Abcess/cyst whatever it is. Please help me sporners.

[Arseflu]

Last week after showering I noticed a little red pea size lump under my armpit and I squeezed it thinking it was just a spot.

I couldn't find it afterwards so thought that was that but the following day it came back bigger, more red and very angry / tender.

I've seen my GP who thinks it's an abcess/infection so I'm on day 5 of flucoxacillin but it hasn't changed much if at all.

If I gently pull on the skin either side a teeny tiny amount of white/clear liquid comes out but hardly anything at all as there's no head.

I've done warm compresses and magnesium sulphate paste under dressings and apart from a tiny yellow dot of gunk on the dressing this morning, nothing has come up.

Can anybody suggest what else I can do to bring it to a head and drain? Do you think it's a cyst?

It's driving me nuts as it hurts.

Please excuse the hairy pit, I haven't wanted to shave the area since it came up as I'm pretty sure that's what caused it in the first place.

Can you help me sporners?

This is how it started, tiny little mark with a pea underneath. The picture in my OP is what it looks like now.

I'd start squeezing gently rather than pulling. I had something similar once and it needed encouraging to get the gunk out, after which it healed completely.

I'd track the outside of the red area with a marker pen. If also contact your GP/NHS 111. It looks sore!

Possibly skin infection caused by pus leaking under the skin when squeezed. I’m a fan of wiping with TCP and then thin layer of sudocrem twice daily to try and prevent infection spreading. Try hard not to squeeze or pull it.

I agree with PP, don’t squeeze or pull it. Give the antibiotics chance to work, sometimes you don’t notice a difference until the very last minute. What deodorant do you use? I used to use a cream based deodorant and used to get these all of the time, very painful and would last several days. I switched to roll on deodorant and haven’t had one since (few years now). Keep watching it and if it gets any worse see your GP again or ring 111. Fingers crossed it settles soon!

Ingrowing hair? I’d try to squeeze it out if it was me 🙊

I've finished the antibiotics and the redness/pain has improved alot but the lump is still there. I did a bunch of magnesium paste dressings but nothing came to a head. It feels a bit deeper now than it did when it hurt 🙈

RE which deodorant I use, I've been using 'Dove men + care advanced. Moisturising cream 72hr protection' so quite a heavy one I think.

The lump will likely vanish over time as the body will absorb it back into itself if there’s no poison left. That’s what happened to me when I had a similar looking lump under one boob. It did vanish eventually, but the discipline it took not to squeeze/poke/pierce it whilst waiting was immense!!

Oh gosh tell me about it, I caved today and tried to squeeze it. Of course now it's red and swollen on the surface again 🙈

Do you remember how long it took for yours to go away? I've had this for about 3 weeks now

I think you are my 'cyst twin' OP - I've got just the same and am on the same antibiotics. It's absolute agony, really making me feel unwell. I think it needs draining, but whatever's in it is too deeply embedded for me to be able to get it out by the normal means of squeezing or pricking.

Solidarity cyst sister. It's such a PITA isn't it?

I give it a squeeze every so often to see if I can encourage something to come to the surface but all I achieve is making it red and angry 😐

Did your doctor say what the plan would be if it didn't resolve with antibiotics? For me, a referral to the breast clinic was mentioned but she wanted to wait 4 weeks from me starting the AB's to give it chance to go away by itself.

The GP said if it didn't clear by the end of the antibiotic course (7 days, 4 x 500 mg a day) it would need draining and to make another appointment; given the fun and games I had getting appointment number one I am hoping it will go down!

Fingers crossed for you!

Do you happen to have a picture? For educational purposes only of course 😂

Took a good while. I had about 2 weeks redness as I didn’t get antibiotics and just treated topically with TCP etc 🙄. Then I’d say about 3 weeks after that before it totally disappeared. It gradually got smaller. I was soooo disappointed not to have a really satisfying pop and ooze resolution!

Here it is!

Update - I let DH have a squeeze after soaking for 30 mins in a very hot bath, and he managed to release a glorious stream of very smelly pale green pus. It's by no means empty but couldn't go any further as it was starting to bleed, however what came out has eased some of the pressure so it's less painful than it was. Now slathered once more in Sudocrem. Fingers crossed for a repeat performance.

That makes me feel a bit better about how long mine is hanging about gavisconismyfriend but I'm really sorry you had to put up with it for so long. Kudos to you for resisting the urge to squeeze the bloody thing. You're a better woman than me 😁

ANightmareBeforeChristmas fabulous! What a relief that must have been, it looks so sore (much worse than mine, even at its worst) so I'm super pleased for you. If you have any magnesium sulphate paste hanging about then do give that a try, it'll probably work wonders for you now you've broken the seal, so to speak.