[Anonymous]

Please keep anon.

This is not a very nice topic... but for about 18 months I had a blackish browney dot on my face. I think it was a blackhead. Underneath the black dot I could feel a small lump underneath it, it wasn't particularly big, but was larger than the visible black dot. The black dot was about 2mm large and the bump under the skin was about 4mm. I'm quite lazy so I never did anything about it. I tried half-assedly a couple of times to pull it out but never really succeeded.

Today I was just randomly touching my face in the vacinity of the black dot and it all of sudden the plug came out just like that.

From here onwards, pus started spewing out and it absolutely reeked of cheese. It was a very strong and horrible smell. Absolutely disgusting.

I'm sorry if this post sounds trollish. I assure you I am not a troll. But is this normal? I know that a forum is not the best place to get medical advice, but is it normal for blackheads to do this? To spew out loads of pus when they're removed which smells so vile? Or could it be some kind of cyst or even cancer? I'm quite worried, I'm a massive hypochondriac and plan to go to the doctors tomorrow but I wanted to ask on here for tonight. It is gone now, my face now has a small little crater where the dot was.

My mum reckons it's normal and is just a blackhead but I just wanted to know if anyone has any experience with blackheads and whether this happens so I can ascertain whether it was a blackhead or not. Or rather if anyone with something else has had such an experience and can tell me what it is.

Thanks.

[Chiko 1001]

How old are you? Are the edges of the spot clearly defined or are they hazy? Is it painful?

(Please quote me or I'll totally forget to come back to this thread, ha)

[Schroedinger's Pandora]

I'm no doctor (yet!), but I'm 100% sure skin cancer doesn't pop and reslease pus!

It was most probably a blackhead, yes. If it's been festering in your skin for a long time as you say, there will be lots of bacteria and as gross as it is, yes it does smell. Subaceous cysts are renowned for smelling pretty nastily when released, and they, technically, are also harmless.

Relax.

[I<3LAMP]

Sounds like a deep set blackhead or a cyst.

Most likely a sebaceous cyst as they harbour a cheese like pus.

I get them from time to time either on my neck, behind the ears, upper back/shoulder and chin. Can get painful and I end up spending quality time with a sterilised needle and a wad of tissues.

My Dad gets them a lot...thanks Dad.

[kirstyoneil]

Sounds like a black head. Maybe it smells like that because you left it for so long. It sounds like a normal spot...