Sensitive bump on buttocks

[lindsf14]

When I was about 13 years old, I noticed there was a small bump on my buttocks that became very sensitive to the touch. I assumed it was an ingrown hair or possibly a mosquito bite so I ignored it. I woke up one night with the sensation I had wet the bed, but I quickly realized that the bump had burst and clear fluid was coming from it with a little bit of blood. I "drained" the bump and cleaned it with water and some hydrogen peroxide I had found. The result was an indented purple colored scar where the bump had been. Few years later now, I feel like it may be the same type of bump and am worried this will happen all over again. I've recently lost my health insurance due to my mother getting laid off and am nervous of going to the doctor and having to pay a lot of money for something that may not be serious. Any ideas of what this might be???

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
This bump sounds like a boil or furuncle. Boil on buttocks is usually due to plugged sweat glands that become infected or by an ingrown hair.

Apply warm compresses on the boil and keep the area clean.Drainage of the boil is done only when it becomes soft and forms a head.Take some over the counter pain reliever,apply Neosporin ointment on the bump and consult a doctor for examination and antibiotics prescription.If there are recurrent boils,then pls get your blood sugar levels estimated.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.Kind regards.

[jagesh50]

Possibly a sebeceous cyst healed.May need removal if recurs.As of now does not seem to be a problem of concern.