Neck growth, but not that serious

[Something Or Other]

I've got a fairly large (compared to a normal pimple sized blemish), red, and painful thing on my neck. I can't help but feel like it's an entire cluster of ingrown hairs. What the hell can I do?
I tried to pop it, but it hurt and it hasn't come to a head yet so nothing happened. I went so far as to cut it with a razor (what luck handing a double edged blade laying about...) in order to drain it. I've done this twice now. It has gone down in size and doesn't hurt as much, but it's such a pain in the butt.

Am I doomed to wait this out untill it does come to a head?

 

[nomed]

Put some cortizone cream (anti itch stuff) on it to bring down the swelling and remove some of the redness. Wait 48 hours and try to pop it again. DO NOT PICK AT IT.
It took me about 21 years to learn that picking at a pimple only works about half the time and when it doesn't work the pimple is hundred times worst. So it's just not worth risk. Now when i get a pimple try once to pop it, if it doesn't work, i leave it alone for couple days and try again.

 

[HoratioCaine]

Am I doomed to wait this out untill it does come to a head?

In a nutshell, yes. You can try hot compresses to help speed the process along, but the more you do to aggravate it, the worse you'll make it. Not to mention, you'll be encouraging the formation of scar tissue. Since draining it hasn't helped any, just leave it be. I know that's not what you want, but that's just the way of it.

FYI, it could be ingrowns, but it could just as easily not be; sometimes follicles get infected and become boils for no apparent reason. If you can actually see an ingrown hair in there, you could try digging it out, but if you can't see one (or several), leave it alone.

Edit:

Put some cortizone cream (anti itch stuff) on it to bring down the swelling and remove some of the redness.

That's a good idea, too.

 

[atlguitfiddle]

I have found that Tea Tree Oil helps a lot with spots like the one you're describing...just dab a bit on with a q-tip in the morning and before you go to bed, and the spot should get better.

It might take a week or so with the Tea Tree Oil, but futzing with the spot (squeezing, picking, scrubbing, cutting ) will only exacerbate the problem.

 

[BrightFutur]

I've got a fairly large (compared to a normal pimple sized blemish), red, and painful thing on my neck. I can't help but feel like it's an entire cluster of ingrown hairs. What the hell can I do?
I tried to pop it, but it hurt and it hasn't come to a head yet so nothing happened. I went so far as to cut it with a razor (what luck handing a double edged blade laying about...) in order to drain it. I've done this twice now. It has gone down in size and doesn't hurt as much, but it's such a pain in the butt.

Am I doomed to wait this out untill it does come to a head?

I'm glad I'm not the only one.


Wait. This is actually really important. This needs to be addressed. Sorry for the derail, but I feel like there is an unhealthy progression that occurs once you become a B&B member. At first it's along the lines of:

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated shaving with cartridge razors."

Progresses to

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who sniffs the breech"

And finally

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who lances ingrowns with a DE"

This needs to stop.

 

[Jim]

Please go see a dermatologist. A web board is a REALLY bad place to get medical advice, no matter how sincere or well meaning.

 

[Obsessed]

please go see a dermatologist. A web board is a really bad place to get medical advice, no matter how sincere or well meaning.

+15,000,000

 

[HoratioCaine]

Please go see a dermatologist. A web board is a REALLY bad place to get medical advice, no matter how sincere or well meaning.

From a liability standpoint, this is the only advice that makes sense. Realistically, only you (the OP) can decide if this is something that you need to see a doctor for. Not everything you might get that we can't diagnose requires that you go run to your doctor; some of the things you might get will. Common sense will hopefull help you tell which is which. But I'm with Jim on this; web forums are bad places to get medical advice. And when in doubt, it is certainly better to err on the side of caution and see a doctor.

 

[JCMH]

Late posting but I had the same situation and every time one would go away there would be ont to take its place...in my case it was folliculitis, which is very common on the back of the neck by the hair line. In most cases it does go away by itself but in some cases you need to take antibiotics. Go to a dermatologist or your family Dr., it can be taken care of easily.

Regards,