What Causes Lumps Under Armpits?

Posted on Mon, 13 Jul 2015

Question: Hello. I have hard marble sized and smaller lumps under both armpits. Today the largest was particularly red and seemed to have a head. I got a small amount of pus when I squeezed it. Could this be cancer? Please note that for the past couple of months I've been using baking soda as a deodorant. It works for its intended purpose but could this have caused the irritation and lumps?

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Looks to be hidradenitis suppurativa

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history of using baking soda as deodorant for couple of months, have marble sized and smaller lumps under both armpits, pus on squeezing the largest and red one.

First of all this is called Hidradenitis suppurativa and are due to infection of the skin glands particularly in the armpit area.

This could not be a cancer.

Baking soda: may or may not cause this.

The treatment is a course of an antibiotic, apply liquid povidone iodine locally to make the area sterile, multivitamins and so on.

You may please consult a Dermatologist for confirmation of hte diagnosis and further treatment as per the condition.

I hope this answers your query.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar