Scarleteen

I have a small-ish red bump on my vag and I don't know what it is. It hurts to touch and it's making me uncomfortable to sit. So far, it's been pretty ignorable, but it IS definitely present.

I googled it (I know, I know) and it seems to match the description of "vaginal boil", but all the pictures I saw either look at LOT worse than what I have or they're those stock photos with a lady with a peach between her legs.

First of all, what is it, if you have any guesses whatsoever? Cleveland Clinic (on the vaginal boil page) said that a warm compress and keeping it clean will PROBABLY make it go away pretty quick-ish. Do you have any other advice?

My other question is...where tf did it come from?! I'm a virgin, but I do masturbate, and I have been a little more frequent with it lately, so maybe that's the cause? I also haven't shaved or trimmed in a HOT minute, so maybe the extra hair has just created a breeding ground for Gross Stuff. I also experienced a really long period (tons of brown discharge, and then a lot more blood than I usually have for the normal amount of time, and then light brown discharge the last week or so), so maybe that could be it, too. I'm a pad user, if that adds anything to the conversation?

I've never had anything like this before, so I just really have no clue how to go about it, and I feel kind of weird about asking my mom unless it's an emergency. Literally ANY advice is MUCH appreciated. Thank you so so much in advance!!!

Hey plutoonium,

So my first suggestion to you is if you have the ability to, to make an appointment with your doctor or visit a seuxal health clinic. Both things you can do alone, without parent permission (if you're worried about that) after the age of 13, and if you are covered by your parent's insurance you generally won't have to pay any or much out of pocket to get seen. Alternatively, you can also look up free health clinics in your local area, which there any be a few of.

Since we cannot diagnose, we can only provide you with information and education on this. I would recommend that if you are experiencing any pain or discomfort that you see a physician. Given that we cannot confidently identify this spot by sight or feel we can only do our best to help with resouces. In general, spots can occur, like you said, from poor hygiene practices, ingrown hairs, or infection passed from something like shared towels, under-clothing, or washing tools. Are you in a position currently where you could make an appointment to be seen by someone in your area?