How do I fix this ingrown hair???

Anonymous
It may not even be an ingrown hair but I'm assuming it is... Major pain and swelling near my bikini line (which I shave and have for 10+ years with no issues). Started out just swollen and I assumed it was an ingrown hair and tried to dig at it and find something... Made it worse. Now it's swollen and has a big sore spot which I didn't have before. I've been dealing by putting a bandaid over it during the day and going commando at night but its been six weeks. Who can I go see to take care of this or just look at it? My FP is pretty terrible and would be a waste of time. Dermatologist? I just want someone to numb it and fix it. Ugh. Going to Mexico next month and I'm dreading the swimsuit.
Anonymous
Bump
Anonymous
I would try to drain it with a sterile pair of tweezers, then apply neosporin. Bandaid, and see how it goes.

If no improvement in 2 days, call doc.
Anonymous
Put a hot compress on it to get it to come to a whitehead. Don't just poke it with tweezers like PP suggests. Is it oozing pus or crusty? If so, it might be infected and you should go to the doctor. You may need antibiotics.
Anonymous
Hot compresses and neosporin. I once had a boil on bikini line and went to the doctor because I had no idea what it was.
Anonymous
Just family practitioner? Or someone else? It didn't have a whitehead or ooze anything until I messed with it which has me a little worried.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Hot compresses and neosporin. I once had a boil on bikini line and went to the doctor because I had no idea what it was.


Ditto. If it's really bad, your doctor can lance it. Where is it exactly? If it's on your leg, it's likely an ingrown hair, however if it's actually on your labia (mine was), it might also be a bartholin cyst (mine wasn't, but doctor thought it might be until it popped on its own).
Anonymous
Wait, this sore hasn't healed for 6 weeks?
Anonymous
Go to urgent care. The one in Cleveland park is good. Takes insurance. Get it fixed... Life is too short.
Anonymous
Ok, I have self-diagnosed and I am positive it's a sebaceous cyst. I spent an hour online last night reading the plights of other unfortunate souls and it appears this is fairly common. I am first trying icthammol ointment (drawing salve) to see if it draws the gunk to the surface and drains on its own. If it doesn't work, I will head to my OB to have it looked and and most likely lanced/excised (whether she will so it or refer me to someone else, I'm unsure). I just wanted to post this in case someone stumbled upon this post and is in the same boat... It's a hard red lump just inside my bikini line, although I had one on my bikini line in the last that went away and never hurt. Turns out I shouldn't have picked at it because the secretion is contagious and can spread... but I honestly though it was an ingrown hair.

Icthammol ointment (20%) is sold over the counter... Found it at CVS in the first aid aisle. It's black and tar-like and smells awful but the pharmacist says it absolutely works. I think it's used to drain boils.

Good luck to anyone else that has these... not fun. Hopefully I don't have to go get it lanced or cut out next week.
Anonymous
I had one of these about 10 years ago. I drew it out, and when it popped, it was truly, truly disgusting the amount of stuff that came out.
Anonymous
PP, this all sounds very gross. I am sorry you have to deal with it and you probably came across even grosser stuff in your research.
post reply Forum Index » Health and Medicine
Message Quick Reply
Go to: