Popping hidradenitis suppurativa cysts could lead to infection
Maybe you’ve been dealing with hidradenitis suppurativa for a while now. Or maybe you’re just starting to show signs of the chronic skin condition for the first time. You may be tempted to pick at those pesky cysts appearing on your armpits, groin or breast tissue, but no matter how inflamed, irritated or itchy they might be, picking at your cysts is the worst thing you can do.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Dermatologist Asfa Akhtar, DO, explains why picking or popping your cysts is a bad idea, along with a few things you can do that are better at-home solutions.
Hidradenitis suppurativa isn’t your usual acne, so don’t go popping them like normal pimples. The pits of hidradenitis suppurativa run so deep under your skin that they build tunnels with other cysts and fill up with a fluid mixture of blood and pus. If your cysts pop under your skin, you could cause an infection that spreads to other areas of your skin or to your bloodstream.
“I would not advise anyone to be playing with their cysts,” says Dr. Akhtar. “These cysts drain into your veins, so you could introduce bacteria that wasn’t there before and it can go the other way and cause an infection in your bloodstream.”
This can also lead to irreversible scarring and changes in pigmentation.
In most cases, hidradenitis suppurativa cysts will drain on their own because your skin is thin enough and will break open easily. If you have a draining cyst, it’s important that you keep the area clean with antibiotic washes or rubbing alcohol, and keep the area bandaged until you’re able to see your doctor. If you use rubbing alcohol to clean an inflamed cyst, make sure you don’t resort to that method often, as you could dry out your skin and worsen your condition.
Warm compresses can also help drain your cysts. Dr. Akhtar recommends taking a warm shower and letting that water hit the affected area to help with drainage.
At the first sign of cysts, you should see your doctor long before the cysts start to drain.
“You should never wait until it gets to that point,” cautions Dr. Akhtar. “As soon as you feel that you are getting any kind of pimples in your underarms or groin area, and acne treatments you might have done at home aren’t working, you should go see a board-certified dermatologist.”
If the affected area is increasingly inflamed or reddened and sensitive to pain, your doctor may suggest a steroid injection to reduce inflammation and stop cyst formation. Other possible solutions may also include laser hair removal or laser surgery for more severe cases.
Learn more about our editorial process.
The trick is to use products that reduce inflammation without causing irritation
Nutrition plays an important role in controlling this chronic inflammatory skin disease
Scarring is inevitable, but you can reduce the severity
At-home natural remedies like turmeric and aloe vera can help alleviate symptoms
Go ahead and get goopy to help boost hydration and repair damaged skin
The common skin condition isn’t contagious, but it can pop up anywhere on your body during a flare
Calm an itchy scalp by using medicated shampoo, avoiding blow-drying and resisting the urge to scratch
Caused by inflammation, psoriasis itch can be managed with a variety of treatments, like moisturizing and taking cooler and shorter showers
Your metabolism may torch 1,300 to 2,000 calories daily with no activity
A gentle touch in all the right places may help drain your sinuses