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What Does Pimples And Hard Area Around Side Of C Section Site Indicate?
Question: Hi, I had my 3rd c section almost 6 weeks ago. Everything looked fine on my 2nd week check up I had some hard area above the incision line on the right side but doc didn't mention anything about it and said i was healing well. At one point i must have overdone some activities wearing tight pants around the 4th week and started to feel more pain in my abdomen with shooting pains. Then noticed my skin above the incision line was red about an inch and bit swollen . As soon as I took off the pants I felt a relief and the next day the redness was lessened with No visible swelling. didn'tfeel hot to the touch either. I did not have fever when this all happened. The right side did hurt more than anywhere else when pressed. Went for check up and was prescribed keflex for a week. My doctor didn't seem too worried about it. I am inmy 3rd day of aantibiotic and although the redness is gone, pigment is slightly darker than my normal belly color. mydoctor says I sshouldn'tworry as long as it's not red that the discoloration could be from the tape and eventually fade over time . I do have darker pigment and wonder if that is true? Or could it be something worse like an unnoticed inner abscess? My incision area is still slightly pink. Also today I noticed 2 small pimple heads that formed just beneath the incision. Is 1 or 2 pimple something common? I am doing hot pack in case they need to be popped but the acne looks pretty tiny for it to be popped. Please tell me if I am doing everything right and why this is happening.
My night sweat was gone but I am having it again all of a sudden.
My night sweat was gone but I am having it again all of a sudden.
Brief Answer:
Can you send a picture
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I read your query and I understand your concerns about unhealed wound.
Following is my reply:
1) By your description this appears to be an induration around healing area.
2) Pimples are common and are possibly from hair follicles.
3) This should heal and induration should reduce slowly in next 15 days.
4) Please send me a picture of wound as attachment to this query to help me see and assess what you are describing.
5) Meanwhile continue with medicines your doctor has prescribed.
6) This seems to be excess induration which will go away soon. Dont worry much.
7) This is unlikely to be deep seated or superficial abscess.
Let me know if you have anymore questions.
Regards,
Dr. Soumya
Can you send a picture
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I read your query and I understand your concerns about unhealed wound.
Following is my reply:
1) By your description this appears to be an induration around healing area.
2) Pimples are common and are possibly from hair follicles.
3) This should heal and induration should reduce slowly in next 15 days.
4) Please send me a picture of wound as attachment to this query to help me see and assess what you are describing.
5) Meanwhile continue with medicines your doctor has prescribed.
6) This seems to be excess induration which will go away soon. Dont worry much.
7) This is unlikely to be deep seated or superficial abscess.
Let me know if you have anymore questions.
Regards,
Dr. Soumya
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello, Thank you very much for your reply.
I don't know what induration in C section means? What does it really mean?
I do not have any visible hard lump above the right side of the incision line anymore. I did have slight lump at 2 weeks.
I gently poked the area and it doesnt feel hard to the touch either and has no pain.
What I am really worried about now, is the discoloration where it was red, (I think the right side is still a bit pink in color). There is no swelling and no tenderness.
The color is really what is bothering me and don't know if this could be something that is brewing but being held because of the antibiotics I'm taking now.
I am afraid once the medication is done, something worse will kick in?
And just the overall feeling of my pelvic area, feels like it has something inside at times. Almost like a feeling before menstruating. its not painful though. Is this something normal too? I dont remember feeling like this for the other 2 c/sections I had previously but I could be wrong.
I would like to send you a photo of my incision site but there is no way to attach any photos here. How can I send you a photo?
I don't know what induration in C section means? What does it really mean?
I do not have any visible hard lump above the right side of the incision line anymore. I did have slight lump at 2 weeks.
I gently poked the area and it doesnt feel hard to the touch either and has no pain.
What I am really worried about now, is the discoloration where it was red, (I think the right side is still a bit pink in color). There is no swelling and no tenderness.
The color is really what is bothering me and don't know if this could be something that is brewing but being held because of the antibiotics I'm taking now.
I am afraid once the medication is done, something worse will kick in?
And just the overall feeling of my pelvic area, feels like it has something inside at times. Almost like a feeling before menstruating. its not painful though. Is this something normal too? I dont remember feeling like this for the other 2 c/sections I had previously but I could be wrong.
I would like to send you a photo of my incision site but there is no way to attach any photos here. How can I send you a photo?
Brief Answer:
This is healing and not increasing
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Induration means hardened area around the margin of surgical incision. This is the hard lump which you had seen and reduced over time to small lump. This lump is induration.
This generally becomes soft, reduces in size when it is healing. There is also change in colour above this while healing. This seems to be what exactly you experienced. If you can send a picture, I might be able to appreciate and confirm the changes.
Hence this is healing with antibiotics and nothing is brewing there. After medication nothing more will go wrong and no new changes will kick in. You will see improvement from now on.
These pelvic pressure changes like something inside pelvis is because your uterus is involuting to its normal position after C section. It will be more as this is third C section and there will be adhesions in abdomen leading to slow involution and healing.
You can attach picture along this query in upload section. Otherwise you can email pictures to YYYY@YYYY with subject as "Attn: Dr. Soumya".
Let me know if you wish to know anymore details.
Regards,
Dr. Soumya
This is healing and not increasing
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Induration means hardened area around the margin of surgical incision. This is the hard lump which you had seen and reduced over time to small lump. This lump is induration.
This generally becomes soft, reduces in size when it is healing. There is also change in colour above this while healing. This seems to be what exactly you experienced. If you can send a picture, I might be able to appreciate and confirm the changes.
Hence this is healing with antibiotics and nothing is brewing there. After medication nothing more will go wrong and no new changes will kick in. You will see improvement from now on.
These pelvic pressure changes like something inside pelvis is because your uterus is involuting to its normal position after C section. It will be more as this is third C section and there will be adhesions in abdomen leading to slow involution and healing.
You can attach picture along this query in upload section. Otherwise you can email pictures to YYYY@YYYY with subject as "Attn: Dr. Soumya".
Let me know if you wish to know anymore details.
Regards,
Dr. Soumya
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thanks for the answer. I do feel much better after reading your reply however do have more questions.
I have sent over a few photos to that email address and below Iis the question in the email as well:
Would you say the discoloration should disappear too after about 15 days of more healing time? I guess what I am asking is, if the coloration is due to induration being healed, if my skin color stays like this in the photo even after the antibiotics are done, should I be concerned at all? Or do you think the darker skin tone is from something else perhaps?
Thank you so much
I have sent over a few photos to that email address and below Iis the question in the email as well:
Would you say the discoloration should disappear too after about 15 days of more healing time? I guess what I am asking is, if the coloration is due to induration being healed, if my skin color stays like this in the photo even after the antibiotics are done, should I be concerned at all? Or do you think the darker skin tone is from something else perhaps?
Thank you so much
Brief Answer:
The colour will fade away slowly
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for images. I could see clearly about your concerns.
This is minor discoloration due to healing wound and induration. This should also fade within 15 days as the induration reduces. There is no other possible reason for colour change other than healing induration ( after antibiotic course is over), and you should not be concerned about it if does not go away by 15 days. It might take few more days but definitely it will go away. There is no other reason to worry.
Darker skin colour is from nothing else. Let me know if you have any more doubts. I will be happy to clarify.
Regards,
Dr. Soumya
The colour will fade away slowly
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for images. I could see clearly about your concerns.
This is minor discoloration due to healing wound and induration. This should also fade within 15 days as the induration reduces. There is no other possible reason for colour change other than healing induration ( after antibiotic course is over), and you should not be concerned about it if does not go away by 15 days. It might take few more days but definitely it will go away. There is no other reason to worry.
Darker skin colour is from nothing else. Let me know if you have any more doubts. I will be happy to clarify.
Regards,
Dr. Soumya
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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