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Acne pimples/cysts happen when there's an infection and your immune system sends pus there.
Is it possible, that if the cyst stays there a long time, the pus will harden and will just stay there indefinitely?
Pus is white, but I have a huge cyst that sometimes leaks pus but sometimes it looks like water. Or maybe that's not pus.
I tried putting a hot towel on it; no change.
Use drawing salve, you can buy it OTC at Walgreens, etc. Despite hot compresses, drawing salves, etc there reaches a point where it does need some "help" Even if it self-drains some, it doesn't all come out on its own. Get it as softened up as you can, then pinch it with your fingers, NOT your fingernails. Everything you read about such cysts says NEVER pop them, for fear of infection. Leaving them just sit there is also an infection risk, especially if they are draining some on heir own. Then there's an opening to the outside that various pathogens can enter through. Just use common sense when "popping", ie, wash the area thoroughly, clean with alcohol, wash hands, use gloves, DON"T dig with fingernails, when done, clean with alcohol, apply a bandaid if draining much, etc, etc......just don't use dirty fingernails to dig into a dirty, unwashed boil
Yes, if the pus stays there a long time it can harden into a rock-like lump!
Cost is a factor in seeing a doctor. Oftentimes insurance will not pay for it, considering it cosmetic. Your best bet is to do the best job you can on your own, being as aseptic as possible. If it heals, fine. If it becomes infected, then go to a doctor, at least insurance will then pay for it.
BTW, we have "excellent" full-coverage medical insurance, yet we resort to home remedies at times, depending on the situation, due to the costs incurred when seeing a doctor.
BTW, I had such a lump on my....ahem...derriere. I swear it was there about 1.5--2 years. It was as hard as a rock, felt like a pebble there. There was nothing visible from the outside, no redness, swelling, etc. I asked doctors a couple of times about it, they just said oh, its just a cyst, nothing to worry about.
Well, the thing was right at a point where it hurt when I sat. It also itched. I kept trying to pop it on my own, with no success. Doctor said oh, there's nothing in there to come out, its just a hard cyst. Ok, finally, I tried using drawing salve and heat. One night after a hot bath I tried to squeeze it again. OMG---the stuff that came out! Although I didn't go so far as to actually measure it, I think it was at least 2 tsp of pus!
All that had been sitting there, in an enclosed type of "capsule", for almost 2 years. What if some opening occurred and it became infected? Not to mention the irritation, itching, etc.
I get so tired of reading that advice NEVER to pick or squeeze pimples, cysts, etc. Why, because of the fear of infection? There's a very real risk of infection just letting it sit there, a perfect breeding ground for stuff that might find its way inside. Just be clean about it, IMO, there's no more risk of infection if you pop it---aseptically, of course--- than the doc or a PA doing it. Only difference is, you save $$$. I had one doc wanted $300 because insurance considered it cosmetic
BTW, I had such a lump on my....ahem...derriere. I swear it was there about 1.5--2 years. It was as hard as a rock, felt like a pebble there. There was nothing visible from the outside, no redness, swelling, etc. I asked doctors a couple of times about it, they just said oh, its just a cyst, nothing to worry about.
Well, the thing was right at a point where it hurt when I sat. It also itched. I kept trying to pop it on my own, with no success. Doctor said oh, there's nothing in there to come out, its just a hard cyst. Ok, finally, I tried using drawing salve and heat. One night after a hot bath I tried to squeeze it again. OMG---the stuff that came out! Although I didn't go so far as to actually measure it, I think it was at least 2 tsp of pus!
All that had been sitting there, in an enclosed type of "capsule", for almost 2 years. What if some opening occurred and it became infected? Not to mention the irritation, itching, etc.
I get so tired of reading that advice NEVER to pick or squeeze pimples, cysts, etc. Why, because of the fear of infection? There's a very real risk of infection just letting it sit there, a perfect breeding ground for stuff that might find its way inside. Just be clean about it, IMO, there's no more risk of infection if you pop it---aseptically, of course--- than the doc or a PA doing it. Only difference is, you save $$$. I had one doc wanted $300 because insurance considered it cosmetic
I had a cyst on my labia. it's called a bartholin cyst. It was very painful. Also, due to fear of infection, I wouldn't go to the bathroom outside of my home. Right before I was going to pop it, it burst. It was very thick and a lot came out. Some blood towards the end. That was 2 years ago. Knock on wood, it's gone for good.
I had a cyst on my labia. it's called a bartholin cyst. It was very painful. Also, due to fear of infection, I wouldn't go to the bathroom outside of my home. Right before I was going to pop it, it burst. It was very thick and a lot came out. Some blood towards the end. That was 2 years ago. Knock on wood, it's gone for good.
Ouch! I had one before, when I first started riding a bike for exercise. It's kind of amazing in a gross way how large the cyst can get and how much stuff can come out.
I have a tendency to get every kind of skin infection under the sun. Styes, boils, skin fungus, etc. Tea tree oil is a huge help (NOT on eye infections!!!) - it's anti-microbial. My roommate clears up pimple outbreaks with it. I also use a medical-grade skin wash called Hibiclens, which cleared my skin right up. Religiously changing he pillow case every few nights is also helpful.
What the OP is describing is something that is beyond "drawing" and skin cleansers though. I suspect that it's an ingrown hair or boil and the infection is so far under the skin now, it needs to be lanced. I doubt it will cause any problems in terms of infection, but I suspect it's going to stick around without minor surgery. I think any dermatologist could handle it quite easily.
My mother has a boil on her hairline. She went to the dermatologist, who declined to lance it. He said there was no point in her paying for something she could easily deal with on her own. He recommended ichthammol, which I found at CVS. It's a black ointment, which can be off-putting, but it worked fast.
I sometimes use an insulin needle to lance things.
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Although I didn't go so far as to actually measure it, I think it was at least 2 tsp of pus!
