Fitness News
Breakout Below - What to do about it
January 2006
Prevention Magazine
© 2006 Rodale Inc.
Q: I'm breaking out down there. What can I
do?
A: Swearing off pizza and chocolate for life
may be your only hope. Just kidding--that doesn't even work for facial acne.
Besides, those probably aren't pimples in your pubic zone, though there are
some bumps that may masquerade as acne and cause equal levels of angst.
If your bikini area is brimming with raised red dots or what look like
whiteheads, it's likely folliculitis--inflammation of the hair
follicles--says Prevention dermatology advisor Mary Lupo, MD.
"The hair becomes ingrown and infected, usually after shaving or waxing,"
she says. You can treat it with a wash containing benzoyl peroxide,
salicylic acid, or glycolic acid, or try an over-the-counter antibiotic
cream (with all, avoid inner areas).
The only surefire prevention is to leave the hair alone or use a laser to
remove it, though some women find that switching to an electric razor helps.
If your bumps are itchy, painful, large, or don't clear up with treatment,
Lupo advises seeing a gynecologist or a dermatologist. Those "pimples" could
be from a blockage of the sweat glands, called hidradenitis suppurativa,
which usually requires antibiotics.
Or you could have a viral infection like molluscum contagiosum (caused by a
poxvirus) or even herpes.