Lump under the skin on the vulva

Hello there. I have run into a small little issue—something I actually stumbled upon about ten days ago while I was showering. I felt this slightly firm, pea-sized lump under the skin, just to the left of my labia where there are quite a few sebaceous glands. There is absolutely nothing visible on the surface, and it’s mobile to the touch—it doesn't hurt per se—but if I apply any pressure, it causes a bit of discomfort. I can even feel the edges of it between my fingers... I did go in for my annual checkup with my gynecologist recently; she performed a Pap smear and told me everything looked fine, no signs of inflammation, and said the results would be good too. However, that was a month ago, and I really don't feel like making another trip to the clinic right now... if this is something normal that might just pass. I am one hundred percent certain this isn't related to an STI, so please disregard that possibility entirely. At first, I thought maybe it was just a pimple that would eventually come to the surface, but it hasn't... I'm feeling a little concerned—not overly so, mind you—but I'm just waiting for someone to reassure me, perhaps someone who has dealt with something similar that eventually cleared up on its own... 😬 Thanks.

It’s possible you’re dealing with an infected Bartholin's gland. There was actually a discussion about this exact thing on the forum just a little while ago.

Go see a doctor if the swelling increases or if you start feeling pain that doesn't clear up on its own within a couple of days.

Angela Wright said:It’s possible you’re looking at an inflamed Bartholin's gland. There was actually a thread discussing that quite recently over here.

You should probably head to the doctor if it starts swelling up—or if it begins to hurt and doesn't just clear up on its own after a few days...

I don't think it's that specific gland because... well, I was looking at some anatomical diagrams online and the gland is located right by the opening of the labia... but this little thing of mine is further away from the vaginal opening—closer to the thigh area, though still technically on the vulva...🙄

Growing hair?

I’ve had this thing for over two years now, and honestly, I have no clue what it actually is. It doesn't grow, it doesn't hurt, and it isn't causing me any trouble, so I just leave it alone. 😎

I went through something super similar about two years back... I had this bump under my armpit that didn't really bother me at first... then after a year of just letting it sit, things suddenly flared up... it calmed down for a bit, but I figured it would just vanish on its own... nope... it actually got bigger and the pain started getting way worse... ended up having to head over to surgery... nothing crazy happened, though... honestly, it was probably just from shaving... I was being such a klutz and using an epilator, and I ended up pulling a hair so hard it practically bled... I guess some bacteria got in there or something... they mentioned something about a lymph node, but they never gave me a straight answer on what it actually was...

So, I've actually gone and developed this little lump right in my groin area.

bluecyclist5 said:Hey. I mean, that happened like a month ago, so I wouldn't really go back for it now...assuming this is just a normal thing that passes.

But how are we supposed to know for sure? Even an OB-GYN wouldn't give a diagnosis to someone they can't even see face-to-face, let alone 🙂

GO-SEE-A-DOCTOR 🙂

Every once in a while, someone brings up a lump in the armpit or groin area. In about 99% of cases, it’s just an inflamed gland and is completely harmless. The main thing is to avoid poking at it with tweezers or anything similar.

If it happens to be quite large, you really should see a doctor to get some ointment—actually, it's better to just visit a primary care physician for an evaluation. They usually prescribe antibiotics or topical creams, and then it clears right up.🙂

I suppose I should begin by addressing the matter at hand—though where one even begins with these shifting paradigms is often quite a mystery... It seems we are all circling the same questions, aren't we? One finds oneself lost in the nuances of the current discourse—much like being caught in a slow drizzle in Seattle—and yet, there is a certain necessity to the investigation... If we are to move forward, we must first understand the foundations upon which we stand... Or perhaps, more accurately, the ground that is currently shifting beneath us... kaže:
If the swelling is truly significant—and I mean really noticeable—it’s probably best to just head in and see a doctor... though honestly, you might be better off starting with your primary care physician. They can take a quick look to see what we're dealing with. Usually, they’ll just prescribe some antibiotics or maybe a topical ointment to clear things up... and then it just passes... eventually.🙂

I honestly don't think applying any kind of ointment is doing much of anything—since there isn't even a visible trace left on the skin... though, actually, wait... I'm certainly not taking my little one to see some random general practitioner for this... 🤣

Lisa Chase90 said:But how on earth can we possibly know—honestly, even a gynecologist wouldn't attempt a diagnosis for someone they haven't even seen face-to-face, let alone 🙂

GO-SEE-A-DOCTOR 🙂

I don't think you quite caught my drift in my previous post... most people here tend to share their experiences without running to a doctor first, mostly because so many of these things are just fleeting issues that don't actually require medical intervention! That’s exactly why I was asking if anyone else had dealt with something similar... in a similar area 😬 You can see that not everyone responded the way you did—some people actually offered some common sense... regardless, thanks anyway

Those lumps you're feeling in your groin or under your arms aren't always just inflamed hair follicles; they can be swollen lymph nodes triggered by some underlying inflammatory process in your body. Personally, I wouldn't waste time overanalyzing or debating the "what ifs" if it’s causing me this much anxiety. I'd just head straight to my doctor. If there's an infection or inflammation at play, you need to get it identified immediately.

Angela Wright said:Those lumps in your groin or armpits? They aren't just swollen hair follicles—they could be lymph nodes reacting to some kind of inflammation somewhere in your body. Honestly, I wouldn't spend too much time overthinking or debating what they might be if they're actually bothering you; I'd just go see my doctor. If there’s an underlying inflammatory issue, you need to find out what it is.

In my case, they never even figured out why... or from what... I went through countless tests and everything came back totally normal. My doctor even told me she's had two lumps in her neck for years and doesn't give them a second thought.😕
Personally, I'd be a whole lot happier and way less stressed if they'd just cut them out—I know some people get them surgically removed or at least biopsied via puncture.

But what happens if they just can't figure out the "why" behind it—like, if there's an underlying inflammation but they can't pinpoint the actual trigger?

Taylor Howard36 said:But what if they don't find any specific cause or trigger, even if there’s an underlying inflammation present?

It's highly unlikely your bloodwork wouldn't flag some kind of inflammation. It’s more probable that either your levels are just naturally baseline high, or these things only flare up when your immune system takes a hit. That being said, that isn't an excuse for people who haven't bothered to get checked out to claim they don't know why it's happening.

If it were actually inflamed, it would hurt. What you have is just a blocked sebaceous gland where things build up under the skin, creating a movable, round lump that isn't infected. Once inflammation sets in, then you'll feel the pain and need to see

mellowraven32 said:If there were an infection, it would hurt. What happens is the sebaceous gland duct gets blocked, things build up inside, and you end up with a movable, round lump under the skin. That's not an infection. Once it actually gets infected, then you'll feel the pain and need to head down to

Just so we’re clear here: you’re talking about an infected oil gland, not some systemic infection manifesting through swollen lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes can swell for a million different reasons—honestly, my medical journey was a complete circus. At first, everyone assumed it was some issue with my wisdom teeth, but once we ruled that out, they pivoted to suspecting a tooth root infection. Nope, not that either. Then, in a total curveball, I was sent over to Infectious Disease, only to find out there was nothing going on there. Finally, I ended up heading over to a major hospital in Chicago—specifically the ENT department. The doctor there actually had the nerve to ask if I kept cats or dogs at home, or if anyone in my family went hunting! To top it all off, I spent part of the day at the transfusion center, where the doctor gave me a full physical exam and basically laughed it off, saying it wasn't anything serious. She even joked, "Wait, did they really send you to a specialist in Chicago just for this?"
The one on my neck is just this tiny little bump—smaller than a grain of rice, really. But the one in my groin? That one’s about the size of a pea.
And before any of that madness started, of course, I had to go in for a biopsy. I have to be honest—having a needle shoved into your neck is absolutely not a fun time. 😲

I really have to give a quick shout-out to the ENT specialist and the doctor over in the transfusion unit—they were genuinely wonderful people. Honestly, I can’t for the life of me recall their actual names, though... it feels like an absolute lifetime ago, back when I was just some kid in high school.

Around here, in my neck of the woods, finding a doctor who actually treats you with a shred of decency is practically a fantasy.

bluecyclist5 said:I guess you didn't really catch my point... most people on this forum post without running to a doctor first because a lot of this stuff is just temporary and doesn't actually need medical intervention. That’s why I was asking if anyone else deals with similar issues... in a similar spot too. 😬 You can see not everyone answered like you did—some people actually made sense. But yeah, thanks anyway.

I only said that because I've been there myself, asking questions online only to find out at the end it was something else entirely...

I actually dealt with something similar once, and none of the suggestions here were even close to what it turned out to be.

So, I figured it's probably smartest if you just go get checked out while you can.