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i have i believe an infected in grown hair and it swelled ...

Sent to Health Experts April 20 2006 at 12:33 PM
   

i have i believe an infected in grown hair and it swelled up to a large red mass with a little open spot that scabs over what should i do?

 

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ive been putting hot compresses on it waiting for it to come to a head but it has yet

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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April 20 2006 at 12:36 PM (2 minutes and 41 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark

if you are not able to get it come to a head at this point your best option would be to have your doctor lance it open to drain it. If you try popping it yourself, you could cause further infection to occur. Not sure how long you have been doing the moist warm compress, but you should at least try that for 2-3 days.. several times during the day. Keep the area clean with antibacterial soap and also apply neosporin to the area.

Hope this helps, If you need anything else please feel free to ask. If you found this helpful don’t forget to click the *accept* button!

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Lindie -- Healthcare Expert -- 100% Positive Feedback on 4991 Health Accepts
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April 20 2006 at 12:40 PM (4 minutes and 19 seconds later)
         
Reply to Lindie's Post: i would like to avoid that option, i mean i basically have a swollen knot on my stomach thats about golf ball sized and there is a small area that is a lil bit tender around that as well...and there is a lil hole where a hair couldve been that is red, and there appears to be another small bump coming up as well...ive been doing the compresses since yesterday. does this sound like an ingrown hair?
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April 20 2006 at 12:44 PM (3 minutes and 42 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
It does sound like a boil which can be due to in grown hair. Have you tried to squeeze it at all or did the scab come on it's own from bursting open? If so, either way, this could be why the 2nd lump is there, filled with pus. You can keep doing the moist compress for another day, can take generally 2-3 days. But from the description, sounds as though the follicle is infected.
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Lindie -- Healthcare Expert -- 100% Positive Feedback on 4991 Health Accepts
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April 20 2006 at 12:46 PM (2 minutes and 9 seconds later)
         
Reply to Lindie's Post: the scab forms and then when i wet it disolves and from the pressure on the spot it starts to come out...i tried once after i soaked it in hot water for 20 minutes and a lil bit of pus came out but with some blood as well...and should i take anything for the swelling and the pain i am using neosporin +pain but it doesnt do much...
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