bacteria under skin?

[overthinkingthis?]

5 years ago, I noticed small red bumps in my pubic hair.  They looked like tiny red pimples, not blisters.  The bumps were not clustered, and appeared one at a time over several weeks. (one would go away, another might pop up in a different spot).  I picked at some of them (dumb, i know), and they left small, flat scabs.  I had no other symptoms.  A nurse practicioner said it did not look like warts, but "could be any number of things". She took a culture for herpes (2 were healing, but one was only a couple days old and I didnt pick it).  The culture was negative.  It was a college health center, so she may have erred on the side of testing, but I have lingering anxiety even though seems atypical of herpes from things I read.
     More recently, I had a similar experience, except that I had some swelling of the lymph node in 1 labia.  each small red bump lasted only a few days.  They were in the hairy areas as well, but I think different spots than the earlier experience. I saw a different NP at my gyno's office who said it was either ingrown hair or acne & and not to worry.  She said that I probably got bacteria under the skin from shaving, and it can take a while for it to work its way out-- that is why the bumps came up 1 at a time over a couple weeks.  She is aware of the prior incident and said I had nothing to worry about.  I later talked to my gyno who said this is common among people who shave or wax the area (I shaved for years-- since before the first incident).  The advice I got was warm baths and give it time. I switched from shaving to waxing.

My question: I realize that bacteria can affect the skin, but I am wondering how it works.  If bacteria gets under the skin, can it really take a while to 'work its way out' to the surface? (can it present this way & why?) Would it only come out in hair follicles, or anywhere in the area?  
what are the "number of things" that could present as small red bumps?  I might be over thinking this, but I just want to understand what it was.
thanks so much doctor for your service

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I agree with the second nurse's evaluation, but not necessarily with her explanation.  The bumps that come from hair follicles are usually not bacteria under the skin (they live normally in hair follicles in everybody), but just inflammation of the follicle itself, from squeezing or tweezing or just shaving close so the hair curls up under neath the skin and causes some inflammation.  It's nothing to be concerned about.  If it becomes a nuisance, you can laser away the bikini area hair for convenience.  As to what the first nurse had in mind as the other "number of things," I really can't guess.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[Lilly66]

are your bumps filled with anything like liquid or blood? Or are they just bumps?

[overthinkingthis?]

didnt appear to have anything in them.  the ones that I picked at bled a little, but I think that was just from picking at my skin.