labia minora bump/blister/cyst

 

Hello there
These are actually quite common and are usually related either to stress or hormonal changes. It is still best to check them specifically with your own doctor as they are a gentle indication that something is out of balance or that you need a bit of relaxation (and in RARE cases somethings a bit more serious).
Salt water douching on and around the area is the healthiest treatment since it wont interphere with the natural balance of the area and not lead onto secondary infections such as thrush. Popping them does not usually spread them but cleaning regularly through the day when you wipe with a splash of salty water will stop this possibility as well.

I've managed to reduce mine in a matter of a day or two by taking in extra estrogen (soy milk for e.g.) or progesterone as it appears related to progesterone vs estrogen levels in the body (will look into the post above about HS) and the salt douching and forcing a relaxtion session (deep breathing and loving thoughts) helps - when they are painfully large piles cream is a minor miracle. Its such a delicate area to use the gels and facewash etc I have read about above and I am surprised it does not lead to further complications when using these creams etc?

At times when my hormones are out of wack and with either masturbation or ttc activity or high stress or al of the above - they flare up - (bike riding or tights etc also could cause a flare up if the conditions are right) a bit of douching and drinking of soy and or application to soft skin on arms or thigs progesterone cream works for me and more often than not I dont see them for months at a time. Glad to see everyone here is talking about them and getting answers!

I've had one of these for over two years now: a relatively innocuous-looking pimple-sized bump on my right labia majora, closer to the inside than to the outside. It's *almost* a whitehead, but not enough to pop. I have had two general practitioners look at it when getting my yearly pap. One said it's a zit and not to worry about it, the other said it's a cyst. She said not to try to pop it. When I asked about removal she said it's too small and even if someone did it for me there would of course the be risk of scarring (which seems better to me, having a small scar than a BUMP that looks ambiguous enough that it could be perceived as something else/contagious). I REALLY WANT THIS REMOVED. I know it's silly to be vain about the way my vulva looks, but it really makes me feel old and less inviting. If I saw it on another woman and had never had one of my own, I think I'd be suspicious.

I had one of these before for about a year in the same exact place and eventually squeezed it (I can't remember, but I might have stuck a needle in it) until a dry, white, powdery substance came out (saw ONE other poster who described the same thing). It wasn't gross or bloody or like pus; when I rubbed it between my fingers it actually felt similar to that powder lotion that was a fad for awhile about five years ago.

I've tried tea tree oil to no avail. I've tried hot compresses, but I can't do them consistently because a) I don't have time for that BS, and b) having something hot & wet on my vag gives me a yeast infection. I've also tried rubbing vitamin e oil on it hoping that oil will bring it to a head like a real zit, but also haven't been consistent/it hasn't worked (yet?).

I am 35, 5'2" and 128 pounds which is about fifteen pounds overweight for my frame. I have had this cyst even when I was not overweight, though. I think this is relevant if people are dismissing this as a problem only heavy women have. During the years I have had these I have sometimes been hairy/unshaven for months, and sometimes shaved. I do not recall what state I was in when they appeared.

I haven't noticed the cyst swelling or changing during my cycle. Sometimes it does get irritated/sore when I've used my hitachi magic wand a lot to masturbate or have spent time trying to squeeze it, but most of the time it doesn't feel like anything and is just THERE, unchanging and totally stubborn.

I *do* suspect I have PCOS; we have been trying to get pregnant for over a year to no avail. I do not ovulate regularly/predictably and the only time in my life my periods were regular/I probably ovulated regularly/on time is when I was running every day and in good shape. Still, it's hard for me to believe these things are related. I do have a lot of stress and anxiety, but it's not like I have tons of these popping out all the time; it's like this stubborn one, and sometimes littler ones that are barely noticeable.

For all the people insisting that ingrown hairs are always caused by shaving or waxing, that's a bit misleading since you can get an ingrown hair WITHOUT using any hair removal method, especially if something (excess skin, tight clothes, etc.) is blocking the free growth of hair or rubbing against it.

All,

I have read many of your posts and while this ailment is a terrible thing, it is nice to know that I am not alone. So many OGBYN's have treated me as a speciman. Several of the OB's at my office came in the examine me. Already embarassed and concerned, this did not help. To go to the point of all of this, I have attempted many different homepathic treatments and I have finally found one that cut the cycle time drastically. I am usually in the process of slightly swelling to gradual growth over about four to five days. Usually by the fifth day I would start to get uncomfortable and then it normally would come to a head. Normally I would take a hot bath everyday for about 30 minutes a day. The past two times this has happened, each about 6 months apart, I tried something new. I added an entire large box of EPSOM SALT to my bath.

I had soreness and slight signs of an swelling on Sunday night. I bathed for 20 minutes in a hot bath with Epsom Salt. On Monday I did the same. On Tuesday again the same, but it came to a head/drained and now the recovery process is almost complete. Once it comes to a head/drains, I am usually 100% back to normal in about 2-3 days. I hope this will help all of you.

I'm not sure if I have exactly the same problem. I bought some lube recently, and have been using it until the bumps/soreness/redness/rash appeared, and quit using it (threw it away). I washed very well, applied anti-bacterial soap, and keep it clean. It's been about two weeks and they've yet to disappear. The right of the Labia Minora is fine, but the right has three of what my boyfriend says look like pimple/cold sores. I KNOW I don't have herpes, because I just went to the gyno, and she did every STD check under the Sun. The left side(pimples) hurt when I pee, spread my legs, attempt sexual intercourse, or when touched. The little flap of skin that separates my opening to my anal opening is sore, and looks as if something has eaten away at the skin(sort of). It is red and sore. I am afraid to say anything. I've asked my Mother to take me to the ER, but she says it's not important enough to. Does anyone have any advice? My boyfriend and I have been very faithful to each other, and he's been with one other woman(also a virgin) before me.

thank you for all of these helpful posts... i just found one small pimple/cyst/bump down there (on the left of the clitoris, not on it, but on a flap next to it) and ive been freaking out trying to figure out what it is. i tend to overreact and think the worst of the littlest things (even bug bites or paper cuts lol). i cant see a doctor but im assuming the bump is due to my recent skyrocketing of stress and depression coupled with not being as clean down there as i could be/used to be. its small and doesnt appear to be growing (been about 3 days) and it doesnt hurt unless i touch it, then its just slight soreness. ive been doing hot baths for about 30min and putting tea tree oil on after baths and wipes. i rarely get sick or need medical attention and am not sexually active, so im hoping it goes away on its own after a few days.

me again! not meaning to spam, just wanted to write an update since i still had this page open anyway.... i dont know, maybe this will be helpful to someone who googles the subject after me.

*tmi* it finally popped!! */tmi* lol

i know sorry for sharing but today was the 3rd day, and after the baths, tea tree oil, relaxing reading, and calm music, that b****r finally died. hehe. i also had taken the whole day "off" by not leaving the house and skipping my daily walk. i made sure to get plenty of "rest" and empty my mind of all the stressful things that have happened in the past week. guess it worked! :-)

as for more *tmi*... there was a small amount of goopy pus (i think it all came out as it was kind of goopy, then slowed to where it was just a tiny bit of very light discharge-- now its not as sore, theres barely even a bump) but boy was i relieved to see it. i was expecting the worst: that it wouldnt bust, it would just keep growing bigger and spreading and then turn into something from a sci-fi movie... i just hope this is my last close encounter of the bumpy kind.

i wish all of you ladies the best!

Oh wow am I glad I found this thread! I have no history of this until now, age 29. Like most of you have described, it is a pea sized bump, near my clitoris, on my labia minora and can be felt from either side of the labia. I didn't even know it was there until I felt it last night while taking a look at my lady bits {something I do a few times a year, just to see what might look different}. It is pretty tender when I give it a slight squeeze, to see how hard or soft it is {it's kind of rubbery, not hard, not really soft}. Other than that it's unnoticeable, and so I don't really know how long it's been there. I used a warm towel compress for about a half an hour this morning and it felt really nice. A little while afterwards, I checked the area and found it was much more well lubricated than it had been in a couple weeks. I noticed a couple flecks of thicker white substance, which made me think of the powdery substance people have mentioned, except because of the lubrication my body was providing, more paste-like than powder. I am going to try an Epsom salt bath this evening to see how that feels.

Some census like info:
I am 29, mildly overweight, married and a mom {I am not sure if hormonal changes after pregnancy can make a big difference, and if so how long that might be relevant, as my daughter is six}. I tend to eat too much sugar and not drink enough water, I started wearing pants a LOT lately when I never did before, and I have been riding my bike a fair amount this summer.

I have the exact same problem!
I'm so glad I found this thread. I was really worried about this problem. I'm 18 and have been getting these bumps for about a year or two. Like most of you said - they are about the size of a pea [perhaps a bit larger] and also near my clitoris. Half an inch or so above it.
I've tried popping them as well. The first one I had popped easily and was little bit of blood mixed with pus. Weird. The latest was more blood than pus. I try not to pop them, but it's hard to avoid. I just hate having it there.
If I don't squeeze or pick at it, it eventually goes away, but takes AWHILE. And I'm impatient.

From what you all said, it isn't anything to worry about. I kind of assume it's stress related. Probably also from sweat, and maybe clothes rubbing against the area.

I'm SO GLAD I found this thread! I've had this problem for a year or two. I'm 18. I've searched everywhere on the internet trying to figure out what this was, and it seems that everyone dismisses this problem as herpes - which it clearly is not. It doesn't look like, feel like, or behave like herpes!

In my case, this bump thing is a half an inch or so above my clitoris. It starts out as a small bump - it's kind of rubbery, and a bit tender, like most of you said. The skin itself is extremely soft. It gets larger and larger as time goes on, usually growing to the size of a pea, or a little bigger. I've only had one at a time, and always in the same spot. I haven't really kept track of when it occurs, or goes away. If I leave it alone, it goes away after awhile, but it seems to take FOREVER, and patience is just not something I've got! It usually goes away much faster if I pop it, but this last one that I had, it just refused to pop. It hurt way too much to squeeze it. It lasted for nearly TWO MONTHS, and only once I'd left alone for two weeks or so would it let me squeeze the fluid out. Like most of you ladies said, all that came out of it was a mixture of blood and pus. It never lasted so long before. I don't know what the difference was. Once it actually burst, there were two different erm, openings where the blood-pus mixture was coming out of. Weird.

I'm thinking it could be stress related, seeing as I've been extremely stressed and extremely depressed lately. I'm actually underweight myself (I'm 5'2" and about 90lbs), so I can't imagine it has too much to do with obesity.
It could have to do with sexual activity...I seem to get them more often, the more sex I'm having. And I've been having a lot more sex over the past few months. Hah, so that could POSSIBLY have something to do with why it lasted so long. I might add that I've always used a condom. When I'd first gotten them, I was a virgin. I'd received oral sex, but I also feel like I had these bumps even before that.

I feel pretty self-conscious about this. I'm pretty sure my boyfriend notices while performing cunnilingus, but though we normally talk about these types of things, I was hesitant to bring it up with him until I had some sort of idea of what it WAS. I didn't want to worry him. And he musn't have been too worried himself, since he'd never brought it up or anything.

Anyway - I'm totally off topic.

I was so worried about this problem - thinking it could be any kind of STD or something terrible. But after reading this, it is exactly what many of you have described. I feel so much better. Thanks, ladies! And thanks for all suggestions on ways to make these pesky little buggers disappear quickly. Good luck to all of you!

So...is anyone else a cyclist? I was told by a gyno that riding my bike could be doing it. I"m only 25. Got my first one when I was 23, and it seemed to start when I began riding a lot...but more important...HOW CAN I MAKE THEM STOP???

Wow. I have the same thing. I have been getting them for a long time. I also have herpes and the course is totally different. Herpes sores do not "pop" and they do not have pus and blood in them. They are little blisters that pop and turn into crater-shaped sores, and the fluid that comes out of them is clear.

I have only had two herpes outbreaks ever and the last one was over 7 years ago. But I get these cysts pretty often. I had one that was really awful a few years ago, it was right next to my clitoris and my OBGYN was really cool about it. She was wincing in pain just looking at it and gave me painkillers for it. She said it was just about the worst location to have something like that. It wasn't "ready" so she would not lance it. She said to use warm compresses and sitz baths with epsom salts. After about a week, it got to be the size of a large grape and then when it popped, OH MY GOD. The relief and the disgust. I had to go pee and when I finished, I wiped and the thing just started oozing pus and blood. I gave it a gentle squeeze and I must have gotten about a teaspoon of fluid out of it!

I've had others, maybe 30 in my life, most of which I can pop eventually or lance with a sterile needle. But some of them never pop. I have one that seems to recur in the same spot, and I can feel the cyst pocket even when there is no fluid in it. Sometimes they are small like a tiny zit, and other times they are the size of a pea.

Anyway, my OBGYN told me that they are sebaceous cysts- translation: vulva acne! Bleah. Gross.

Oh, interestingly: I was diagnosed with PCOS in May. I went on Yasmin and also started Levoxyl for hypothyroidism. And I have not had a cyst since I started the Yasmin. I just read about that hidradenitis suppurativa condition that someone else on here mentioned. And it turns out that androgen dysfunction can cause it. I wonder if this is a little-known effect of PCOS or something!

Anyway, thanks for telling your stories. I appreciate reading that other people have had the same problem.

I'm 18 years old, I've never had any sexual activity, nor does my family have any sort of history of cancers. About a week ago I developed a very small pimple-ish thing on my outer labia which I ignored. About three days later it decided to swell up to the point where walking was painful, it was an angry red and actually pushed out from between the lips of my vagina.

I was startled so I ran to the hospital to get some answers. I got examined (god that was unpleasant) and the doctor said it was a cyst. At the time it was about the size of a peanut. He said it could get about lemon sized.

However because it was so small he also instructed that I soak in salt. The nurse mentioned that it would get irritated, but that what the salt did was regulate the flow of fluids in that area.

I stayed home from work and pretty much sat all day in the tub with the salt and warm water rubbing at it. I had to take one hour breaks every once in a while because it did get VERY irritated. However! After napping a bit at about two or three in the afternoon it burst on it's own.

I was getting back into the tub to wash again when i noticed it was letting off pus and a lil bit of blood. You kinda have to squeeze it out and then wash really well to make sure it doesnt get spread everywhere else.

This worked for me very well , but then i had a whole team of friends praying that it would get better and I was taking the whole day to take care of it.

The doctor did say that they can be very stubborn. I was more so stubborn. I think most people wouldn't be ableto handle the burn of the salt on irritated skin for more than a few minutes and i sat through it for hours to get rid of it.

The doctor and nurse mentioned that if it didnt fade with the salt washing (they suggested epsom, i just did regular salt) that it would hve to be cut open to drain and then stitched up again.

WHICH was scary, and so i was determined to rid of it myself. And I won. :-)

not sure if it'll be much help to you ladies... this was a very contained thing, so if you get them regularly it might be a hassle to wash with salt so often. the tea tree oil mentioned by one of the earlier posts is a good idea for afterwards- might burn but it'll keep it happy clean.

well, ladies. i have read all your posts. i have had 4 sabaceous cysts removed from my top back, upper arm, lip & middle back.. now i have one of these beauties on my right labia. i noticed a small bump months ago, thinking it was an ingrown hair.. 2 days ago, it has blossomed into a kidney bean. it's probably elongated due to its location.. lower base of right side of labia going down toward bum.. about 3/4" long. OMG. i go see doc next tuesday.. and how embarrassed i already feel. i'm 50, not sexually active, force menopause @ 36, take vitamins, healthy, blah blah blah.. and i still get these stupid things. i am going to start taking echinechia baking soda drinks to lower infection in my body. unreal! i don't need this c**p right now.. ugh

Since I was about 14/15 I've had small bumps and lumps appear on the walls of my vagina. After a few days they develop a white head and a hot bath, a squeeze and some antiseptic cream usually sees them off.

But for the past (nearly two years) I've had one that's far more persistant.

I'd had this lump close to my clitoris for the past 18 months. It was about the size of a pea and never cause me any harm. It wasn't painful, it was just there and as I was a virgin at the time it first time it appeared I knew it was nothing STD related.

Then, six months ago, I woke up in the night in pain because the whole area area felt really tight and sore.

I went to the loo and it had grown to the size of a grape and was red hot. I gently touched the lump and a stringy cheese substance came out and for a few weeks after that a clearer, more watery pus like substance came out whenever I applied any kind of pressure to the area.

After that it shrunk in size, about to the size of a coffee bean, but it's still remained and still leaks a yellowy, watery substance when I squeeze it.

I'm going to go to the doctor with it this week.