painful anal skin near Barbie butt closure

Rosie – – I too have a Barbie butt, but have not had the aching problem.   sounds dreadful and I’m sorry for your experience.  The only thought I have is an adhesion from original surgery.  but why now after nine years?   good we can crowd source this question as I’d like to know too.  hope in other ways you are well. Jan 

Hi Rosie, 

My first thought was of a yeast infection but you already treat and are vigilant about it. By the way, avoid anything but cotton undies, do not wear thongs (ouch!), only wash down there with detergent-free soaps and not bubble bath...you can use homemade bath salts using sea salt and essential oils. 

As for the pain, I would get cyst or abscesses up there...often things worked themselves out by soaking in a hot tube with sea salt. 

Is the pain in a very defined site (like 1 square inch) or is it more a diffused pain...? Is it hot to the touch (inflamation) or is it a sharp pain? Does it hurt more when you press on it or when you let go?

Lots of questions but they can help get you some answers at a time when we really do not want to go to the hospital for any reason at all!

By the way, have you started any new sports, gone bicycling or riding of any sort? Yoga? 

These can also cause unexpected pain.

Sharon

Thank you both for the reply. Oddly enough, now that you mention it, Sharon, since the gym is closed during quarantine, I have been riding my bicycle every night around my neighborhood. I wonder if even that short ride is placing pressure on the closure site. It never even crossed my mind. But it’s definitely a new activity. Hmmm... I wonder if I will have to give it up or if I will become used to it. 

Sounds like it could be...it happened to me years ago (I haven't written a bike since other than a stationary bike)...it actually 'activated' something in there that developed into an abscess. 

So, try getting a gel-filled seat cover if you can or replace your seat with something softer and cushier...

In the meantime, and until it goes away, take a couple of sitz baths a day using sea salt (it is not fine salt but chunky and needs hot water to dissolve...I buy it in the health food section of my grocery store in France for about 1$/2lbs so it is not expensive at all),  you can add a few drops of essential oils like lavender or thyme, both very disinfectant and antiinflammatory...(and your tusshy will smell nice!).

That should help ease the pain a bit and help with the yeast infections if they come back.

Sharon

P.S try using glycerine soap down there in a sitz bath...it works well too

Thank you. I will be trying the bath, that sounds good. 

Recently a doctor found a mass where my rectum use to be. I kept telling doctors it felt like I was sitting on a baseball but no one would even look. It was like since I don’t have a rectum they thought there couldn’t be a problem there. Finally Dr. Shriller found this terrific colorectal surgeon in my state for me to see. He really listened and looked to see why my bottom felt like that. I was sitting on a big ball of scar tissue. He removed it as well as other scar tissue and it helped a lot. After eight years of constant pain I have gotten some relief. I still have pain at the tailbone but no more pain where my rectum was. I’m in Texas. I don’t know where you are but if the pain gets worse the doctor here is one I would recommend. His name is Robert Jacobson.

Hi Rosie, sorry to read about your current pain concern. I can relate with you at this time too. I think an assessment with a colorectal surgeon would be a very good idea.  Just wondering if your soreness and itchiness could be a result of peri-anal fissures or tags, or possible abscesses. Have had KP for over 30 years, and in recent years, have experienced chronic, diffuse pain and itchiness in this area. For myself I've suspected chronic intermittent pain due to p/a fissures & formation of skin tags. Lately the pain and itchiness symptoms have increased, (also, last year I had ongoing, excruciating tailbone pain and SI inflammation radiating to p/a area likely due to lifting injury), and am now suspecting perianal abscess, or maybe even scar tissue. I plan to consult surgeon at the Zane Cohen Centre, Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto soon. Hope things will improve for you soon.  Please don't feel alone with this, and take care.