Author Topic: Bumps in the ladybits (Read 3138 times)

Auntie Helen · « **on:** 20 April, 2013, 10:17:40 am »

Just goes to show, eventually someone will write everything on the internet!!!

Anyway, since I've been doing reasonable cycling mileage (about four years now, 8,000-12,000 miles per year) I have periodically been troubled with little cysts in my ladies undercarriage. The first couple of times I went to the doc and they gave me antibiotics which cleared it up (after having to show them the problem which is rather undignified). I seem to get them about once every six months or so. A few times I've just left them, been excessively careful in treating the area gently when using loo roll and of course regularly showering, and they have gone away. Last one was a year ago, just before my Berlin to London trip, and I got antibiotics for that as I didn't fancy cycling along with what feels like a pea in amongst my undercarriage.

Anyway, I noticed yesterday that I have another one again. Not particularly painful but annoyingly there. I suspect this time I'll just be very gentle and leave it to fade on its own but I'm interested if anyone else gets 'em and knows why they keep coming back. Is it to do with sweating when doing lots of rides and maybe not showering quickly enough? Non-cotton underwear (use cyclists lycra stuff). I don't wear padded shorts as I am a recumbent rider, just normal non-cotton knickers and a pair of longs over the top.

teethgrinder · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 April, 2013, 12:24:11 pm »

It could be because of sweat.
Cycling shorts breathe very well but if it has nowhere to go after it's got past you shorts then that won't be helpfull.
Do you get an airflow or does you recumbent seat breathe very well?

Butterfly · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 April, 2013, 12:54:09 pm »

I suffer from them quite a lot. I thought they would go with not riding, but I've had one recently whilst having barely ridden. It's a shame that recumbents obviously don't solve the problem - I thought that might be one alternative $:-\$ . I've tried different shorts and lots of alternative saddles and they still turn up

. The antibiotics and steroid creams have had little success.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 April, 2013, 01:08:05 pm »

I think it might be because of sweat - I very occasionally go out twice in one day (say morning and afternoon) and if I don't get too cold off the bike I don't bother changing clothes until after the second trip. Maybe that has something to do with it, as I did that last week.

Glad to hear it's not just me though and Butterfly gets it (not glad for Butterfly's sake, but you know what I mean).

Clare · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 April, 2013, 01:15:16 pm »

I got lumps in that area and also in my armpits while we were touring in 2005-6, in my case it was a staph aureus infection which recurred occasionally for years after. It eventually went away when I was taking prophylaxis for malaria (doxycylin) for 4 months.

Not sure if this is anything like what you have but as you mention antibiotics maybe a long course at low dose might have an effect.

Hope this makes sense, I am typing it in strong sunlight and can't see what I'm writing, sorry for any spelling mistakes!

Butterfly · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 April, 2013, 02:07:23 pm »

Quote from: Auntie Helen on 20 April, 2013, 01:08:05 pm

I think it might be because of sweat - I very occasionally go out twice in one day (say morning and afternoon) and if I don't get too cold off the bike I don't bother changing clothes until after the second trip. Maybe that has something to do with it, as I did that last week.

Glad to hear it's not just me though and Butterfly gets it (not glad for Butterfly's sake, but you know what I mean).

I definitely found it got worse with sweat - when I was working, I wore 3 outfits (or at least underwear) a day: one to ride in, one during the day and one, especially clean shorts, to wear home.

Charlotte · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 April, 2013, 01:14:10 pm »

I had one in the same place last year that was so large, I initially got very worried about what it was. When it was pronounced to be a large cyst, the relief was immense.

The remedy, I'm afraid to tell you, involved a general anesthetic anna nice lady with a scalpel who prevented me riding my bike for quite a while. The good new is that I am all healed up now and I've yet to see another one.

Kim · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 April, 2013, 01:30:19 pm »

As I said recently in another thread, something similar (which burst without the aid of a scalpel) is the reason I don't go near a saddle without cycling shorts or similar any more. It took months to heal and left delicate-looking scar tissue in just the wrong place for cycling in normal underwear.

FWIW, I don't seem to have been similarly afflicted since adopting a strict cycling-specific underwear policy, though a zitty bottom is something of a risk on long, hot recumbent rides. Oddly (or not, given the weather), that doesn't seem to have been a problem in the last year, but prior to that I found that antiseptic barrier cream (conotrane seems more effective than cycling-specific ones) seemed to help.

To address Teethgrinder's point, the ICE Evil Mesh Seats seem to breathe pretty well, though how much actual ventilation you get in that area does seem to be affected by how reclined the seat is (more is better) and of course how fast you're actually moving (I find the Sprint isn't all that conducive to going fast without gravitational assistance).

Julian · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 April, 2013, 01:39:31 pm »

Hair / no hair in the relevant place can alter things too. I have very fine body hair so any attempt to actually remove it will inevitably result in cysts and ingrown hairs. However, flowing locks of pubic hair leave paper cuts in the labia when cycling. Not knowing what your pubic topiary situation is, could it be related to too much / too little hair?

Kim · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 April, 2013, 01:43:53 pm »

Quote from: Julian on 25 April, 2013, 01:39:31 pm

However, flowing locks of pubic hair leave paper cuts in the labia when cycling.

Not a problem I've encountered, though I have noticed that if you are going to trim it, it's best to keep it long enough that it's not doing a simple 180 degree turn with the sharp end curling inwards. TBH, it's not something I usually bother with.

hellymedic · « **Reply #10 on:** 25 April, 2013, 02:08:30 pm »

Uncut hair ends are fine and soft, unlike those cut with a blade.
Also, hair's quite a good shock-absorber.
Leave well alone apart from cleaning.

Julian · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 April, 2013, 02:11:03 pm »

It's not the ends, it's if you get the length of a hair trapped in the relevant place. As I did on a really long bike ride.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 April, 2013, 02:12:42 pm »

Well it's completely gone away on its own already so was clearly a minor one.

I think for me it's probably mostly related to riding and getting sweaty and then not changing underwear quickly enough. I am being careful about this now and we'll see how it goes. I don't fancy the Charlotte's scalpel option, especially as it's not always in the same place...

Kim · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 April, 2013, 02:16:36 pm »

Quote from: Julian on 25 April, 2013, 02:11:03 pm

It's not the ends, it's if you get the length of a hair trapped in the relevant place. As I did on a really long bike ride.

Ah, I find that cheap disintegratey loo roll is the major hazard for that sort of thing...

rogerzilla · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 April, 2013, 02:26:12 pm »

Like front tagnuts, then.

clarion · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 April, 2013, 02:46:22 pm »

It isn't just ladies who can get hair caught in unfortunate places causing issues.

Julian · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 April, 2013, 03:04:26 pm »

I'm sure that's true!! Possibly more so given the amount of subtle adjustments I see going on on the tube...

Kathy · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 April, 2013, 03:57:40 pm »

Quote from: Julian on 25 April, 2013, 03:04:26 pm

I'm sure that's true!! Possibly more so given the amount of subtle adjustments I see going on on the tube...

I mis-read that as "subtle advertisements".

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 April, 2013, 03:59:20 pm »

Do you get any skin discolouration?

I was getting soreness, bleeding and raised lumps from very sore irritated hair follicles. Discounted thrush because there weren't any of the normal symptoms of thrush.

Turned out to be Tinea cruris, with with hardly any of the commons symptoms; no itchiness for starters. Extensive looking revealed slight skin discolouration, which was hard to spot given that it was in an area of the body that is a slightly different colour anyway.

Any cream containing tolnoftate deals with it sharpish.

Crumbling Nick · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 April, 2013, 12:30:52 am »

Quote from: Auntie Helen on 25 April, 2013, 02:12:42 pm

Well it's completely gone away on its own already so was clearly a minor one.

I think for me it's probably mostly related to riding and getting sweaty and then not changing underwear quickly enough. I am being careful about this now and we'll see how it goes. I don't fancy the Charlotte's scalpel option, especially as it's not always in the same place...

My GP suggested cleaning the relevant nether regions with babywipes to prevent the inevitable microtrauma damage becoming infected. A cleanup at lunchtime proved adequate. However it was a few years ago and I've deteriorated quite a bit since then. FWIW I don't use any underwear under padded shorts. I think it would aggravate the problem, but have no science to support that view.

clarion · « **Reply #20 on:** 26 April, 2013, 11:27:21 am »

If I get any unwelcome bumps in unfortunate places, I find an application of witchhazel stick has rapid results, especially if caught early on.

Zipperhead · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 April, 2013, 02:26:26 pm »

Wirebrush & dettol.

Stings a little but works every time.

Valiant · « **Reply #22 on:** 26 April, 2013, 11:38:24 pm »

A previous partner of mine used to suffer from this occasionally, even without doing much on the bike but she was a fitness trainer who worked out with the clients so she used to err perspire a fair bit during the course of the day and would do multiple trips of two miles or less which is nowt really. The cure in the end was a liberal use of baby wipes after each work out or a shower.

Jon P · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 April, 2013, 07:12:14 pm »

Nice work if you can get it, eh Sam? ;-)

rafletcher · « **Reply #24 on:** 28 April, 2013, 07:20:16 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 25 April, 2013, 01:30:19 pm

FWIW, I don't seem to have been similarly afflicted... but prior to that I found that antiseptic barrier cream (conotrane seems more effective than cycling-specific ones) seemed to help.

For creased areas in the nether regions, albeit not as sensitive as ladybits, I've used Siopel cream with some success.