Bjork
03-19-2005, 07:04 PM
Hi!
This is my first time to this forum. Here's my little story: I know it sounds gross, but I seem to have developed two lumps on the back of my neck. They both started at about the size of a pimple, but have since grown larger. They opened up and now they're all crusty (sorry to be gross), and I can't help but pick at them. They've been there for weeks and will not heal. Also, a long time ago I used to have a raised mole on the back of my head. More recently, the mole got larger and crusted over. Eventually the mole/crust fell off, to my dismay (and horror).. Now there just seems to be this weeping crusting wound that has been there for *months*. I just want it to go away. All of it. I can't even wear my hair up because of the lumps on my neck. Should I go to the doctor? I've been waiting it out an awful long time, and things just seem to be getting worse and worse :( Thank you for all of your help!
Bjork
This is my first time to this forum. Here's my little story: I know it sounds gross, but I seem to have developed two lumps on the back of my neck. They both started at about the size of a pimple, but have since grown larger. They opened up and now they're all crusty (sorry to be gross), and I can't help but pick at them. They've been there for weeks and will not heal. Also, a long time ago I used to have a raised mole on the back of my head. More recently, the mole got larger and crusted over. Eventually the mole/crust fell off, to my dismay (and horror).. Now there just seems to be this weeping crusting wound that has been there for *months*. I just want it to go away. All of it. I can't even wear my hair up because of the lumps on my neck. Should I go to the doctor? I've been waiting it out an awful long time, and things just seem to be getting worse and worse :( Thank you for all of your help!
Bjork
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Bjork
03-20-2005, 01:19 PM
No one can help? The "wounds" have gotten to the point where they are red and inflamed and one looks infected :( My whole head hurts! I can't take aspirin or anything because I am on a multitude of prescription meds. I am going to schedule an appointment with my doctor tomorrow. No one knows anything about this? These wounds just came out of no-where. A couple of lumps formed on the back of my neck and grew bigger, then opened up. The rest was described in the post above. I know it's gross, but can anyone tell me what it might be?
Bjork
Bjork
Veronicaberry
03-20-2005, 02:37 PM
sounds like some form of folliculitis, your dermatologist will want to give you a shot possibly and some antibiotics. It probably wont go away on its own. I had one on my head that wouldnt go away and after I saw the derm it was gone in 1 week. Please see the dermatologist.
Bjork
03-20-2005, 03:41 PM
I'm calling my doctor tomorrow. I looked up folliculitis, and my lumps are larger than the ones in the pictures that I saw. Could be, but I don't know. With my luck my doctor will find something major wrong, either with that, or something else. I'm just not having a good time lately. :(
Bjork
Bjork
kerry1
03-20-2005, 06:27 PM
I'm sorry you aren't feeling good. Whatever it is, you do need to see a doc.
ScruffyGuy
03-20-2005, 07:17 PM
There are several types of developing skin lesions that exhibit this kind of behavior: pimple-like pustules that ooze and crust but never go away or heal.
This could be keratosis. Generally benign, but potentially -- after YEARS of neglect -- could develop into skin cancer.
Could also be basal cell skin cancer. DO NOT GET NERVOUS. Basal cell is EASILY removed and cured. It takes years and years of unchecked growth for basal cell to be a serious health risk. The word "cancer" is terrifying, but basal cell is not to be feared when it is in its early stages. A doc would simply remove the lesions -- and that's it. There's no chemo or radiation or anything like that.
Could be a half dozen other things. Almost all of them are nothing serious, just annoying and unsightly.
Removal is simple -- five minutes in the doc's office. The lesions would be sent to pathology for examination. The areas would either be given one or two tiny stitches, cauterized to stop bleeding, or just bandaged over. The doc makes that call upon examination.
Bottom line: almost certainly this is of no consequence. But the fact that it is very bothersome to you is all the reason you need to go to the doc's and get it over with for good. Going in there armed with information and being able to be CALM about it should be all the the remaining motivation you need.
If this were something serious (and I do not believe it is), it is ESSENTIAL that you get this handled immediately. Anything that has the POTENTIAL to be a serious issue is easily eradicated if you act quickly. So bascially: if it is serious, get it done now and it won't be serious anymore. If it is NOT serious -- even better and more likely -- get it done now and end your problem.
Folliculitis is certainly a possibility here, but I find that unlikely. Folliculitis lesions generally tend to heal up and are replaced with new break-outs on a regular basis. Sometimes a stubborn infection can get in there and hang out for a long time in folks with folliculitis, but mostly these kinds of superinfections are much more invasive and involve the entire scalp or upper body. Your problem seems too localized, but you never know.
One last word -- if your doc looks at it and says he doesn't know -- don't freak out. Dermal lesions of this sort are very tricky to diagnose on sight sometimes. You may need a dermatologist -- and even then, he or she may not know until a sample is taken and sent to pathology.
You'll be fine, don't worry. But you MUST see a doc ASAP.
This could be keratosis. Generally benign, but potentially -- after YEARS of neglect -- could develop into skin cancer.
Could also be basal cell skin cancer. DO NOT GET NERVOUS. Basal cell is EASILY removed and cured. It takes years and years of unchecked growth for basal cell to be a serious health risk. The word "cancer" is terrifying, but basal cell is not to be feared when it is in its early stages. A doc would simply remove the lesions -- and that's it. There's no chemo or radiation or anything like that.
Could be a half dozen other things. Almost all of them are nothing serious, just annoying and unsightly.
Removal is simple -- five minutes in the doc's office. The lesions would be sent to pathology for examination. The areas would either be given one or two tiny stitches, cauterized to stop bleeding, or just bandaged over. The doc makes that call upon examination.
Bottom line: almost certainly this is of no consequence. But the fact that it is very bothersome to you is all the reason you need to go to the doc's and get it over with for good. Going in there armed with information and being able to be CALM about it should be all the the remaining motivation you need.
If this were something serious (and I do not believe it is), it is ESSENTIAL that you get this handled immediately. Anything that has the POTENTIAL to be a serious issue is easily eradicated if you act quickly. So bascially: if it is serious, get it done now and it won't be serious anymore. If it is NOT serious -- even better and more likely -- get it done now and end your problem.
Folliculitis is certainly a possibility here, but I find that unlikely. Folliculitis lesions generally tend to heal up and are replaced with new break-outs on a regular basis. Sometimes a stubborn infection can get in there and hang out for a long time in folks with folliculitis, but mostly these kinds of superinfections are much more invasive and involve the entire scalp or upper body. Your problem seems too localized, but you never know.
One last word -- if your doc looks at it and says he doesn't know -- don't freak out. Dermal lesions of this sort are very tricky to diagnose on sight sometimes. You may need a dermatologist -- and even then, he or she may not know until a sample is taken and sent to pathology.
You'll be fine, don't worry. But you MUST see a doc ASAP.