girlie parts, cyst, and saddle

[oberlaenderm]

Hi! This one concerns a sensitive area of the body:

I wondered if any of you other female cyclists have experienced the following: a small, pea-sized cyst in the region that connects with the saddle.

My primary care physician thinks it's possibly a clogged sweat gland beneath the surface of the skin (a.k.a. Skeete's gland, or possibly even a Bartholin gland) and attributes it to my cycling. She said such a thing is benign, and I should only worry about it if it becomes considerably larger, because then it might have formed an abcess.

I'd like to continue my daily cycling, but this cyst is a little uncomfortable (doesn't really hurt) and I want to minimize the chances of getting more in the future. If any of you have had a similar problem, what did you do to alleviate it?

Did you change saddle (mine is women's specific, with a central cut-out and I actually like it), or just the saddle position, or did you try different types of cycling shorts?

If any of you are nurses or doctors, do you have any better suggestion than just taking a sitz bath when it flares up?

I'd appreciate any helpful feedback you might have. According to a web site I looked up (which says nothing about preventing such cysts), only about 2 % of women in the general population get such things. I wonder if the incidence is higher among cyclists, since we spend so much time in the saddle?

Thanks!

 

[wizzkid]

Just a couple of tips always you may of heard them before but here you are again! Never wear your shorts more than once without washing them, always washn in an anti-bacterial wash, Assos is usually a good one to buy. Always use chamois cream applied to the chamois before you ride. Oh and just in case don't wear anything under your shorts, a friend of mine used to and always suffered with boils and cysts hope this helps!!!

 

[oberlaenderm]

Actually, I do wear underwear under my cycling shorts -- it seems a little strange to wear them without undies. I wash them right away in the washing machine and air dry them.

Any recommendation on types of chamois creams? Does using such cream make the chamois wear out faster?

Thanks for the recommendation in any case -- I'll try going without and see if that helps.

I've also found that cross-training with other exercises that don't involve a saddle help the cyst to go down, so when I resume riding more, I hope it won't flare up again.

Thanks for replying to such a "sensitive" topic.

 

[JuneBug]

Originally posted by oberlaenderm
Actually, I do wear underwear under my cycling shorts -- it seems a little strange to wear them without undies. I wash them right away in the washing machine and air dry them.
Any recommendation on types of chamois creams? Does using such cream make the chamois wear out faster?

1. to get rid of the cyst like lesion. sometimes you have to just POP the durn thing then SLATHER on Hydrocortisoid cream or better yet some triple anti biotic cream. KEEP IT CLEAN. If you got the nerve to pop it,...just take it to where blood comes out. then you are done. KEEP IT CLEAN. or it will reinfect. OUCH.

2. wear clean chamois. Better yet take a cloth or TUCKS or some kinda wipee thing and clean yourself before you ride.

3. No undies with chamois. ( I used to do that too....no one gives instructions on the bike pants its not our fault)

4. chamois butter. It feels nice, it does the trick.

5. If you can avoid it....Dont shave up there where your saddle goes.
I used to wonder when I got saddle sores what the heck..is it an ingrown hair or a bacterial cycst.

As for saddles. I dont think it matters. I am not sure though Maybe someone knows the answer to that.

no UNDIES> not even a thong!

 

[oberlaenderm]

I appreciate the advice! Two of the other cycling chicks in my touring club just today told me the same thing about the no underwear "rule" with cycling shorts. So, I'll try it with Bag Balm (since I have that on hand) on tomorrow's ride.

Now it's time to see what the wind and temps are supposed to do, so I'll know what to wear for the ride. Thank goodness spring is finally emerging here and it's possible to get more time in on the bike. Happy cycling and thanks for responding.