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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Painful Black Lumps In The Armpits During Menstruation. What Are They?

I noticed several lumps under my armpits. I have about two under each arm as of right now. I shave under my arms and they usually appear after I shave or before my menstrual cycle and usually go away within a few weeks. But I haven t shaved for months and there is one that has flattened but it still seems to be there and also there is one that has grown since the past few days, I m not sure what they are. They hurt once they start growing but then stop hurting after they ve somewhat flattened. They grow larger than the size of a pea bean and remain the size of a pea after they ve flattened. Today I felt a bump, what seemed to resemble a tiny pimple in my armpit. It looked like a blackhead and I carefully squeezed on it and all this black rice-like stuff came out of it. I m kind of worried. What could this be? I m 17 years old by the way.
Wed, 27 Feb 2013
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Dermatologist,  's  Response
hi..thanks for the query.
From what you describe, there is a possibility of the lumps being of Hidradenitis suppurativa.
It is a chronic skin disease characterized by recurrent boil-like lumps under the skin. The nodules are inflamed and painful. They tend to break open, causing abscesses that drain fluid and pus. As the abscesses heal, they produce significant scarring of the skin.most commonly affects areas such as the underarms, under the breasts, inner thighs, groin and Post-pubescent individuals are more likely to exhibit this. Deodorants, depilation products, shaving of the affected area are reported to trigger in many.
Other possibilities may include simple Comedomes( black-heads) ,Follicular lesions like folliculitis
( boils).Lymph node swelling may happen in the same areas.
You should visit a dermatologist for evaluation and management and not touch /squeeze them at all.
Hope this helps.take care!
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Painful Black Lumps In The Armpits During Menstruation. What Are They?

hi..thanks for the query. From what you describe, there is a possibility of the lumps being of Hidradenitis suppurativa. It is a chronic skin disease characterized by recurrent boil-like lumps under the skin. The nodules are inflamed and painful. They tend to break open, causing abscesses that drain fluid and pus. As the abscesses heal, they produce significant scarring of the skin.most commonly affects areas such as the underarms, under the breasts, inner thighs, groin and Post-pubescent individuals are more likely to exhibit this. Deodorants, depilation products, shaving of the affected area are reported to trigger in many. Other possibilities may include simple Comedomes( black-heads) ,Follicular lesions like folliculitis ( boils).Lymph node swelling may happen in the same areas. You should visit a dermatologist for evaluation and management and not touch /squeeze them at all. Hope this helps.take care!