Enormous underarm boil... does this need a doctor?

[lemonsandgingerbeer]

Apologies for the stubble

This has come up over the last 4 days and it's super-annoying. Magnesium sulphate hasn't done much, nor have hot compresses (although it has grown pretty big pretty fast).

Should I get to the docs to have it drained?

Stick half a bag of Epson salts in your washer drum and give it a hot wash with some towels to kill off the staphylococcus that'll be in there now.

@lemonsandgingerbeer

Head's starting to appear....

Picture required!!

Ouch OP - hope it’s getting better

Oooh that's going to be so satisfying when it finally bursts....

Picture!

@froomeonthebroom it's only just starting, but here goes...

Beautiful Lemons but looks sore. I hope it goes soon for you.

Just the one picture?!

Looks really full

Hope it’s painless!

That’s awesome!

Lawks OP that looks sore. Look after yourself and make sure you video the eruption

I had this a few months ago, tried magnesium sulphate as well which did nothing, tried to pop it with a needle but only bled.
Got so painful that in the end had a video call with GP who diagnosed an abcess, 10.day course of antibiotics and day 4 it popped.

@Dinky2004

I had this a few months ago, tried magnesium sulphate as well which did nothing, tried to pop it with a needle but only bled. Got so painful that in the end had a video call with GP who diagnosed an abcess, 10.day course of antibiotics and day 4 it popped.

It's so uncomfortable, isn't it?

I tend to get these when I'm particularly run-down and emotional.

I bottle up my feelings so they explode out of my skin instead...

@lemonsandgingerbeer

woooah, EIGHT hairs, *@halfhope*! Epic.

I have a silly question... All the advice out there says to leave a hot compress on the area for 10-20 minutes - but my little towel goes cold after 5 and by then the bowl of water has lost its heat.

Do I just sit in the bathroom wetting the towel over and over again for 20 minutes to keep it warm?

Id use a damp flannel and a heat pack/hot water bottle

I hope you get a payoff for your pain op, you deserve one.
Seriously that looks so sore, hope you feel better soon

Holy hell!!!

I'd be jabbing that with my sharp scissors but I'm weird.

That looks so sore!

Omg op. It looks like you're growing another person under there! I hope it sorts itself soon!

I had one very similar and had surgery on it. I do have HS though so it got quite bad! They did plastic surgery on it a few months after the draining to close the hole with a skin flap. Posted pics of mine on here before

@PawsQueen do feel free to post again

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor here you go
The original abscess (you can see the infection redness down to near my boob, it's a weird shape because it was an indented scar), post op, post plastic surgery

Oh dear Lord, that's a bit much even for me

Wow,that must've been so painful, how long from when it first appeared to surgery, and how long was recovery time? and did anyone film the surgery?

It was about 7 weeks as they tried antibiotics first. No video as I was under GA!

Oh wow, that is a long time. Glad you're ok now.