open sore in labia

[avenathus.livejournal.com]

So I get pimples on my inner labia every so often--usually no big deal. I had one for a couple weeks or so, and as usual it was a bit itchy and sore, but I just tried to leave it alone and more or less forgot about it!


However, yesterday, I got back from a camping trip and took a shower and realized that it had turned into a really large, pus-filled, dark-red-purple-almost-black lump. It was very swollen but not too painful to touch. I squeezed it and a lot of blood and a smaller amount of clear pus came out. Once I squeezed most of the stuff out I washed the spot with a little antibacterial soap, put on some comfy pants and tried not to stress about it.

Today it's no longer a purple pus-filled swollen lump, but is pretty much an open sore. It's not very big but it's a bit painful. It looks kind of like a tiny burn, or your skin when you pick a scab off. Other than that it seems kind of normal...no bleeding, no more pus, not really swollen. I guess my question now is -- would it be safe to put some bacitracin on it to avoid it getting all pus-filled again?

I suspect that while it was swollen initially, I scratched it a bit too much by accident with a fingernail, or maybe even nicked it a bit while shaving, and so there was a cut on it. Then I think that probably going camping, not showering for 2 days, swimming in a lake, sweating, etc. all contributed to it turning into a big purple lump. Does that sound plausible? If it doesn't get better in a couple days I'll go to the doctor but if it's just a minor thing that I could treat at home I'd rather just do that. I've been tested for STDs fairly recently (March) and my partner and I don't have any other partners so I don't think it's any sort of sexually transmitted infection.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

Comments

[archangelbeth]

It doesn't sound like HSV, but just so you know -- HSV is not usually tested for during STD tests, and oral HSV, aka "cold sores," will happily jump to the genitals. You may already know this! But I didn't until some time after I was married, so I don't assume. (Fortunately, my spouse thinks he had cold sores as a kid, so his antibodies are presumably taking care of him...)

If you're able to just keep the sore clean, you might let it go a day and see if it gets better on its own without putting anti-bacterials on it. The vulvar area is generally pretty well-supplied with blood and tends to heal quickly by itself. (If urine is getting on the area and stinging, pouring water over your labia while peeing helps! Other barrier-methods might be okay as well; I'm mostly a wee bit twitchy about anti-bacterials near the vagina, since killing the good bacteria could lower your defenses against BV and yeast infections.)

Luck!

[avenathus.livejournal.com]

Ooo, forgot about the fact that they don't usually test for herpes. Fortunately it's not really itchy and it has really gone down by now so hopefully I am safe? I do have oral HSV but I haven't had a cold sore in maybe 10 years.

[archangelbeth]

If you have oral HSV, then your antibodies will both protect you very well (though not 100%; almost nothing is 100%) from the same strain (almost certainly HSV-1), and about 40% from HSV-2. Unless your immune system has been distinctly under stress recently (in which case you could auto-infect yourself if you went from mouth to genitals with a finger or something), the chances of HSV dropped drastically.

Also, my oral herpes never presents as a blood-filled blister unless I've been gnawing on it. Again, not 100% that it couldn't, but it doesn't sound quite right.

You might want to have your partner get tested for HSV, though -- it might be advantageous to know if he has antibodies, in case you do get an outbreak shortly after giving him oral sex. (Asymptomatic viral shedding, still contagious, happens most often just before an outbreak, I believe.)

I'm glad that the sore's doing better!

[muzik-love.livejournal.com]

what i would do is monitor its progress. If it doesn't begin to heal more or it gets worse in the next few days, i'd go to the doctor. But I'd wear clean cotton underwear, use diluted peroxide to clean it, use an antibiotic cream, and keep it dry (i know that's hard) with baby powder.

However, I'm not a doctor so I have no idea what they'd tell you to do.

[avenathus.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Fortunately it's looking much better now!

[fallconsmate.livejournal.com]

it sounds like a blood blister to me. i get those occasionally, and *always* in the exact same place, from an ingrown hair.

i put the bacitracin on mine and have no real issues im it healing up.

[avenathus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, now that I think of it I usually do get the bump/pimple/whatever in the same spot. Usually it doesn't turn so blistery though! I didn't end up putting bacitracin on it but it does look much better today so perhaps I don't need it after all.

I know what you are going through.

[kt1219.livejournal.com]

I had to deal with this for years. It's a come and go thing and I'd get them repetitively in the same areas, but finally got fed up with it and saw a gynecologist. I had out-patient surgery done to have the one big sore and the recurring ones removed (Even after they got away they leave an ugly dark spot) My surgeon told me it was a form of acne. It is common in adults when face acne is no longer an issue. You can actually become allergic to you own natural skin bacteria. I used to get them other places where I sweat. Under the breasts, armpits, and waistline. She suggested oil-free acne wash with salicylic acid (Neutrogena makes a great one, but I buy the store brand of this) to reduce the bacteria on the skin. It's OK to use it in areas where you sweat the most. It keeps those areas dryer as well.I still get them now and then, but much less often.

Re: I know what you are going through.

[avenathus.livejournal.com]

Gosh, sorry to hear you've had to deal with this so much! I'm lucky that I've never had it be a real problem, just minor little bumps here and there. Glad to hear it's going better for you now!

[yespleasespace.livejournal.com]

It sounds like it could be a boil. I've gotten them in the same location before. I agree that it's probably best to keep an eye on it and see a doctor if it doesn't improve, but my feeling is that it will probably heal on its own soon. I would just keep the area clean rather than putting ointments on it since I am also pretty hesitant about what sorts of things I use on my vulva.

[avenathus.livejournal.com]

Hmm you may be right. It did definitely look like a boil. Fortunately it is looking a lot better now!

[jix.livejournal.com]

I actually wouldn't be surprised if it were a bug bite. Try not to stress about it, the wound will heal and I doubt you'll get more of those.

[avenathus.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I tried to mostly just leave it alone. It is looking and feeling better now.