sandwich bag with a sterile wound wipe, a little packet of tissues, and a large, soft plaster, as the bubo could take you by surprise when it bursts. My first one burst in the middle of a party. This was very attractive. Not.

When you put the plaster on, first apply it to your trousers leg and remove a couple of times, to make it less sticky. Otherwise you will wax off the little hairs when you remove it from your neck.

IIRC my neck was flushed and swollen from ear to shoulder when I began the antibiotics. Within 48 only the area around the bubo was swollen. The bubo itself got progressively redder and more locally swollen until it burst, from which point everything resolved very quickly.

I would not be concerned that it is red and swollen, only if the redness spreads. In which case GP or Minors or A&E (whichever you can access faster) immediately.

Hot compress. Literally as hot as you can tolerate. I had a similar one in my groin which was incised.