Bumps that turn into infections

[Autumn55]

My husband gets there bumps on his inner thighs and has for quite some time.  They look horrible.  They don't hurt at first, but they get larger and larger to the point where they burst and they are full of puss and blood.  He thinks his underwear cause it, so he buys new underwear all the time so the legs are tighter and stay down.  He thought it was laundry soap for a while too, but I changed it a few times, used all dye and perfume free stuff and there was no difference.

Any idea what these may be or what is causing them?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Boils are caused by infection of the hair follicle by staph aureus. Bacterial skin infections can be spread by shared cosmetics or washcloths, close human contact, or by contact with pus from a boil or carbuncle. Hair follicles that are blocked by greasy creams, petroleum jelly, or similar products are more vulnerable to infection. If it is hidradenitis suppurativa and even after surgical excision there is no improvement, then carbon dioxide laser surgery is currently considered the last resort.

I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[Autumn55]

Thank you very much.  I looked up boils and that is exactly what he has.

I don't understand why he gets them to start with, but I now understand why they spread so much, since they burst on him during the day without him knowing and the infection spreads before we have a chance to treat it.

I found this:
What is hidradenitis suppurativa?

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a condition in which there are multiple abscesses that form under the armpits and often in the groin area. These areas are a result of local inflammation of the sweat glands. This form of skin infection is difficult to treat with antibiotics alone and typically requires a surgical procedure to remove the involved sweat glands in order to stop the skin inflammation.


A surgical procedure sounds a bit extreme, but he has many scars now and continues to get the boils about every 6 weeks which keep re-infecting, spreading and last for a least 4 weeks before healing completely.

Hygiene shouldn't be a problem as we always take good care of them.  I was reading a little about taking iron supplements to prevent them.  It there anything else that prevents them?

Would a dermatologist be the best doctor to discuss this with?  I'm just trying to figure out who to ask our family doctor to see about this.

Thanks again!

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it looks like infected hair follicles or boils. Apply warm compresses on the boil and keep the area clean. Drainage is done only when it becomes soft and forms a head. Take some over the counter pain reliever and consult a doctor for examination and antibiotics prescription. If there are recurrent boils, then get your blood sugar levels estimated.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.