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White Bumps On Lower Back, Not Itchy, Not Painful. Hard Pus And Bleeds. Any Ideas?

Posted on Sat, 23 Jun 2012

Question: My five year old male has a patch of little white bumps on lower back. They do not itch and he says they are not painful at all. They are a patch of 20 little bumps covering the size of his hand. I have opened one up while he was asleep and a small white ball comes out it is kind of like a puss but intact. After the small ball comes out it bleeds a little, but then it seems to get better. I have tried antifungal cream and antibiotic cream they do not work. Any ideas?

Answered by Dr. Jasvinder Singh (2 hours later)

Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.

These small pimples on the back can be due to folliculitis which is caused by irritation and inflammation of the hair follicles. It is usually caused by irritation, infections like bacteria and yeasts and other noninfectious skin conditions. Sometimes it is caused by clogging of pores by dandruff falling from the scalp. Boils are caused by infection of the hair follicle by staph aureus and may occur due to hair follicles that are blocked by greasy creams and petroleum jelly or by using shared cosmetics or washcloths.

For folliculitis of the back, keep the area clean and apply some topical antiseptics. Also your son should wear loose-fitting cotton clothing and use an antibacterial soap.

Avoid any kind of cosmetics especially greasy cosmetic creams and if your son’s hair has dandruff then use a good antidandruff shampoo. It can be avoided by exercising good hygiene. Topical antibiotics like Clindamycin and Neosporin which are usually available under prescription are effective.

Do consult Dermatologist if these measures do not work, for confirmation of diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Please accept my answer in case you have no follow up query.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Jyoti Patil

Follow up: Dr. Jasvinder Singh (8 hours later)

I have tried both Clindamycin and Neosporin and neither of them have any effect. he gets bathed every night so I do not think that it is due to poor hygiene. The spots on his back do not resemble pimples and he does not have any signs of dandruff on his head. I had thought of this already and when the dermatologist looked at his skin he said that it was not a case of folliculitis. We have not applied any thing oily to his skin and the treatment the dermatologist suggested has not been effective. Thank you in advance for any further information that you can give us. I can also send pictures if needed.

Answered by Dr. Jasvinder Singh (16 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for writing back.

The other possibilities which can present with such symptoms are sebaceous cysts or molluscum contagiosum. Molluscum is a viral infection presenting in children as multiple, small, dome-shaped papules, often with a central depression or plug.

You can also send me the pictures at YYYY@YYYY with sub: “ATTN Dr Jasvinder singh” or attach them with this query, so that I can have a look at the photographs and it will help me in understanding the condition better. You also have a feature to upload the picture on the right side of query. Please utilize that.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.
Please accept my answer in case you have no follow up query.

Wishing your son a good health.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Jyoti Patil

Follow up: Dr. Jasvinder Singh (2 days later)

It may be Molluscum Contagiosum. It does not have a central depression, but it does seem to spreading and we would like to contain it. I know that Molluscum Contagiosum can go away on its own in time, but I would like to know how I am going to treat it to keep it from spreading and if there is a cream that I can use to get rid of it sooner. Thank you.