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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can I Take Hot Compress For Lipoma On Lower Shoulder?

The area around my lipoma (on my upper back lower shoulder) has become red and inflamed. I know the doctor will want to remove it and put me on antibiotics as he did with a similar lipoma which also became inflamed six years ago. I prefer to avoid antibiotics just now. Could hot compresses and a drain help as I did with my pilonidal cyst 20 years ago? What are the chances that the infection could get into my blood stream? Should I be concerned?
Fri, 7 Feb 2014
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Dermatologist,  's  Response
hello,

A drainage procedure will only help if there is something to drain. If the area is just red and inflamed without any pus formed (abscess), then drainage is not of any help.
however, if frank pus is present, then drainage becomes necessary which i think would be done along with lipoma excision itself.

In both cases, it is advisable to take antibiotics along with it so that you don't land up in severe infection. Ideally, in pilonidal sinus also, one should have given you a course of antibiotics if it was infected. A short course of antibiotics will not do any harm but avoiding it can possibly do a lot of harm

Thanks
Dr Jyoti Gupta
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Can I Take Hot Compress For Lipoma On Lower Shoulder?

hello, A drainage procedure will only help if there is something to drain. If the area is just red and inflamed without any pus formed (abscess), then drainage is not of any help. however, if frank pus is present, then drainage becomes necessary which i think would be done along with lipoma excision itself. In both cases, it is advisable to take antibiotics along with it so that you don t land up in severe infection. Ideally, in pilonidal sinus also, one should have given you a course of antibiotics if it was infected. A short course of antibiotics will not do any harm but avoiding it can possibly do a lot of harm Thanks Dr Jyoti Gupta