Okay, I think its gross even though it happens to me.. the past few years Ive been getting cysts (although thats not what Ive been calling them the whole time..) on the insides of my thighs, near the bikini area.. the weird thing is, my boyfriend will get them once in a while too.. (its not an STD...by the way..)

Recently, Ive gotten one that is the size of a marble, (we've grossly and affectionately named it my skin marble..) and when I go to try and pop it (sorry for the graphic descriptions..) I can feel it pop on the inside, but it wont surface or pop through.. Ive been doing a bit of research tonight since Im ready to cut it open with a razor blade and let it ooze out..(not really, i dont have the guts to slice my inner thigh..) but I wish I could do it myself...

Anyways, the research is saying that a lot of times cysts have to do with the way you metabolize the oils you consume, that cysts are really pockets of blocked glands that keep producing this oily stuff, but they have no way to get rid of the oily deposits, so they just build up.. something like that..
I have a warm wet washcloth jammed between my legs now, because that was one of the recommendations which is supposed to help the damn thing surface..

Anyone familiar with this stuff?? Thank you so much for enduring my post and thanks in advance for any advice..

Warning: GRAPHIC CONTENT
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Yes, I've been getting these for years, and my thighs are horrible scarred with big purple marks from where I've burst or punctured them.

Eventually I started getting them in my armpits and sides, so I went to a dermatologist. He gave me some really powerful meds that made me horribly ill (burning-itching whole body rash), so I stopped them.

My dermatologist says that these are common with obese people and that the only real way to improve them (other than meds) is a change in body morphology. ie. slim down and they should go away.

Let's hope that's the case!

BTW,
I think its brave for you to talk about this problem openly. People who don't have this don't know how annoying it is and how compulsive the urge to try to rupture these things can be.
They really are best left alone. I think you are tearing internal tissue when you try and fail to pop one. I get that "internal bursting" sensation too.

Hubby gets them , or should I say got them. He had always treatead them as boils, with boilo cream and the like. After a particlar bad bout, I researched on the internet - from what I could find that these cysts are a type of infection. So I told him that I think he should put the triple-antibiotic ointment on them. He poo, pooed the idea - but he was desparate and tried it any way. Cleared them right up. He hasn't had one in months, where before he was have one or more at all times.

Weird, the only thing that makes them go away for me is just popping them and getting them OUT.. antibiotic creams/ointments work on acne and sunburns for me..(works WONDERS on sunburns!) but,... I dunno, I guess instead of 'poopoo-ing' the idea I should just give it a shot right?? I'll try it tonight..
I soaked in a REALLY hot bath earlier and complained to my mom about it on the phone while she researched (probably the same sites I looked at) on the internet.. hehehe.. she suggested trying iodine, because iodine draws stuff to the surface.. we'll see.. Im going to be a walking medicine testing zone for the next few days.. I swear, I wanna cut a hole and pop this thing so badly.. ugh that sounds so gross.. sorry everyone.. hehehe..

I used to get them, but guess when they stopped? Shortly after I started low-carbing. They have never returned,

I hope the same happens for you because they can be a real pain in the b....

Karen

I had this problem as well and some times they would come to the surface and I was able to clear them(yuck!) and other times they would just go away on there own.
Applying a warm compress will help bring the poison to the surface but DO NOT squeeze them unless they are really at the surface because if they break under the skin, they can spread.
Keep the area very clean(an anti bacterial cleanser works fine).
If they persist I would talk to your doctor for advice...sometimes they will lance them for you.
Hope this helps...good luck!

I had these lovely boil/cyst thingies for a loooong time on my inner thighs and the edge of my armpits- got the scars to show for it unfortunately, too. My former doc gave me some antibiotics to clear them up at one point, but it only took care of it for a little while. I couldn't pop all of them either, so I can totally sympathize w/you on this. Weird things is that I got them right out of high school when I was still in-shape. Weirder yet, my friend gets them and has for a long time- even when she was super skinny. I kinda wonder if it has to do w/chemical reactions in our bodies. Maybe similar to why some adults get adult cystic acne. Just a thought.

They did seem to clear up when I would go tanning or go to the beach to get some rays (I think that had something to do w/keeping the affected area dry and free from moisture). Now, thankfully, since LCing I haven't had any show up.

Fingers-crossed you'll have the same results following this WOL.

Hang in there-
Nikki

When my DH has this problem, his dermatologist will sometimes inject some sort of oil / lipid into the larger ones. The stuff seems to break down the ick and after a day or two the things deflate. Massaging them, not pricking them, also seems to break the fluid down.

I never knew what they were called. I thought I was a freak till now. Luckily I don't get em as often as I used to (I haven't gotten one in quite a long time), on the inside of my thigh like you. They are very painful and sore. I usually get a sterilized needle and burst it to stop the pain, once it drains it usually goes away. But it can leave those nasty purple marks Taking a hot shower makes em burst too. Antibacterial ointment does also seem to help. Hope yours goes away soon!

Hello,

I am new to this board but have a condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa. That is a "boil like" condition in my armpits and in my groin. I have even had to have my left armpit removed, and have lost part of my breast due to this condition. I am also Insulin Resistant ( recently diagnosed) and had followed my own theory on hormones being the factor in HS. I am actually on SSD for this condidtion. I know of a MANY people that have this condition in various stages and no, most of them are not stage 3 like me. What I want to say is that I know of some in my HS club on Yahoo ( some 1500 plus strong) who are doing lo carbing and having some decent effect on the HS as the lo carbing seems to help get the hormones ( ie; insulin etc) back in order and reduce the amount of lesions or boils. When I saw this thread, I had to respond as many of you who have skin problems such as this may actually not know what you have as it is very common to go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as sebaceous cysts, folliculitis ( ingrown hairs) boils, carbunkles, etc etc. IF any of you have any questions about this disorder that there is presently no known cause or cure. Let me know. Also, it is important to know that many who have this are told they are not clean, are too fat etc etc etc. I absolutely know of many who have this who are not fat and can personally say that I have never met an HS person who is anything short of miraculously clean..... lol. I am sure you all get my point. Anyway after reading some of the post on boils and seeing the areas they are in, I just wanted to give you all a probably name for what it is. Again, any questions on this I would be more then glad to answer.

Tammie
tferris~citlink.net

Tammie! Thanks for your post!! Actually, I have been LCing now for......5 months (this time around, anyways) and am officially a turtle..(only 19 or so lbs, but hey, thats fine..) anyways, being on this particular way of eating, or life for me.. has been a positive change I think, for my body... I did however get another cyst the other day, but it was easily popped and is now healing... its the first one Ive gotten in quite some time..my skin has also cleared up considerably.. I still have blemishes once in a while, but it used to be that I always had one or two painful pimples on my face, that I would constantly mess with.. (bad habit, I know..) but now, my skins pretty clear with the occasional zit... ah well..

But again, I wanted to thank you for posting this.. I cant believe the kinds of things that people undergo for treatment, as in your case.. I would never have imagined a 'boil-like' condition to result in such extremes as you have endured.. has it helped? (If my comments come off as naive or insulting, please let me know...!) I know of many situations where people have had to have the cyst cut out... and Im just glad that when I get one, its not nearly that serious, nor has the condition appeared to get any worse from when it originally started occuring....

Good luck with your own condition, and feel free to post about these things any time.. Ive always been so amazed at how open everyone is about personal issues...but then again, any site where everyone pretty much openly admits their weight, has to be a pretty intimate place to be ... Take care!

I just found one in the bikini area today.

WOW! I thought it was just me! I just had one myself last week, I take a hot shower and put preparation H on it and leave it on overnight, usually by morning it comes to a head and I can get it out. I've been to the doc as well and he said they're infected glands that get clogged and swell up. I've been LC since February, I used to get them alot, but this is the first one in about 6 months. My gyno said it can also be caused by by BC pills being too strong, he lowered the dose, so we'll see!
Suzy

My dermatologist says these cysts are not "ick" but more closely related to excess skin cell production. At least until infection sets in. He also says that draining/squeezing them yourself often is not long-term effective, because they have a sort of skin, which if you leave it in creates a pocket and it will be back some time later. He uses a scalpel to open it up a bit, tweezers to get out the shell or skin, in really bad cases packs it with gauze and antibiotics, yes it all sounds gross, we are human, one of my co-workers, kind of a Loni Anderson lookalike, gets these on her head, is very upfront about it, goes to the derm, her daughter likewise.

Hi, My name is Nanci and I am a picker. My husband has a cyst on his back. I love it because when I feel the need to pick him, I can always pick on that cyst. I think I am a throw-back to the apes grooming each other.

Nanci