Although some rashes on the body are not visible to outsiders, they cause many problems and worsen a person’s quality of life. Such problems include acne under the armpit. Skin formations in this area cause severe pain, limit hand mobility, and sometimes cause general malaise. They not only spoil the aesthetic appearance, but also lead to various complications.
Symptoms
In addition to pain, this disease also manifests itself:
- peeling of the skin;
- visible redness;
- burning;
- discomfort when moving your arms;
- inflammation.
Pimples under the armpits often itch. In severe cases, they can develop into a painful and tender lump. Symptoms may vary depending on the cause and severity of certain conditions. When acne, acne, and post-acne appear on a young face, a pimple may appear under the child’s armpit.
Types of lipomas in children
Wen in children is divided into several types, according to location:
- Small wen on the nose (neonatal milia) is a common occurrence in babies. They resemble white pimples and are located directly on the nose itself, on the wings and around it. They are not dangerous and usually go away on their own without any treatment after three months. If the tumors become inflamed, you should contact your pediatrician for advice on treating the pathological area and relieving inflammation.
- The baby's neck can also become the site of localization of the wen. There is a danger of a deep location of the formation, which can cause compression of the blood vessels. A lipoma on a child's neck should be monitored. If its growth is rapid or it is prone to inflammation, you should immediately consult a surgeon.
- Lipoma on the scalp and forehead is also not uncommon. The formation in the form of a “bump” has a round shape and is soft to the touch. It does not hurt and does not affect the health and well-being of the baby. There is no need to treat a wen on a child’s head. It is removed surgically only after the baby reaches 2 years of age.
- Wen on the face of a child in a newborn are small neoplasms on the cheeks, chin and, rather, cause aesthetic discomfort for their parents. They do not bother the babies themselves at all and disappear on their own after a few months. The main thing is that mom should not start self-medicating the fatty tissues or try to squeeze them out. Which can lead to more dire consequences.
- Lipomas on the legs or arms of children are often single and, in very rare cases, multiple. The latter pathology is called lipomatosis. If the child has not reached the age of two, and the lipoma does not grow and does not manifest itself in the form of changes in skin color, then the formation is not touched until the baby has contraindications to removing the wen.
- A new growth on the gum should not frighten parents. This phenomenon is associated with age-related changes in the gums. As a rule, a wen on the jaw mucosa in a child goes away after teething.
- A lipoma on the baby's stomach, shoulders, chest or back can cause discomfort when it comes into contact with clothing. Therefore, you should not dress your child in tight clothes.
- A tumor in the ear can cause partial or complete hearing loss. It is better not to hesitate to visit a specialist.
- If a wen appears under the eye or on the eyelid, it is better to show the child to the doctor and make sure that the formation does not threaten his vision.
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Irritation after shaving
Red small pimples under the armpits, most often painful and filled with purulent contents, appear due to hair removal with a razor. Shaving removes hair shafts and also damages the top layer of skin. If the dermis is poorly cleaned of cosmetics and sweat, then dirt gets into microtraumas and cuts. Bacteria penetrate through the damage if you use a contaminated razor, dull blade, or someone else's personal hygiene items. The ingress of microbes leads to:
- point inflammation;
- blockage of sweat ducts;
- swelling and redness of the skin.
Prevention
It is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later. What are the main preventive measures?
Strengthening the immune system
With weakened immune forces, the body becomes vulnerable to many viral and bacterial diseases. Therefore, it is important to strengthen the immune system, especially during the off-season. Dress according to the weather, do not get too cold, take multivitamins, eat right. In addition, it is important to promptly treat various diseases and prevent exacerbations of chronic diseases, if any.
Treatment of hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis or increased sweating. Common locations on the body are the armpits. This often occurs due to a violation of the vegetative-vascular system. Therapy for hyperhidrosis occurs in two types: surgical and botulinum toxin.
Maintaining personal hygiene
To prevent illness, personal hygiene is mandatory. If it is not possible to use the shower twice a day, then your armpits should be wiped with wet wipes. Changing your underwear and bed linen, using only your own razor and careful post-shave treatment also applies to acne prevention.
Proper skin care
Care includes various creams that are correctly selected for the skin type to soften and moisturize. If the problem is the oiliness of the epidermis, then drying agents are selected. The deodorant is also selected individually and so that it does not clog the pores.
Post-depilatory pseudofolliculitis
Women prefer to use more extreme methods to remove armpit hair:
- sugaring;
- waxing;
- electric epilator;
- tweezers.
When a hair is pulled out by its roots, the hair follicle is injured. As a result, the hair that appears later grows weak, it is not able to break through to the surface, so it bends and grows inward. At the place where it grows, the inflammatory process begins. This inflammation on the surface of the skin appears as a red pimple with a white head.
Reaction to cosmetics
The main cosmetics used for armpits are antiperspirants and deodorants. These products are specially developed to muffle the smell of sweat. Antiperspirants affect sweating in such a way that the ducts of the sweat glands and the pores of the dermis narrow.
If one of these products is applied immediately after depilation, irritation may occur. It is wrong to use deodorant on unwashed armpits. The mixture of fat, sweat and cosmetics is a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria, leading to the appearance of a pimple under the arm. It must be borne in mind that the components present in cosmetic preparations can cause allergic skin reactions in the form of acne.
Hyperhidrosis
Secreted by a large number of sweat glands located in the armpits, the secretion, when mixed with lard, forms a protective shell of the epidermis. This sweat accumulates in the armpit fold and in a short time begins to smell unpleasant. It produces a large number of bacteria.
In people with excessive sweating, secretion accumulates very quickly, and this does not depend on the mental state and physical activity. As a result, your armpits are constantly wet and smell unpleasant. The most important thing is that multiplying microbes lead to inflammation of the hair follicles and sweat ducts, and, as a result, the appearance of pimples.
Symptoms of hidradenitis
If you notice one or more lumps under the epidermis in the axillary area, you should be wary, as this may be one of the first symptoms of hidradenitis. Over time, the tumors increase in size and begin to secrete purulent contents.
The acute form of the disease is accompanied by a rise in temperature to 39 degrees and a general deterioration in well-being. Pathology at an early stage of development can be treated therapeutically. But an already mature abscess, as a rule, requires surgical intervention.
The sooner treatment begins, the better. Unscrupulous attitude towards one's health, as well as a genetic predisposition to the development of the disease, contribute to the rapid transition of this pathology into a chronic form.
Chronic hidradenitis is accompanied not only by frequent relapses due to a weakening of the body's defenses, but also by dangerous changes in the patient's general condition. The functioning of the liver and kidneys deteriorates significantly, and joint and muscle pain may appear. In addition, any source of inflammation is dangerous for the human body, since microbes can enter other organs. Axillary hidradenitis can provoke the development of sinusitis, pyelonephritis and other severe pathologies.
Other reasons
A pimple under the armpit can appear for other reasons, one of which is hormonal imbalance. This is especially true for people diagnosed with diabetes and obesity. In diseases of the endocrine system, such rashes are common. They can be internal and open on their own.
Pimples in the armpit often form during puberty, when there is a surge in hormones. The sebaceous glands begin to work even harder, and the secretion becomes thicker, which leads to clogged pores and the formation of rashes.
Pimples under the armpits in adults can often appear due to:
- experiences;
- depression;
- stress;
- weakened immune system.
Another common reason is the presence of opportunistic flora in a person. This kind of rash is caused by the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in the body.
As a result of hypothermia or a cold, watery pimples may appear under the armpit. This disease often appears as a result of an unbalanced diet. There are foods that, when consumed, disturb the acid-base balance, so you should not abuse them. These include:
- bakery;
- pickles;
- smoked meats;
- mayonnaise sauces.
When treating acne under the muscles, it is necessary to determine the source of their appearance. Only in this case can you quickly remove painful sensations and cope with the problem.
What does a wen look like?
Externally located wen in a child is diagnosed without any problems.
Characteristic signs of external lipoma:
- Movable.
- Elastic and soft.
- Not fused to the skin.
- Large fatty tissues may have a lobed structure.
- The size of the lipoma ranges from 1.5 to 10 cm.
- Painless.
- A small lipoma has a round or oval shape.
The internal structure of the lipoma is represented by mature fat cells - similar to the surrounding adipose tissue. The cells are united into small lobules, and the lobules are covered with a dense capsule.
Lipomas do not only occur where there is adipose tissue. If tumors in a child grow in places where fat is not present, then they speak of ectopia. This is how congenital lipomas most often form when, even during the period of intrauterine development, during tissue differentiation, fat cells remain in an uncharacteristic place for them.
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Differential diagnosis is carried out both with harmless formations - dermoid cyst, myoma and fibroma, and with a malignant tumor - liposarcoma.
To verify the diagnosis, ultrasound and CT are used:
- On ultrasound, wen in children look like hypoechoic formations with a delicate capsule, localized in the thickness of the subcutaneous fat or between the muscles.
- Computed tomography clearly shows the typical structure of adipose tissue (low X-ray absorption compared to the surrounding denser soft tissue).
Local medicines
The most common and basic form of treatment for this problem is creams. But the choice of the appropriate method of drug administration depends on the severity of the symptoms, because in some situations, preference is given to oral drugs.
Some of the most effective medications are those based on salicylic acid (Diprosalik) and benzoic acid (Acerbine). Salicylic acid is a powerful antiseptic that has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. It is also used to treat acne because it dries them out and removes the spots that remain after them. The substance regulates sebum production and also reduces oiliness in problem areas.
Other frequently used drugs are preparations with sulfur and resorcinol, substances that have a drying effect. They have antibacterial properties.
In serious cases, the doctor prescribes ointments with antibiotics such as:
- Erythromycin (the ointment has a similar name);
- Clindamycin (“Clindacin”, “Klindovit”);
- Streptomycin (the ointment has a similar name).
They destroy pathogenic and opportunistic microflora, and also fight blockage of the sebaceous ducts.
When does it go away in newborns?
According to Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky and most Russian pediatricians, wen localized on a child’s face does not require treatment. The problem disappears on its own within the first three months of life. In case of inflammation or suppuration, consultation with a specialist is necessary. Bumps can appear on the gums, the problem is eliminated by 1 year.
Lipomatosis that appears on the scalp and forehead rarely goes away on its own. Surgery is required when the child reaches the age of five.
Folk remedies
If a pimple under your arm hurts, you can use traditional medicine recipes. Rubbing irritated skin with boiled vegetable oil helps a lot. If you wipe the inflamed areas with water to which vinegar (70%, diluted in a 1:1 ratio) or lemon juice has been added, this will relieve the burning and itching.
Wetting them with a decoction of birch leaves and oak bark helps reduce inflammation in the armpits. It is done like this: take 1 tablespoon of these ingredients per glass of boiling water. Everything is infused for 40 minutes. Must be used 2 times a day.
You can try making a compress of tobacco leaves at night. Tobacco is wrapped in gauze, the top is moistened with a solution of potassium permanganate and applied to the rash. A fixation bandage is required.
A compress of sage and mint leaves helps get rid of red spots and reduce irritation under the arms.
What to do if a pimple under your armpit hurts?
Soreness indicates an increase in the inflammatory process and the involvement of the nerve endings of the dermis. An unpleasant sensation occurs when exposed to a strong irritant.
To reduce pain, you need to try to identify and eliminate irritating factors:
- Careful hygiene of the affected area. Cleansing the affected area with water and neutral soap helps clean pores, prevent the growth of pathogenic flora, and reduce inflammation.
- A warm compress applied for 10-15 minutes is used as a distracting and absorbable agent. A multi-layer warming bandage helps relieve pain, and in case of purulent formations, their breakthrough and release of infiltrate.
If relief does not occur, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Strengthening the immune system
If red, white pimples under the arms appear regularly, then the first thing you need to do is strengthen your immune system. Be sure to take a course of vitamins (Vitrum, Duovit) and medications that will help increase immune defense (Immunal). It is necessary to take care of proper nutrition. The diet should contain plenty of fruits and vegetables. It is required to lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes:
- rejection of bad habits;
- sound, full sleep;
- walks in the open air;
- physical activity.
Treatment of underarm hyperhidrosis
One of the important points in the prevention of acne under the arm is the fight against hyperhidrosis. Your doctor will help you find the reasons why you experience excessive sweating. Sweating may improve after the underlying disease is eliminated.
At home, experts advise:
- make contrast baths for the axillary areas;
- shower more often;
- use a good deodorant (“Dry-Dry”).
Today, a new method of combating hyperhidrosis is becoming available, in which the armpits are injected with a botulinum toxin-based product. Its action is aimed at causing temporary paralysis of the sweat glands.
