Please help! 3 days ago I tried to pop an acne bump that had a very tiny white head. It wouldn't pop and instead began the inflammation process. I took ibuprofen and iced it immediately. Over the next couple of days it formed a whitehead that I then popped last night, which has now formed into another whitehead. My concern is that there is now a hard 'lump' larger than the original irritation spot and much larger than the new whitehead underneath the area.
Is this inflammation? Is this pus?
Should I ice this or use acne medication on it?
PLEASE HELP!
Well here's an update: the inflammation has gone down because of ice and ibuprofen. It's extremely hard to not poke at, but I am doing my best. The whitehead that had developed popped while I was icing it and a lot of pus came out. There is still a bump underneath the skin (oval, and about the size of a bean) and I'm not sure how to proceed. It has been five days since the cyst initially formed, I wish I had never tried to pop it the first night.
I have a derm appointment next friday (one week from today) and will probably get a cortisone shot if this is still there. It's not really raising the skin at all, but I can notice it.
Should I just leave it alone for the next week (until the derm) or should I ice the bump (or use heat..?)?
I would really appreciate hearing from you guys!
You're irritating the skin and causing it to go into overdrive probably. Don't put anything on it. Don't touch it. Don't even think about it. Just let it do its thing and wait for the dermatologist.
I know it's always tempting to pop big zits, but I promise you its never worth it! Remember, when you pop a zit or cyst you're putting a hole in your skin, just like a cut or scratch, except the area you pop open is already filled with loads of bacteria and junk and can (and probably will) cause more problems than solving! Just let your skin figure itself out. (:
Well, it's unanimous, I won't touch it for the next 7 days until I see my dermatologist. Won't even use ice. What do you guys think the derm will do? Cortisone shot? And is there a chance the little bump of hardness goes away by itself before then?
I'm actually very lucky when it comes to acne, but sometimes it still makes me reconsider what I study in school. Heck, if I let something like this keep me from going out on a friday night, what will I do when I am scheduled to give a huge sales presentation during an outbreak..?
don't go for a cortisone shot, i had one and i still have a hole where it was done...i think it leaks sometimes, look into anti fungal treatments or antibiotics, seems like u have a pus pocket or calcium lump forming under your skin, btw..did this happen after u shaved a few days/weeks back in the same area..if theres facial hair near the area but not in the spot where the problem is..u may have an ingrown hair, dead skin or scar tissue will form around the hair folicle and keep it trapped under the skin, filling it with oil and pus thus causing inflamation. if that is the case, then u need surgery to remove the ingrown hair.
Update: It's sunday, which is one week after it appeared and also one week after the night I, unsuccessfully, tried to pop it. It is scabbing up and the inflammation continues to go down. I haven't touched it and don't plan to, even though it occasionally itches. Hopefully it's gone by the time I see my derm this Friday so that I don't have to go through the stress of a cortisone shot.
