Monday, April 14, 2008 @ 3:13 PM
thinking that the nondescript red swelling next to my right nostril is a pimple, i happily squeezed it, hoping that it will heal soon. then, i decided to reduce the redness by putting on raw egg white mask. by night time, i realised that the stubborn swelling persisted, and apply cold pressure to the tender area. still preoccupied by the slightly painful and massive "pimple", i pressed on the surrounding area.
what stupid mistakes i've made!!! just came back from the family doc and got to know that the pimple is instead an abscess.
"An abscess is a tender, easily pressed mass generally surrounded by a colored area from pink to deep red. The middle of an abscess is full of pus and debris.
Painful and warm to touch, abscesses can show up any place on your body. The most common sites are in your armpits (axillae), areas around your anus and vagina (Bartholin gland abscess), the base of your spine (pilonidal abscess), around a tooth (dental abscess), and in your groin. Inflammation around a hair follicle can also lead to the formation of an abscess, which is called a boil (furuncle).
Unlike other infections, antibiotics alone will not cure an abscess. In general an abscess must open and drain in order for it to improve. Sometimes draining occurs on its own, but generally it must be opened by a doctor in a procedure called incision and drainage.
Abscess Causes
Abscesses are caused by obstruction of oil (sebaceous) glands or sweat glands, inflammation of hair follicles, or from minor breaks and punctures of the skin. Germs get under the skin or into these glands, which causes an inflammatory response as your body's defenses try to kill these germs.
The middle of the abscess liquefies and contains dead cells, bacteria, and other debris. This area begins to grow, creating tension under the skin and further inflammation of the surrounding tissues. Pressure and inflammation cause the pain.
Abscess Treatment Self-Care at Home
If the abscess is small (less than 1 cm or less than a half-inch across), applying warm compresses to the area for about 30 minutes 4 times daily can help.
Do not attempt to drain the abscess by pressing on it. This can push the infected material into the deeper tissues.
Do not stick a needle or other sharp instrument into the abscess center because you may injure an underlying blood vessel or cause the infection to spread. "
omg. when i read those words of precaution i nearly died. couldn't help but laugh at my silly but genuine mistakes. i did EXACTLY what i was not supposed to do. but what's done cannot be undone. just pray and hope that the infection stops spreading and i don't need to go back to the doc. or least i won't have any permanent scars left from e incision and drainage. the thought of it makes me shudder. the only consolation is that i have 2 days mc! zzz don't even wanna step out of my house now, unless absolutely necessary.