Struggling with the approach... down there

😕
So, about two weeks ago, this bump popped up right on my bikini line—exactly where my underwear edge sits—and it’s been nothing but trouble ever since. I’ve been slapping Band-Aids on it just so I can actually walk without constant irritation. Now, it’s like this cycle where it seems to be healing, then it starts leaking fluid—probably pus, or maybe blood, who knows—and then it goes quiet again, only to swell back up even harder. It feels incredibly firm and painful. Does anyone have any idea what this could be, or more importantly, how I can make it stop? It’s honestly starting to ruin my life... and my gynecologist won't see me until April 25th. Could it just be an ingrown hair or something... ugh...🤷 oh god...

shadowtinker21 said:
😕
So, about two weeks ago, I developed this painful bump right on my bikini line—exactly where my underwear edge sits—and it’s been incredibly uncomfortable. I’ve had to keep a bandage on it just to be able to walk normally. It seems to go away for a bit, but then it starts draining—maybe pus, maybe blood—and then it just settles down until it swells up again. It feels really hard and inflamed. What could this be? More importantly, how do I get rid of it?! It's starting to seriously impact my daily life. My gynecologist can't see me until April 25th. Do you think it might just be an ingrown hair or something... ugh...🤷 oh boy...

That sounds a lot like a cyst I once dealt with under my armpit...

...it’s most likely just an ingrown hair...I used to deal with that myself quite often, though in my experience, it usually resolved itself within a week or two at most...If you notice any more leaking, try disinfecting the area with some rubbing alcohol, but honestly, you should probably schedule an appointment with your gynecologist sooner rather than later...
...and look, if your doctor isn't able to squeeze you in immediately, don't hesitate to head straight to the emergency OB-GYN department at the hospital...you can always sort out the referral paperwork after the fact...or, if you have the means, just book a quick consultation with a private specialist instead...

I’m with you on that—get to a doctor immediately!

Nicole Parker93 said:
sounds a lot like the cysts I used to get under my arms...

So what now? How did you actually deal with it? And honestly, besides a cyst, what else could it even be... though I really have no clue how these things even start in the first place... is it just a clogged pore or something like that...

It’s most likely an ingrown hair. Honestly, you wouldn't believe the chaos one tiny little thing can cause...

I ended up digging into my own boil and managed to pull out a hair about an inch long—though, let's be real, I have a bit of a masochistic streak. The second I finally yanked it out, the whole thing deflated within two hours. I deal with ingrowns constantly, so I guess I've just spent enough time "practicing" on smaller ones to know what I'm doing, haha.🙄

Angela Kelly said:
I’m with you, get to a doctor immediately!

give me a break!!!! I am the absolute queen of hypochondria and panicking over nothing!!!!!! why would anyone rush to a doctor right away...

Honestly, it was kind of a whole thing for nothing. I was pretty sure an ingrown hair was acting up, so I ran down to CVS and grabbed a needle 😬. I got home, cleaned everything with alcohol, and tried to tackle the monster. It felt like I wasn't getting deep enough, so I ended up poking it in three different spots... and then, I swear, I pulled a literal cow out of there. Just pure mess—pus and blood everywhere. It was gross. 🤮
Anyway, I just wiped it down with more alcohol and finally dealt with it. 🙂
It didn't really hurt, you just need some serious nerve to do it... 😁

Melissa Sanchez70 said:
it’s probably just a hair, you wouldn't believe what they can do to you...

I actually dug my boil out myself and pulled out a two-centimeter hair, though I suppose I’m a bit of a masochist at heart... As soon as I got it out, the whole thing deflated within about two hours. I deal with ingrowns pretty regularly, so I guess I’ve practiced on the minor stuff, haha🙄

well... I’m the complete opposite of you. I can't even squeeze out a basic pimple because the thought of it makes me nauseous and the pain is too much... what am I supposed to do, get drunk so I hit that "whatever" stage where I can just dig away at it? I have issues with ingrown hairs too, but it's just on my legs, nothing major that swells up or gets inflamed... but this...

Come on, give me a break, that’s hardly worth a trip to the OB-GYN unless we're talking about something massive.
And honestly, if the whole thing just grosses you out, just let your boyfriend or your mom—or whoever—deal with it for you... or just wait for it to clear up on its own... maybe try some rubbing alcohol or some topical stuff... or just take matters into your own hands and kill it once and for all...
Seriously though, you people would run to a doctor over the tiniest little thing, as if gynecologists have started specializing in treating chafing or something?! (though maybe a dermatologist would take a look... but even they'll probably just tell you to get lost)

Morgan Bishop4 said:
Oh, please. That’s hardly a reason to see a gynecologist unless we're talking about something massive.
Look, if you find it repulsive, just have your boyfriend or your mother—or whoever—squeeze it for you... or just wait for it to pass. Use some rubbing alcohol or some kind of topical treatment, or just take matters into your own hands and end its misery once and for all.
Honestly, you people would run to a doctor over the smallest thing. Since when did gynecologists start treating minor skin irritations? (That’s more of a dermatologist thing anyway, and even then, they'll probably just tell you to get lost.)

Your mother?!?😲 😲😲

shadowtinker21 said:
😕
So, about two weeks ago, this bump popped up in my bikini area—right where the edge of my underwear sits—and it’s driving me insane. I’ve been slapping Band-Aids on it just so I can actually walk without pain. Now, it’s like, it starts to clear up, then suddenly it leaks... probably pus, maybe some blood, then nothing, and then it just swells right back up again. It feels super hard too. What even is this, and more importantly, how do I make it go away?!

That sounds like an atheroma (basically a clogged sebaceous gland or a buildup of oils). I dealt with the exact same thing a few months back, except my duct was totally blocked so I had to head over to the Mayo Clinic to have them lance it. Honestly, don't bother asking a gynecologist; they won't help you with this since it's not really their specialty, even if it's in an area we usually associate with OBGYNs. You need to see a dermatologist for this stuff.

It’s easiest if you just head straight to an ER without a referral or anything. Just try to get there in the morning—don't bother going late at night when the night shift is on duty, because those guys can be total jerks. If you go Saturday morning, say around 10:30, tell them you had to come in because the pain is unbearable and you couldn't wait until Monday. I'm telling you, Saturdays aren't nearly as insane as Mondays, which are basically a madhouse. You'll probably get a surgeon who'll just handle it right then and there. Local anesthesia, and you're done in 15 minutes.

wanderingcanyon3 said:
It’s way easier if you just skip the referral and the checkup and head straight to the ER at a major hospital. Just try to get there in the morning. Seriously, don't show up late at night when they're on the night shift—those people are total jerks.

They actually told me to aim for the evening shifts to avoid the wait, but I was honestly terrified of what you mentioned above. So, I did the "normal" thing and went during the day with my insurance paperwork ready. Honestly? It was the fastest thing I’ve ever done. I think I was in and out in like ten minutes flat. Total whirlwind. I didn't even know what hit me. 😁

Sarah Edwards38 said:
They actually told me to aim for evening shifts to skip the wait, but after reading what you wrote above, I got spooked. So I just went during the day like a sane person with my referral. Honestly, it was the fastest thing ever—I walked in, was at the desk, and out of the hospital in like 10 minutes. Total whirlwind. 😁

Basically, they’re on call 24/7. They work from 8 AM until 8 AM the next morning. When they aren't in their regular units, they're stuck in the ER around the clock. And yeah, of course people are gonna be pissed if you show up late at night—when they’ve been on their feet for over 12 hours and are exhausted as hell—just because you have some groin rash you've had for 10 days and decided to show up then just to avoid a wait. 😍
Usually, they're busy waiting for ambulances to drop off the broken bones and stuff. So yeah, go Saturday morning. By 10:30, they're usually wide awake and ready to go. Best timing.🙂

e. I had the exact same thing happen two weeks ago. It wasn't a pimple or anything, just an ingrown hair.
It might not be obvious at first glance, but if you get some decent lighting... 😁
Don't bother with a doctor, urgent care, or the ER.
Just grab some tweezers.
Seriously, don't go rushing to the emergency room just to have some staff there mess around trying to dig out a damn hair...

It’ll probably sting a bit, but that’s just how it goes with hairs. Once you pull it out, you won't
believe how big it actually was... then just squeeze out the gunk, disinfect it, and in two hours you'll
be good as new, trust me.

I went to see my dermatologist for the exact same thing, and she just tried to put me on antibiotics 😲
I told her I wasn't interested in taking antibiotics for a minor issue, and honestly, it cleared up on its own in just two days 😁

wanderingcanyon3 said:
The reality is, those doctors are on call 24/7. They start at 8 AM and don't wrap up until 8 AM the next day. During that stretch, they aren't even in their regular departments; they’re stuck in the ER all night. So, honestly, you can't blame someone for losing their cool if you show up late at night—after they've been on their feet for over twelve hours and feel absolutely exhausted—just because you have some groin irritation you've been nursing for ten days and decided tonight was the perfect time to avoid a wait...😍
They’re usually just sitting there waiting for the paramedics to roll in with trauma cases or broken bones. So, by all means, show up on a Saturday morning; by 10:30 AM, they’ll be fully energized and ready to deal with you. Truly impeccable timing.🙂

When I went to the emergency surgery unit at Mount Sinai, they basically brushed me off and told me they couldn't do anything without a referral, even though I could barely walk because of how swollen everything had become. It was around 8 PM on a weekday. I ended up going home, and then the very next day, it just burst on its own, drained, and calmed down. After that, I spent months bouncing from one doctor to another—first my primary care physician, who sent me to a gynecologist, then back to the gynecologist multiple times for therapy, swabs, and tests, none of which actually yielded anything useful, and finally to a dermatologist. Eventually, after a whole year of running in circles, the dermatologist told me I needed to go to the emergency surgical clinic; I asked about getting a referral, and she told me I didn't even need one 😕😕. So, I just gave up... though, admittedly, it was mostly because the swelling had subsided significantly.
Anyway, here's a little trivia question: who exactly is supposed to provide me with a referral for that?

Oh, and before I forget, the only helpful advice I ever got from the gynecologist was that rinsing the area with 3% hydrogen peroxide once it opens up helps quite a bit. I applied that consistently and desperately. I honestly think that was the only practical thing that actually helped reduce my symptoms.

Cleanse with alcohol, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover with sterile gauze.
Don't pick at it; wait for it to come to a head before attempting to squeeze or using a sterile needle to make a small incision. Afterward, rinse with 3% hydrogen peroxide and apply iodine or propolis.
This happens quite frequently after hair removal.
If you can't manage it yourself, see your primary care physician; in certain cases, a surgeon may need to step in.

Angela Kelly11 mentioned that a GP provides the referral, but if there's a clear indication, the doctor and nurse are typically trained enough to handle it themselves.

The only real question is whether they're willing to do it.

Morgan Bishop4 said:Oh please, that’s hardly a reason to see an OBGYN unless we’re talking about something massive.
I mean, seriously, if you're feeling grossed out by it, just let your boyfriend or your mom or whoever handle the squeezing for you... or just wait it out... maybe try some rubbing alcohol or something, or just take matters into your own hands...
God, you guys would run to a doctor for every little thing. Since when did OBGYNs start checking out people's nether regions? (Maybe hit up a dermatologist for that... though they'll probably just tell you to get lost too)

🤮 🙄