Skin infection on labia majora

[B1gsecret]

I'm a 40yr old woman and have not had any sexual contact for over 5 yrs. I occasionally would get a painful sore from ingrown hair or skin irritation on my labia majora. I had one recently (1 week ago)and decide to shave my vagina so I could treat and clean the sore. Unfortunately I think I used a dirty blunt razor.
Now I have 10-12 PAINFUL sores (some with pus) erupting all over my vagina and severe skin irritation (partially due the regrowing hair)

I have no health insurance and no money. I'm too embarrassed and scared to go to a free clinic. After reading about similar postings on the net I first starting applying antiseptic cream. Then (assuming it was a severe bacterial infection) I switched to cleaning it thrice a day with alcohol and applying OTC 1% hydrocortisone cream. Also use baby oil to minimize skin irritation and soothe the area
There is temporary relief but it comes back. Some sores have subsided but new ones keep developing w the slightest skin irritation. Also, yesterday I scratched  minor pimple on my butt and now I have a red painful bump there too. Same thing is happening with a pimple on my face. Almost feels like my whole body is becoming toxic and every minor cut is becoming a sore.
I can't walk or wear snug clothing. My genital region HURTS because these cysts are painful to the touch!  Can't afford a doctor so please advise me on how I can get some relief. In the past these occasional sores would dry up in 1-2 days with good hygiene but this time the infected skin from the bad razor is too severely irritated from the unclean blunt razor I used. Please advise me on what this might be and how I can make these sores go away.
PS: I recently finished a 7 day course of Amoxicillin to treat an infected tooth.

[holmesgurl]

First of all 2 words: FREE CLINIC. Unfortunately it is all to often that the very things we do to heal or sooth ourselves are just the opposite of what we should actually do. For instance I highly suggest baby oil is NEVER a good idea when it comes to your lady parts.(Not even for sex) It contains scent that can be very irritating especially when the area is already irritated and the oil can actually help harbour bacteria. If the sores are caused by bacteria, moisture is the last thing you want. Shaving when you have sores also not a good idea as this can cause further irritation. The best thing to do with anything that lasts more than a few days is to get it checked out. Especially when you have mentioned other sores etc. Knowing is half the battle. Swabs can be taken to identify the infection and then a proper course of action can then be taken. In the long run a proper diagnosis can not only save you a lot of pain and discomfort but save you money from buying all the wrong products that may be doing more harm than good. I hope you decide on the free clinic. Advise online is all well and fine but please realise the opinions are not expert and may as well intentioned as they are do more harm than good. Good Luck, I hope you feel better soon :)

[OwItHurts1971]

I had the same issues. I went to up regent care & the ER & then to my family doctor. All told me I had herpes. It wasn't until my PCP took a culture from one of my sores that it was determined to be gram positive bacilli (nasty bacterial infection). I was prescribed Augmentin and it was gone after a few days when it had been around for almost 2 weeks. I was in agonizing pain & couldn't wear underwear. The sores spread to my rectal area and up both sides of my labia. If you don't kill the infection, it could cause blood sepsis & you can get real sick & possibly die. It's been 2 months since my initial infection and I got a recent tear from intercourse & now it's infected again.  I was told that your fecal matter can get into cuts/tears and cause infection, that's why it's recommended that a woman wipe front to back to avoid infection. I was also told this bacteria can be picked up off a toilet seat. Throw out the razor you cut yourself with and don't shave again till it's healed. If you get a cut (from sex or whatever caused it) again and develop sores, don't use your current razor & throw it out so you don't re-infect yourself. I wouldn't try to fix the problem yourself, you need an antibiotic to fully treat it. I'm going to my doctor tomorrow because she won't write a prescription without seeing me first. I have insurance, but I'm unemployed & haven't met my deductible yet, so I know how you feel about not being able to afford the care. This just happens to be one of those exceptions where treatment is definitely needed. Good luck to you.

[NOHARD]

Hi Secret, For me I trust what sea salt can do, but why not try Aloe vera gel, you will find this very soothing and good for the skin, think babys bottom soft, far better than an alcohol wipes.
Next time you need to shave get your feeler to do it, all good fun before sex after a nice bath or shower, will make you feel sexy.
Good Luck

[Anonymouse88]

Ok, first of all, don't clean with alcohol.  It is irritating, and will make your skin worse.  I would also avoid the hydrocortisone, because steroids can interfere with wound healing.  It's probably fine in the areas that are just itchy with regrowing hair, but I wouldn't put it over the sores.  I wouldn't put baby oil on it either.  Wear skirts and granny panties to reduce any pressure, and don't shave again until you're healed.  Consider never shaving again.  

Warm soaks are definitely good, but salt might hurt a lot (if it's not painful, it won't harm you).  You can run a couple of inches of really warm water in the tub and sit in it.  If you do find hairs growing in, pulling them out is a good idea.  The ones with pus you can very carefully take the tops off of and let them drain, since it's both hard for your body to attack the bacteria in a boil and it's also hard to clean.  Washing with a little hibiclens might work wonders, but be careful because it can irritate.  Get a fragrance free non-comedogenic (won't block up pores) moisturizer to soften things.

It sounds like you may have gotten colonized with a nastier bacterium than most people have.  Everyone is colonized with bacteria, and many people have staph aureus, but if you had MRSA (methicillin resistant staph aureus) on your skin, it could make any wounds, like the pimple on your butt, be much worse.  It is possible to decolonize (I went through this a few years ago, even without confirmation of MRSA, because I was getting nasty infections), although it's a bit of a pain.  You need hibiclens (available at the drug store), and mupirocin ointment (bactroban).  The regimen I followed was a daily shower with hibiclens (be sure to use moisturizer, since hibiclens is irritating), and twice a day putting the mupirocen in both nostrils and wiping it on my butt (just put some on toilet paper and wipe) for two weeks.  Take my advice for what it's worth as I am not a doctor.

Finally, you should probably see a free clinic.  Trust me, they've seen worse, and they'll be professional about it.  Anyone who has spent a while working in the ER has probably had people come in with various things stuck up their butts, which is far more embarrassing than external sores.  They might prescribe you an antibiotic to help clear things out internally while you work on warm soaks externally, and can swab and culture the pus to see if you do have MRSA.  

[B1gsecret]

Thanks for the shaving tips. Qs:  should I even be attempting shave again rite now?  Skin is really sore and the stubble by day 2 is very rough and feels like sharp needles.
Any advice on whether I should use an anti fungal, antibiotic or hydrocortisone cream?  Should I continue to clean with alcohol wipes as eel as warm sea salt water?

[NOHARD]

Hi Secret, First I think somebody needs to know how to shave, if you shave upwards then this is what you get, by doing this the tips of the hairs get court under the skin and away you go to sores,now next time you shave you only shave downwards, the same way your hairs grow.
Now by doing this one at a time, if you look very closly at these sores you should see black of the hairs in them, get a clean needle and pick them out and pull them out, they will look like clock springs, if you cant do them all in one go dont wirry, and wash in warm sea salt water this will help clean and heal them, use no baby oil on them, dont heal to well with that, just save it for your next sex orgy.
Good Luck