Lumps or bumps on by my vagina

[willis28]

I get these bumps or lumps on my groin near my vagina. I have no clue what it is or what it's from. I'm not sexually active. Sometimes there is pus in them. Sometimes something hard come out of it when i squeeze it, but they all hurt and my panties rub against them sometimes and it makes it uncomfortable to walk or sit sometimes. I think i get them about 2 weeks before my period and they go away while I am on it. My mom told me to drink apple cider vinegar and they should go  away, but so far no luck. I haven't been taking it for long, but I am skeptical on whether it will work. I don't know what else to do. Any ideas on what it could be or if it is serious enough to go to the gynecologist? Thanks!

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could be fordyce spots.

Fordyce's spots, or Fordyce granules are small, painless, raised, pale or white spots or bumps 1 to 3 mm in diameter that may appear on the shaft of the penis or on the labia, as well as the inner surface and vermilion border of the lips of the face. They are common in men and women of all ages.

The spots are a form of ectopic sebaceous gland, and are not known to be associated with any disease or illness and are of cosmetic concern only. They are non-infectious and a natural occurrence on the body.

Although no treatment is required, those with the condition can choose to apply Tretinoin gel or cream to the affected areas each day. This can reverse the effects of the condition over time and prevent it from getting any worse. To get the best results from Tretinoin one should use it along with alpha hydroxy acid agents which are normally used to treat acne.

Let us know if you need any other information and post us about what the skin specialist advises.

Regards.

[willis28]

thank you. i will definitely look that up and ask my doctor about it on my next visit. from other posts i have seen sebaceous cysts as a "diagnosis" for people with problems like mine. so i have some research to do. thank you for you time!

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could also be folliculitis, dermatitis, or allergic reaction. In most individuals there are outbreaks of folliculitis from time to time.

Folliculitis is infection and inflammation of the hair follicles. The condition may be superficial (i.e., on the surface of the skin) or deep within the follicles.The most common cause of folliculitis is infection by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus.

Folliculitis symptoms can appear independent of infection. Exposure of the skin to certain chemicals, especially oils and tars, can trigger an outbreak. People with depressed immune systems, diabetes, or obesity have a greater risk of contracting folliculitis than the general population.

Patients with chronic unresponsive folliculitis may require investigation into the source of the infection. S. aureus bacteria can live in the patient's nostrils, periodically triggering a folliculitis outbreak.

Individuals who are predisposed to folliculitis should be extremely careful about personal hygiene. Application of antiseptic washes may help prevent recurrences. A topical antibiotic cream, mupirocin (Bactroban®), has been effective at reducing bacterial colonization in the nostrils. It is applied twice daily for a week and is repeated every 6 months.

If there any of the mentioned medical causes then treating those will reduce the occurence of the condition.
http://www.dermatologychannel.net/follicle/folliculitis.shtml

Some stubborn cases of folliculitis have been responsive to laser-assisted hair removal. This process uses a laser to destroy the follicle. This reduces the scarring that results from folliculitis.

Let us know if you need any other information and consult a skin specialist if the lesion is persistent.

Regards.

[Twin6465]

I'm having the same problem you were having a year ago, it's been going on for a while, but I never thought anything of it b/c I'm not sexually active, but their starting to scar!! Was there anything to treat your problem or do you have any new advice??