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Pimples in my hairline on the neck

For about the past year, I get pimples on the back of my neck, within the lower part of my hair line.
I've discussed it with the lady who cuts my hair and she cannot figure out what is causing them.

I've tried rubbing Sea Breeze on my neck twice a day, yet still, I get these huge, sore, pimples or bumps that never seem to come to a head.

My wife is beginning to wonder if they are in-grown hairs.  I have never had this problem before in my life until this past year or so.  They are very sore and I cannot figure out what is causing them or how to get rid of them.

My hair stylist suggested rubbing Tea Tree Oil on them since the Sea Breeze wasn't working.

Any ideas?

42 Responses
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Avatar universal
Hello All.

So I also have these bumps, and they are on the back of my neck at the bottom of the hairline and sometimes are painful. I went to see my PC and he said it was nothing to worry about. But maybe what I say will help some of you. I'm not an American, but I do live in the US. I went back to my country, and went to see the dermatologist; right away she knew what it was. I cannot remember what she called it, but she said it can be hard to get rid of. The first thing she said is that it has to do with your DIGESTION. She prescribed me some meds that help with digestion, they worked amazingly and the pimples/acne/lump things went away, but then they came back. She said the second step would be antibiotics, but I was already back here and wasn't able to get the antibiotics. So my suggestion is to go see a Gastroenterologist to figure out what isn't working with your digestions. The dermatologist knew right away when she looked that it was with my digestion, and I do have issues with my digestion and I usually get flare ups when my digestion is really off. You might not even feel like you have an issue, but clearly your body is reacting to some sort of allergy of some kind for something you eat. Hopefully this helps. God Bless :)
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1 Comments
I thought about it more and looked up the stuff I was taking and they are digestive enzymes I guess. I found some good ones at a natural foods place called Digest Gold eith STPro from Enzymedica, try them. These I was told was not supposed to be constantly used, but rather for about 2 weeks. God Bless.
Avatar universal
Drink Water! I had typed a big explanation of what helped me but it needed me to create an account and RIP all that work. But the main summary is drink water. It might help you out as it did for me.

~Anon
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1 Comments
It could be from taking too much arginine and causing a lysine deficiency. Take at least 3 grams of lysine per day with water and nothing else and reduce your arginine intake for a few weeks. Avoid excessive caffeine and sugar because they negatively impact lysine. Avoid pomegranate juice because it increases arginine and nitric oxide levels.
Avatar universal
I don't know if it's just a coincidence, but I started getting these painful, little puss bumps shortly after I was diagnosed with HSV-2 (Herpes Simplex Virus ).  Also known as genital herpes.  I did some research and found out that the virus hides in the spinal column and that the lesions that occur during an "outbreak" can manifest themselves in other parts of the body other than the genitals. HSV is an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease), but it could be hereditary if one or both of your parents had it when were born.  Do the research.  I never had a physician check the bumps on my neck. I'm just drawing my own  conclusion.
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Avatar universal
Ive had it for a bout a year.  Very painful, very ugly looking and wake up with blood spots on my pillow.  I was prescribed antibiotics which helped and then came back.  I remember the first week it started.  My wife cuts hair so I never go to a barber shop.  I went a year ago to a friends barber shop to support his business and I've had it ever since.  Definitely caught it from somebody else.  They are usually at my hairline on my neck but every now and then ill get a big one that is up a little higher.  1 even cause a quarter size bald spot that I needed to get steroid injections to fill back in... such a nightmare.
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Avatar universal
Ive had it for a bout a year.  Very painful, very ugly looking and wake up with blood spots on my pillow.  I was prescribed antibiotics which helped and then came back.  I remember the first week it started.  My wife cuts hair so I never go to a barber shop.  I went a year ago to a friends barber shop to support his business and I've had it ever since.  Definitely caught it from somebody else.  They are usually at my hairline on my neck but every now and then ill get a big one that is up a little higher.  1 even cause a quarter size bald spot that I needed to get steroid injections to fill back in... such a nightmare.
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Avatar universal
Cut back on fatty foods as your body gets rid of it by excreting it through your pores. Too much fat equals clogged sebaceous glands.
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Avatar universal
Main thing to cut back on are fatty foods.
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Avatar universal
This is a fungus, horrible I know.  The cure is to make sure after a shower the areas are completely dried with a towel by pulling the towel from side to side.  Then applying Lamisil, this is either a gel or a spray.  I use the spray as it dries immediately.  The spots should be gone in about a week, once they have gone it is drying this are thoroughly after every shower.  If it comes back then use the stuff again.  Unfortunately it is in the water and your skin in particular is reacting to the water in your area.  You will probably find if you change state, country then they wont appear.
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15444591 tn?1440591449
Hello! I had my thyroid removed 3 years ago I am a male. ever since then I been getting these pimples behind my neck. I'm thinking that is why I am getting these pimples. I do eat a lot of sea food. shell fish crab legs calamari clams etc.
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7833523 tn?1394584945
It is better to consult doctor for right diagnosis.
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Avatar universal
It may be the shampoo and or conditioner you are using. Try changing out your brand of shampoo and conditioner. That may help. Good luck.
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Avatar universal
Might want to get your thyroid checked.  This has been known to occur when thyroid is hypoactive.  The eczema and psoriasis shampoos can help.
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Avatar universal
I wonder if this might be a manifestation of hidradenitis suppurativa?

I too have been getting these as well as painful boils on my chest, chin, and backs of thighs that never come to a head, and eventually open up into sores that take weeks to months to heal.

This all started about 1.5 years ago with the beginning of a stressful job. I started feeling itchy all over at first, and then these started popping up one at a time -- one finally heals and another pops up. I was also consuming a LOT of milk and dairy products. I was going through a gallon of milk per week, plus cheese, plus greek yogurt, etc, etc. I love dairy, and I am not lactose intolerant.

At first I thought it was dry skin, then eczema, then maybe an atypical ringworm infection, then in a panic that it might be scabies, i finally went to see my primary care physician, who allayed my fears about both of the latter, and mentioned the possibility of an allergy -- she mentioned latex (since a lot of my itching and hive-like swelling occurred at the pantline, pantylines, and bra lines. I started looking it up online and came across dairy allergies, and remembered that i'd been diagnosed in childhood with a casein allergy, and that dairy is so hormonal that it can cause bad breakouts, and also that when you're mildly allergic to something you CRAVE it because the histamine rush gives you a high (I related to that sensation).

So I decided I would try cutting out dairy. Well, first of all, the itching stopped and hivelike swelling at the pant and bra lines went away. after a few weeks the boil problem got a lot better, and the boils at the nape of the neck healed up and did not recur. I've been dairy-free for the past 9 months, but in the last couple months have "cheated" a few times. I get a painful boil each time. Most recently, over the past week, I tried eating some goat cheese, thinking maybe it will not less allergenic. Well... the neck boils are BACK. It's been a while.

I suspect I may have a mild form of hidradenitis suppurativa -- it has been known to get better when avoiding dairy (+/- gluten).
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Avatar universal
I get the same things and I'm a 68 year old woman!   Now that you mention your Dad, my Dad used to get nasty boils on his neck .... really ugly, big red, pus filled things.   Thank goodness these aren't them, but I don't know what to do about it except I do change my pillowcase every day.  Has not helped at all.    I also am a picker .....
ab
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Avatar universal
tried anti dandruff shampoo, showering twice a day, changing my diet, etc.  and no dice.  Everything I read said the problem could be fungal, bacterial or other so I decided to just try a shampoo that was both antibacterial and antifungal, within a week the spots and lumps on my head cleared up - I'm well pleased and it turned out to be pretty cheap too (£8.20 for a very concentrated bottle), it's available from Amazon in the UK:

http://amzn.to/12UP0Ck (£8.20 for 150ml)

http://amzn.to/12UNMXG (£20.15 for 500ml)

I'd recommend trying the smaller bottle first to see if it works

I occasionally still get spots on my lower neck/upper shoulders, I use Stridex pads on this area if I have an outbreak and that seems to help, see http://amzn.to/16ZwJY0
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Avatar universal
OMG....this is mine exactly.. have you found anything to work???
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Avatar universal
I started to get these after testosterone treatments. YOu are right on the money in my case.
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Avatar universal
I am having an issue and JUST realized it is probably what you are describing, basically boils.  I wonder if whey-based products would do this, i.e., the same as milk?  I'm almost 49, female and have a stylish wedge haircut, so this is extremely embarrassing to have these "zit" things lined up along my hairline and a few on the front as well.  Ugh!  Been dealing with this for a few months now thinking they were adult acne, then bug bites then tonight, came across this.  I have an appt for tomorrow.  Hopefully get some meds to nip this in the bud!
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Avatar universal
I find that it is some thing in shampoos.
Some shampoos do it a lot, some do it a little, some don't seem to make it any worse, and some make it clear up almost immediately.
Baby shampoo is the best so far.
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Avatar universal
I find that it is some thing in shampoos.
Some shampoos do it a lot, some do it a little, some don't seem to make it any worse, and some make it clear up almost immediately.
Baby shampoo is the best so far.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I get pimples along my hairline and neck. This usually occurs after a haircut or if i have been sweating a lot due to my work outs. Sometimes it can be very irritating and painful. I tried body scrubs and alcohol. You name it I tried it. I FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING THAT WORKS! its kinda weird but it was Balmex diaper rash cream. I just applied a thin layer overnight on my hairline and pimples and it brought down the redness a lot. Then i would shower and continue my body wash. It has been the only thing that works. Hope this helps.
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Avatar universal
I'm female, don't shave my neck, and I have them-so no, I don't think they're ingrown hairs. This outbreak I'm having is really bad. The pimple like things are up in my neck hairline but this time there's a lot more and they feel more like boils. They have clear fluid in them, when you can get the headless things to pop. I also have some quarter size tender spots and uneven spots on my head that feel like I bruised myself. Mine seem to come when I'm stressed-I don't think antibiotics or cream will help. They just seem like they're from another planet. They hurt so bad, I can barely brush my hair. Any fresh ideas out there?

Thanks..........
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Avatar universal
So first of all I'm a seventeen year old girl, so maybe this was something different for me like a rash or something. But I had the same exact symptoms. Bumps near my hair line and a little higher on my neck. When I scratched at them my neck would become sore where I had scratched and thin flaky scabs would appear. So when I took a shower I used Suave Mint and Rosemary shampoo and conditioner (I don't know if that was what made the difference or not), then I scrubbed the crap out of my neck with this cushiony and kind of rough loufa with Clean & Clear morning burst face wash and right after I had talked to my mom about it and she looked at my neck for me and said it might be dry skin, so then I put some lotion where all the bumps were. After a day or two they were completely gone, I was actually quite shocked, but happy. :D

So Clean and Clear Morning Burst face wash, rinse & dry, then rub lotion on it. And if that doesn't work try it again but wash your hair with Suave Mint & Rosemary shampoo and conditioner before, maybe that's what did it?
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Avatar universal
All you guys experiencing this problem, it is very important that you get it under control and STOP PICKING AT IT. I had the same thing that started out as a folliculitis that turned into staph-induced abcesses that I had to go to a dermatologist for several months to be treated for. The treatment involved an outpatient surgery where I got the back of my neck sliced down to the bone, antibiotics and an MRI. Cultures came back not showing anything and eventually I had to go see a general surgeon and get inpatient surgery. I also had an abcess on my *** and inner thighs and had to stay in the hospital for 3 days. My surgeon told me that the multiple sites of infection was due to toxins in my body (same reason I get acne from time to time) and that I need to lay off dairy products, sodas, meats, and seafoods (I have yet to eliminate all those things but I have definitely cut back.) Seafood is the most important because it has the most toxins, along with pork. Drink plenty of water and eat plenty of oatmeal, fruit and vegetables (like salads). Also ask your doctor about Zyvox, it's a very strong antibiotic (strong as IV drugs) and knocked out my staph. Now I'm at the last stage of healing and am take Tramadol with Tylenol and Ibuprofin for inflammation and pain. Good luck guys
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1 Comments
Hey Kinnard, I have the same thing and I think it has to do with folliculitis because it is on my arms and legs and it starts as a small bump and when I pick it a small hair is all that comes out. I have lupus and sclearderma and that makes it even worse.  I do not think that it has a lot to do with the items you are taking away from your diet for you need protein and seafood is good for you, that is where they get a lot of oils from, I take fish oil for my immune system. Wish you luck for this is something that is very hard to keep under control. I am fixing to start with a scrip of shampoo that I pray will help for this has put me inside and I rarely go anywhere because people look at me and whispers.
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