Pimple?!!!!

[BoyMama2000]

Hi Everyone,

My son had a fistulotomy on August 30th and a very large abscess unearthed. It is all healed but there is still a groove that needs to fill in. I have been covering the groove and making sure it is clean after a BM. Last night I noticed what looks like a pimple about 1/4-1/2 inch above where the track is healing. It is a slightly red, not tender and somewhat hard. There is no heat on or around it. I sent a photo via email to his GI doc and surgeon. Could this just be a pimple or an irritation? I imagine having the area covered doesn't help with any of that. Have any of you had something like this happen? How can you really even tell if this is a simple pimple versus an abscess other than time I guess. I am a little hopeful because his abscess was very painful.

After 4 unsuccessful surgeries and months of being out of activities and in pain...he is horrified. He couldn't sleep last night until I went in with him. Frankly, I am very scared as well.

If any of you have thoughts on this or experience, it would help us a lot. Also, could an large pimple turn into something that can cause a fistula in someone with Crohns? I wonder if this could be how this all started in the first place. It is not an area that anyone normally views a lot.

Thanks.

 

[mish2575]

I wonder if the pimple is a fistula off the original abscess that has been covered.

**hugs** to your son. Keep us updated.

 

[BoyMama2000]

That is what I am wondering. His surgeon emailed me and said it is unclear that it is linked to surgical site. He wants me to measure it and let him know if it grows. He also wants hot pad or warm water soaks. I am off to get a hot pad. It would be nice to see it go away and not return. Then we would know it is simply a pimple. Of course, we can't assume it is in someone with a history of perianal abscess and fistula with Crohns!

 

[mish2575]

As an acne, boil and cyst expert Do not pick. It will go away much faster if you don't. Not even if there's a bright white head. And no squeezing, even if it bursts on its own.

 

[Grumbletum]

Poor boy and poor you :-( I sincerely hope it's not a fistula and that it will clear up with the heat pads. There's no discharge coming from it?

 

[BoyMama2000]

It is getting smaller and is skin color now. There is still no heat, no drainage and no pain. Surgeon wants us to keep a close eye on it and take measurements. It is hard to measure but seems to be getting a bit smaller each time I do. It is .3cm x .4 cm this morning and is also flatter. Perhaps it was a superficial pimple that scared the heck out of us but of course, we need to take extra precaution given his history. We actually have a postop visit with the surgeon Friday. He said we could cancel it if things were healing well but I plan to take him in even if it is gone now.

Will keep you all posted. Thanks for the thoughts and wishes. So far, we are very, very cautiously optimistic.

 

[Hopeinhealing]

Were there any dissolving stitches put in? I had a similar issue a few weeks after my last surgery and it was my skin rejecting one of the stitches (as it would any foreign object, such as a splinter). It may be a stretch, but thought I'd ask anyway since it is strangely similar to what I went through.

 

[Hopeinhealing]

And I just noticed this post was from November, lol. I'm sure your issue has been resolved by now. Sorry--new to this forum.