What’s this lump in my armpit?

Symptoms:

You’re in your 20s, you shave your armpits and you use a roll-on antiperspirant, your armpits have been red and inflamed and you have painful lumps in one of them.

You’ve discovered a lump as big as a walnut in your armpit. It’s painless and you can move it between your fingers.

You discovered this lump in your armpit when you were doing breast selfexamination. It’s about the size of a grape and when you try to move it, it feels tethered to skin. It could be: Hidradenitis suppurativa, an infection of sweat glands caused in women who shave their armpits and use deodorants or antiperspirants. It can become chronic. Stop it:

Quit shaving and stop using antiperspirants and deodorants. See your doctor for antibiotic cream for the infection. Visit a dermatologist if you need long-term treatment.