inflamed hair follicle on penis

Hi,
Every so often a hair follicle on the base of my penis will fill with a white substance that I assume to be sebum or something similar; this is normal and does not worry me. However last week this happened on the underside of my penis near the base and I stupidly tried squeezing the thing, and it didn't pop but instead turned into a lump underneath the skin, maybe an eighth inch in diameter, slightly red in color. This has never happened before and clearly seems to be an infected follicle to me. Initially it didn't hurt at all but in the last day or so it has become a bit tender to touch and the tip has turned a slightly darker red with a small brown center. I have been putting neosporin on it the past could days because some websites recommend a topical antibiotic for Folliculitis. Anyway, I am a little worried about this whole thing, especially because of the location and the fact that this hasn't happened before -- do I need to worry about the infection turning serious? How long can I wait before getting it checked out, because I am reluctant to see anyone about this? Should I keep putting neosporin on it?

Thank you.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it can be an irritated and infected hair follicle or a cyst. Apply warm compresses and keep the area clean. Take some over the counter pain reliever and consult a doctor for examination and topical antibiotics prescription. If symptoms are severe then lancing may be needed.

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.