A very large red sore pimple (saddle sore?) has developed and I have no idea how to treat it. What is the best way to treat this?

Thanks,
Funky Soul

A very large red sore pimple (saddle sore?) has developed and I have no idea how to treat it. What is the best way to treat this?

Thanks,
Funky Soul
There is no magic cure. The only thing that worked for me was time off the bike.

A very large red sore pimple (saddle sore?) has developed and I have no idea how to treat it. What is the best way to treat this?

I get these ocassionally and in my case it has always been an ingrown hair. As for a fix, I take a hot bath to somewhat open up the pore. I then get out of the shower, throw a leg up on the bathroom counter and use the mirror so I can see the 'pimple,' then I squeeze it until it pops. Once it pops, I get some tweezers and pull the ingrown hair out. Hurts like hell to do this but takes care of the issue.

Hurts like hell but the only way to get it on the healing track fast is to empty it and if its bad then maybe time off the bike, but for me a good squeeze, extraction of any foriegn body (ie.. hair) and an application of some ointment and back on the bike I go. A little sore but manageable...for me.

-JG

A very large red sore pimple (saddle sore?) has developed and I have no idea how to treat it. What is the best way to treat this?

Thanks,
Funky Soul

Size is everything? Is the area just swollen and red? Is it open? If it feels sore when you first start riding and the discomfort does not go away, and/or it is actually open, then don't ride for a day or two unless it is a race you can't bear to miss.

I am a believer in NOT squeezing and/or opening saddle sores. This is just a good way to get an infection started. When I get one that is noticeable, I do two things. First, I wash it very well in the shower, even giving the area a light "scrub" with my finger nails. Then, I use some 1% cortisone ointment on the area, and apply this 3-4 times per day. There, my secret is out.

If you have problems with sores in one consistent place, you need to look at your shorts and your bike fit. Sometimes shorts that are fine for one person can rip another person up. Ditto with saddles and bike fit. If the sores are on one side, it is quite possible you have a "functional" leg length discrepancy and the side with the sores is also the side with the functionally shorter leg. By functional, I mean that both legs could be identical in morphology but your muscular structure and pelvic alignment might mean that one leg is operating like it is shorter. This is the case for me, my left leg is functionally shorter and if I have a saddle sore it is probably going left.

For a "low level" butt pimple (which can be the start of a serious saddle sore) I've been using the pop and drain method for decades with great success. Every few years, I get one that just won't go away, and when this happens, I get aggressive with the squeezing plus I put some antibiotic cream on a bandaid to cover it. This usually clears it up in 2-3 days, both by getting the antibiotic in there and by keeping the drainage going. YMMV