ingrown hair, or....??????

[jeanetteril]

Dear Dr. Rockoff,

A while back I thought I had an ingrown hair, and I squeezed it, which left a red mark. The redness lingered but it was no big deal. Then, earlier this month, the same spot looked horrible--dark and purplish. So I scraped it with my fingernail, and it bled and clear pus came out. Clear pus continued to weep out.

So then it formed a scab. Of course, being anxious, I picked at the scab. The redness and inflammation continued.

I finally went to my doctor last Wednesday, and he said it looked like an ingrown hair (even though it looks much bigger than most ingrown hairs I have had), and he prescribed oral cephalexin (500 mg twice daily) for a week. He said to come back if the lesion is still there and he would do a punch biopsy.

I finished my dose this Tuesday. It was a raised bump, and now it is flatter, and it no longer is oozing pus or bleeding. It did form a new scab, which is no longer there.

But, the redness is still there, the area around the lesion blanches with pressure, and the skin over the lesion looks kind of crinkly.

I guess I am worried about possible amelanotic melanoma, although I know this is rare. So, based on my description, what does this sound like to you?

Thanks!!!!

[chrisy2007]

i have just recently started to pluck some hairs that have grown around my nipple and a few of them have become ingrown. I noticed a small tender lump at the side of my nipple and i picked at it and its now a purple colour anmd clear pus came out of it. As I have had trouble with my breasts over the years, mastitus and infections, I was quite worried about this lump, even though I guessed it was an ingrowing hair, and I dont want to go to the doctors and have them see my breasts because their is a few small scabs due to other ingrowing hairs that i have had to pick out wit a needle. does anyone know if i will have these ingrowing hairs for ever more, or will they get better and easier to handle? I am so sick of it, and feel really unattractive even though my partner doesnt mind, and its the last thing i think of at night, and the first thing in the morning, and i rarely let my partner near them anymore.

[Princessxoxo26]

I have had that happen to me-it is def an ingrown hair and if you pick at it a few times it does get purplish and big. Just leave it till it heals

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

No, it doesn't sound like melanoma.  It sounds like the redness you'd expect after an ingrown hair r blocked follicle have been picked and scraped at.  This redness can last for weeks or even months.  I suggest you leave it alone and let it take care of itself.  I think  it's highly unlikely that your doctor will decide to perform a biopsy.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[ladyliberal]

don't know