Groin / Bikini area oil gland broblems

jtinatl · Newbie Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1

I have had a consistant problem since puberty. I am now 36 years old. When I was younger I hid it from my mother, I'm not sure why, but I was embarrassed and very private about MY privates.

I would get these very large bumps in my bikini line area. Sometimes swelling to the size of golf balls and once I remember it was so huge that I honestly can't believe I didn't tell someone. Looking back I'm sure I needed antibiotics to treat the infection sometimes I would even get sick from the infection in my body (at least I think that was what was going on). They would usually swell over a period of a week and then bust on their own or I would try and bust them on my own. They were/are VERY painful.

When I got older and out on my own, I finally sought medical attention and honestly I can't remember being given a specific diagnosis. My dermatologist would lance them when they were really bad and prescribe antibiotics. She referred me to a plastic suregon who explained to me that he sees this condition primarily in black women (I'm white, lucky me) and further explained that the oil glands in that area twist and turn as they go toward the surface of the skin and sometimes they become clogged, and infected. He removed 2 of my oil glands in that area.

I have continued to have problems on and off again over the years. I have become so accustomed to the problem that I usually don't seek medical attention unless it is REALLY bad. Most times I just put a warm compresses on them and try and bust them myself. It is still very painful. I was on birth control pills for the past 20 or so years and recently about a year ago went off the pill. I have noticed that the swollen oil gland problem is seeming to worsen, so I'm assuming it is related to hormones or something.

I once went to another plastic surgeon on the recommendation of my dermatologist and her suggestion that I basically get all my oil glands removed in that region, which in my opinion would have helped, but the prospect of having my bikini area cut from end to end and oil glands removed sounded quite scary. The plastic surgeon said he couldn't/wouldn't do it though because at the time the lesions I had were quite close to my labia lips and he said if he took out all the oil glands that my labia lips would flap (he compared it with castonets, not a pleasant picture, but said he had seen it happen to a patient of his that had the operation performed by another plastic surgeon). So I was basically left to just live with it.

I guess what I'm getting to, is there any type of treatment for this type of thing? I do still get the swollen pustual glands and not all of them are close to my labia lips. So should I revisit the plastic surgeon to discuss this once again, is there any type of hormone treatment, laser treatment or possibly (since I consider my self to be holistic in my health care approach) could even accupuntrue help me.

I really just am tired of living with this and if anyone knows or treament or has the same problems I would love some advice or even speculation.

Thanks in advance!

Jenny · Site Admin Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 505

Hi there! I am not going to be much helpful to your specific condition but I suffer from the same stuff. It gets that big in three days time that I can’t move anywhere from my bed for another three days because it hurts like crazy to move, not to mention walk.
The first time I saw a doc, he said to apply ice (which hurt even more) and prescribed some spray that hasn’t helped at all. I was applying then cut tomato slices or cabbage leaves to bring out the inflammation but that didn’t cut the length of time needed for the bump to burst on its own.
I have had it for many times. It would occur every six months and I wouldn’t be able to walk for three days each time. Then I started visiting dermatologist when I would notice that the bump would start growing. The first time I was prescribed oral and topical antibiotic and it prevent the inflammation. The second time, I did the same but this time the antibiotics left a huge dent in my groin area that became black and looks really ugly.
Personally, I wouldn’t be removing oil glands.

Co · Newbie Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Hey, I've gone through some of the same traumatic experiences as you. I've had really horrible red bumps that just wouldn't burst or even come to the surface sometimes. It's painful and irritating. I used to just try to burst them any way possible then put on polysporin every few hours. A few months later the bumps would still come but it didn't feel so painful cuz my skin was more moist. And when I did burst a bump - as much as it hurt i put rubbing alcohol on the recently open wound to clear out all the bacteria and clean the up wound then still applied polysporin afterward. Now i figured why not try another method. so i got laser hair removal. it takes about 8 sessions and you have to unfortunately wait about 6 weeks between sessions. BUT at the end of the sessions the hair is gone and the problems decrease a lot. =) also, if you get lasered also buy vitamin E capsules the highest strength possible. stick a pin in a capsule and squeeze all the vit.E oil on your bikini area and kinda massage it into your skin for a few minutes. it works great. i hope this helps. sorry it's so friggin long. enjoy

Groin / Bikini area oil gland broblems

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK