# Saddle sores... cure?



## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

I've done some reading and I do all the basics, yet still have a couple bad ones that are starting to impact my ability to ride.

I never wear any clothing item more than one ride, wear nice chamois with no layers between skin and chamois, use Assos chamois cream, take my clothes off as soon as I get home, shower with thorough cleaning of that area right away.

I've tried leaving them alone, lancing them and squeezing all the goo out, taking time off, etc but they always come back and seem to be getting worse.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

See an MD.


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## wgscott (Jul 14, 2013)

Agree. See an MD. If it a staph infection (which is what it sounds like), you really shouldn't be doing that.

Once you get rid of them, and get back on the bike, try an alternative to the chamois cream.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Two thoughts -- fit and/or saddle.

You've taken care of yourself, and you have great bibs. Saddle sores originate as abrasion of the skin. So something isn't fitting quite right, or your skin is unusually tender and prone to abrasion.

Three things from personal experience - if the fit isn't right, then even the "right" saddle can be a problem. Second, if the saddle isn't right for you, then even the "right fit" from the usual biodynamics / biomechanics view will be a problem. I've been through both, and they work in concert. But both have to be right. Finally, you may want to lose the butt cream. If your skin is tender and abrasion prone, the cream may actually be making it worse by keeping things too soft. It can really be a matter of HTFU, in the sense of allowing the skin in the prone area to toughen. That takes time, and persistence, starting easy, and working your way up slowly.


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

tvad said:


> See an MD.


+1 on that..


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

tvad said:


> See an MD.


First this...

then this:




ibericb said:


> Two thoughts -- fit and/or saddle.





ibericb said:


> You've taken care of yourself, and you have great bibs. Saddle sores originate as abrasion of the skin. So something isn't fitting quite right, or your skin is unusually tender and prone to abrasion.
> 
> Three things from personal experience - if the fit isn't right, then even the "right" saddle can be a problem. Second, if the saddle isn't right for you, then even the "right fit" from the usual biodynamics / biomechanics view will be a problem. I've been through both, and they work in concert. But both have to be right. Finally, you may want to lose the butt cream. If your skin is tender and abrasion prone, the cream may actually be making it worse by keeping things too soft. It can really be a matter of HTFU, in the sense of allowing the skin in the prone area to toughen. That takes time, and persistence, starting easy, and working your way up slowly.




Do you think a quick wipe with a small alcohol prep pad before a cream is applied would help to make sure the area is disinfected?


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

I've been on this same saddle since the beginning of 2013 and this is a semi recent issue. I was professionally fitted about 12 months ago and have lost maybe 5lbs since then. I guess if my legs have changed size due to muscle or fat ratio, I might need to adjust saddle height. Usually I get knee pain when my saddle height is wrong though.


I'm riding more than I ever have before but it has been a gradual ramp-up over the last 12 months and it's not hugely more than it was previously. Like last year I averaged 7-8 hours per week and now I'm doing 9-10.


I'll ditch the cream and see an MD. Come to think of it... I had minor saddle sores a while ago and they have gotten progressively worse since I started using the cream. Could be coincidence or the cream could be the cause...


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Go down a size in the shorts. If possible that is.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

My previous reply was directed at not getting saddle sores. Once you have them they need appropriate treatment. If you're not having ready success with what you're doing for treatment, then by all means, see an MD. Just be prepared that, unless they are an experienced cyclist, they will treat you, and then may advise you to find something else to do. If they aren't an experienced cyclist they probably won't be able to offer much in the way of counsel to help you avoid them in the future.

FWIW - creams don't work well for me. They seem to make a bad situation temporarily tolerable, but continued use leads to bigger problems.

Fit may or may not be an issue. But, if you are morphing with increased riding experience, it will be an evolution. Along the same lines, a saddle that was okay in the past may no longer be the right one as time on the seat (ride duration) increases. This recently happened to my buddy, who after two years on one saddle that he "loved" (a Selle SMP) he found he needed a change after getting saddle sores from a century ride (he now rides a very traditional Selle SMP, his new better love). Over the past two years his style and effort have evolved, and what worked before was no longer suitable.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

MMsRepBike said:


> Go down a size in the shorts. If possible that is.


Another good possibility.


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## LuckyB (Sep 9, 2012)

Yeah, see a Doctor. Do you shave your junk? Might be an infected ingrown hair(s) at the root of your condition.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

> Do you think a quick wipe with a small alcohol prep pad before a cream is applied would help to make sure the area is disinfected?
> [/FONT]


Do NOT do this. I had a saddle sore "down there" once and decided to wipe it with rubbing alcohol, thinking it would dry and toughen the skin. Instead, I spent the next 5 minutes trying to run away from my own burning butt!


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

I used to get one or two at the beginning of the cycling season. They would get to the point where they felt like a small pea. I would squeeze them until I actually squeezed the hair follicle out. Talk about making your eyes water. After that they would heal up.


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

LuckyB said:


> Yeah, see a Doctor. Do you shave your junk? Might be an infected ingrown hair(s) at the root of your condition.


I use a buzzer but not often and the hairs are still ~2mm long when I'm done.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Peter P. said:


> Do NOT do this. I had a saddle sore "down there" once and decided to wipe it with rubbing alcohol, thinking it would dry and toughen the skin. Instead, *I spent the next 5 minutes trying to run away from my own burning butt!*


that one caught me with a mouth full of red wine -- just finished cleaning the monitor.

Too good!


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## wgscott (Jul 14, 2013)

I'd skip the hair trimmer too.

A hot compress -- like a washcloth soaked under the hot tap -- applied to the boil is a lot safer than DIY lancing it (as long as the water itself doesn't burn you), and has the benefit of killing bacteria rather than squeezing them into your bloodstream.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Peter P. said:


> Do NOT do this. I had a saddle sore "down there" once and decided to wipe it with rubbing alcohol, thinking it would dry and toughen the skin. Instead, I spent the next 5 minutes trying to run away from my own burning butt!


Does that burning indicate an issue that might be resolved by cleaning the area with a prep wipe? That's my question? You say NOT and I repeat NOT to do this... And it's because you had a one time experience? And the burning you experienced may have been very beneficial? And you don't tell us what you did with rubbing alcohol? I'm suggesting a pre-surgical wipe, the kind used prior to an immunization. If you don't know what I'm referring to, then you are not equipped to be commenting. 

What advanced degrees or years of practical experience do you have to suggest that he skin would toughen or dry? You being an idiot doesn't make for good reliability or validity.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Too bad this thread doesn't come with color photos. That'd put it over the top.


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## J-Flo (Sep 30, 2015)

All the answers are above. MD, fit/saddle, or chamois fit. 

The only time I have had issues down there involved a too-loose chamois that started to move around. It used to fit fine, but I have slimmed down.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

Put Betadine on it and ditch the chamois cream might be the trick. I had a similar situation and it worked for me.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

PBL450 said:


> Does that burning indicate an issue that might be resolved by cleaning the area with a prep wipe? That's my question? You say NOT and I repeat NOT to do this... And it's because you had a one time experience? And the burning you experienced may have been very beneficial? And you don't tell us what you did with rubbing alcohol? I'm suggesting a pre-surgical wipe, the kind used prior to an immunization. If you don't know what I'm referring to, then you are not equipped to be commenting.
> 
> What advanced degrees or years of practical experience do you have to suggest that he skin would toughen or dry? You being an idiot doesn't make for good reliability or validity.


I don't like the tone of your post, so I encourage YOU to wipe a saddle sore with alcohol. Consider it a gift.


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## willstylez (Sep 15, 2011)

I'd say skip the chamois cream altogether.

During my tour this year, I was plagued with saddle sores through the middle of the country. I ended up changing my saddle (to a Brooks B17 Imperial), but was also put on to (by another touring cyclist) baby diaper rash cream. The Zinc Oxide is the main ingredient to look for. Before your ride, put a thin coating on. Then after your ride, shower, and put another application on. Should feel the difference within a day or so.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

MMsRepBike said:


> Go down a size in the shorts. If possible that is.


No matter how good the shorts are, if they're not skin tight on me I have problems. I see people ride with loose shorts all the time and I don't know how they do it.

I usually go a size under what the charts say.


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## DaveWC (Sep 21, 2012)

Peter P. said:


> I don't like the tone of your post, so I encourage YOU to wipe a saddle sore with alcohol. Consider it a gift.


There ya go.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Srode said:


> Put Betadine on it and ditch the chamois cream might be the trick.


Betadine is good stuff.

IMO, the bottom line for the immediate future is treatment and healing. Don't ride again until the sores are completely healed.

Good suggestions regarding tighter bib shorts. I'd also consider a center channel saddle, if one is not already being used.


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

tvad said:


> Betadine is good stuff.
> 
> IMO, the bottom line for the immediate future is treatment and healing. Don't ride again until the sores are completely healed.
> 
> Good suggestions regarding tighter bib shorts. I'd also consider a center channel saddle, if one is not already being used.


I'm taking the first week of November off for vacation, gonna ride until then and push through the pain for now. Don't want to take a ton of time off.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

thisisthebeave said:


> I'm taking the first week of November off for vacation, gonna ride until then and push through the pain for now. Don't want to take a ton of time off.


That's just not smart if you're goal is to eliminate your saddle sores. 

You're falling into a common trap among cyclists...that of "riding through the pain", and "not wanting to take time off". 

Your body is telling you to stop for a while. Listen to it. You'll get your fitness back after the sores are healed.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

tvad said:


> You'll get your fitness back after the sores are healed.


Probably won't lose any. Taking a couple weeks off is much less detrimental than most think.


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## skinewmexico (Apr 19, 2010)

I don't understand the whole chamois cream thing. Never used it, never found a reason to use it.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

thisisthebeave said:


> I'm taking the first week of November off for vacation, gonna ride until then and push through the pain for now. Don't want to take a ton of time off.


Sounds like a GREAT idea! What's a little pain?

Staph infections Complications - Mayo Clinic
If staph bacteria invade your bloodstream, you may develop a type of infection that affects your entire body. Called sepsis, this infection can lead to septic shock — a life-threatening episode with extremely low blood pressure. :thumbsup:


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

tvad said:


> That's just not smart if you're goal is to eliminate your saddle sores.
> 
> You're falling into a common trap among cyclists...that of "riding through the pain", and "not wanting to take time off".
> 
> Your body is telling you to stop for a while. Listen to it. You'll get your fitness back after the sores are healed.


I'm taking time off in 2 weeks anyway, why take more time off now?


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

thisisthebeave said:


> I'm taking time off in 2 weeks anyway, why take more time off now?


Because of this sentence in post #1:


> I've done some reading and I do all the basics, *yet still have a couple bad ones that are starting to impact my ability to ride*.


Seems to me the obvious fist step to healing saddle sores would be to discontinue the activity that caused and continues to exacerbate them.

You've asked for advice, and we've given it to you. Use it however you wish.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

thisisthebeave said:


> I'm taking time off in 2 weeks anyway, why take more time off now?


Do you have active saddle sores currently? If so then you are at risk of a serious infection, as has already been explained. Be sane, completely heal first.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Peter P. said:


> I don't like the tone of your post, so I encourage YOU to wipe a saddle sore with alcohol. Consider it a gift.


My post was, at least I thought obviously, aimed at prevention, not treatment. Treating saddle sores is for a qualified practitioner. I have been told that pre surgical wipes can be one way to help prevent developing saddle sores in the first place.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

tlg said:


> Sounds like a GREAT idea! What's a little pain?
> 
> Staph infections Complications - Mayo Clinic
> If staph bacteria invade your bloodstream, you may develop a type of infection that affects your entire body. Called sepsis, this infection can lead to septic shock — a life-threatening episode with extremely low blood pressure. :thumbsup:


Thanks tig, great post. Sepsis is bad sh*t. And you are flaunting with serious danger. Even someone young and healthy can wind up with life altering complications... For people who are more frail, it is can and is a killer. Obviously, you want to focus on prevention. So, heal up completely. Then adopt a prevention ritual. It needs to start with proper fit and chamois, but it could include cleaning the area before every ride and abandoning creams or using one with something like tea tree oil which may have some limited anti-bacterial properties. DZ Nuts is what I use. And it's for that reason.


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

PBL450 said:


> Thanks tig, great post. Sepsis is bad sh*t. And you are flaunting with serious danger. Even someone young and healthy can wind up with life altering complications... For people who are more frail, it is can and is a killer. Obviously, you want to focus on prevention. So, heal up completely. Then adopt a prevention ritual. It needs to start with proper fit and chamois, but it could include cleaning the area before every ride and abandoning creams or using one with something like tea tree oil which may have some limited anti-bacterial properties. DZ Nuts is what I use. And it's for that reason.


Tea tree oil showed up in the mail today, that's my next attempt


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## Bill2 (Oct 14, 2007)

Saddle sores with goo in them don't sound right. I'd go to a doctor. 

I get two types occasionally: 
a pimple that can get irritated from the pressure: I just keep applying benzoyl peroxide cream till it goes away 
or
a cyst, not on the surface, but in between the surface and one of my ischial tuberosities. These I just try to shift around on the saddle till the pressure is decreased. They seem to go away on their own after awhile.


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## DaveWC (Sep 21, 2012)

If it was me, I'd do some cross-training while I waited for my butt to feel better. Do some running, weights, swimming... something to keep your fitness level but allow you to heal.


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## ColaJacket (Apr 13, 2015)

tvad said:


> Too bad this thread doesn't come with color photos. That'd put it over the top.


Only if a frequent thread starter had started this thread.

GH


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

DaveWC said:


> If it was me, I'd do some cross-training while I waited for my butt to feel better. Do some running, weights, swimming... something to keep your fitness level but allow you to heal.


This is great advice. If you are looking to keep active, there are tons of things you could do. I will do speed skates sometimes still and they would be perfect for this.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

skinewmexico said:


> I don't understand the whole chamois cream thing. Never used it, never found a reason to use it.


useful for day-to-day long rides in pissing rain.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

tlg said:


> If staph bacteria invade your bloodstream, you may develop a type of infection that affects your entire body. Called sepsis, this infection can lead to septic shock — a life-threatening episode with extremely low blood pressure. :thumbsup:


A co-worker died of sepsis a few years ago. Felt a little ill but didn't want to miss any time from work. Then he suddenly became violently ill and died in a few days.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> A co-worker died of sepsis a few years ago. Felt a little ill but didn't want to miss any time from work. Then he suddenly became violently ill and died in a few days.


Urinary tract infections and bed sores... The kill rate in the frail elderly is just massive.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

It was a shock to be honest. He was average health and in his early fifties. He had no other medical conditions. 
He phoned in sick with the flu for two days and then he died. We could not believe it.


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## vetboy (Oct 11, 2005)

PBL450 said:


> Does that burning indicate an issue that might be resolved by cleaning the area with a prep wipe? That's my question? You say NOT and I repeat NOT to do this... And it's because you had a one time experience? And the burning you experienced may have been very beneficial? And you don't tell us what you did with rubbing alcohol? I'm suggesting a pre-surgical wipe, the kind used prior to an immunization. If you don't know what I'm referring to, then you are not equipped to be commenting.
> 
> What advanced degrees or years of practical experience do you have to suggest that he skin would toughen or dry? You being an idiot doesn't make for good reliability or validity.


I think he's applying the "if it hurts when you go like that, don't go like that" principal. And I agree with him.


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## J-Flo (Sep 30, 2015)

So after replying that I have no problems in this area, of course yesterday I went on a long but easy MTB ride in damp conditions, and didn't take off my chamois because I thought I hadn't really worked up a sweat and intended to go for another ride (but never did), then drove home for a couple hours and finally changed at night. After today's ride, I found a damn sore, small but real. Always take off the chamois post-ride.


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

Stopped using the cream and a few days later they are still there but getting better and I went on a 5 hour ride yesterday.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

thisisthebeave said:


> Stopped using the cream and a few days later they are still there but getting better and *I went on a 5 hour ride yesterday.*


Pretty dumb.


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## skytaxi (Jan 6, 2010)

Mupirocin (Bactroban) cream was the only thing that worked for me. It's prescription only in the US. I went through several saddles and shorts, took weeks off and every time I got back on the bike the sores came back.


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## BlazingPedals (Apr 4, 2013)

Are you certain it's *just* saddle sores? Impetigo clears up on its own eventually, but it's contagious until the sores are healed. There are probably other candidates too.


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## fflutterffly (Dec 1, 2014)

Sounds like the others are right, get to the doctors. 

If the problem is in the same spot, repeatedly, and you alternate a different pair of shorts each time, then, IMHO and experience it's the saddle. ( Just as a horse's saddle may rub in the same place causing a 'hot spot.') As for the shorts: I like the 'going down one size' on the shorts as well. Bibs are the way to go to decrease bunching. Where I found the most suspect spot was where the edge of the sham rubs the inside of my leg. Also, I always, without fail, get out of my shorts ASAP at the end of the ride and use a antibacterial towelette, alcohol splash or listerine as a wipe. Boils and sores can turn into a very serious problem.


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

tvad said:


> Pretty dumb.


Why? I took off Thu/Fri/Sat


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

fflutterffly said:


> Sounds like the others are right, get to the doctors.
> 
> If the problem is in the same spot, repeatedly, and you alternate a different pair of shorts each time, then, IMHO and experience it's the saddle. ( Just as a horse's saddle may rub in the same place causing a 'hot spot.') As for the shorts: I like the 'going down one size' on the shorts as well. Bibs are the way to go to decrease bunching. Where I found the most suspect spot was where the edge of the sham rubs the inside of my leg. Also, I always, without fail, get out of my shorts ASAP at the end of the ride and use a antibacterial towelette, alcohol splash or listerine as a wipe. Boils and sores can turn into a very serious problem.


I rotate 3 different bikes that all have diff types of saddles, similar widths though and all have a "taint channel"


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

thisisthebeave said:


> Why? I took off Thu/Fri/Sat


Have you read the posts in your thread? If so, you have seen the answer to "why?".


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

They're flush with the skin now but I can feel small lumps under the skin... haven't been riding any less, just stopped using the cream.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

thisisthebeave said:


> They're flush with the skin now but I can feel small lumps under the skin... haven't been riding any less, just stopped using the cream.



Are you using gel pad shorts by chance?


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

thisisthebeave said:


> They're flush with the skin now but I can feel small lumps under the skin...


Sounds like possible clogged sebaceous glands. Consider clearing the sebum.


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## DaveWC (Sep 21, 2012)

IBTP*

(puke)


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

Rokh Hard said:


> this year has been a really bad one for saddle sores for me.....actually STAPH/MRSA infections on my ass......several times ending me up in the hospital emergency morphine drip, antibiotic drip....15hrs....STAPH....nasty stuff hard to get rid of.
> 
> the first round was when i rode the ALC ride from San Francisco 2 Los Angeles.....picked up and really nasty infection that went deep into my ass. the last round of infections i got after the Mammoth Gran Fondo Sept 11.....it was real bad.....had a huge hole/cavity in my ass that i had to return to the emergency room every day to have repacked with medicated gauze for more than a week.....the sessions were all under local anesthetic.....draining and repacking were the most painful things i have ever experienced in my life.....simply horrific......heres what you are in for.....
> 
> ...


Kudos to you on posting this. Hopefully you can stave off all the PMs hitting on you that will follow

Seriously though, that must've been hellacious. One question I have is why did you get such a bad sore in what seems to be a lot further north of where they typically appear? In other words, I'd expect one near the seat bones (bony prominence), but is it just as common in that area of the perineum?


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

tvad said:


> Too bad this thread doesn't come with color photos. That'd put it over the top.


This turned out to be one of a handful of instructive moments in your life.


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

9W9W said:


> This turned out to be one of a handful of instructive moments in your life.



yep. pix were attached, but apparently the FULL ones were a bit too much for the sensitive boys here on RBR to manage.....ill repost with cropped/edited pix.....its been "The Year Of The Antibiotic" for this cowboy. :thumbsup:


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

here are a few notes from my experience this year with saddle sores (with edited pix for the sensitive fellas in our group, ive done the best i can with my limited tools, pm me if you want to see the full color, gnarly shots of my ass laden with STAPH/MARSA, it worth the wretch i assure you) :thumbsup:
_


this year has been a really bad one for saddle sores for me.....actually STAPH/MRSA infections on my ass......several times ending me up in the hospital emergency morphine drip, antibiotic drip....15hrs....STAPH....nasty stuff hard to get rid of._

_the first round of infections was when i rode the ALC ride from San Francisco 2 Los Angeles.....picked up and really nasty bug that went deep into my ass, which took 3 months to subside, but never went away apparently.....the last round of infections i got after the Mammoth Gran Fondo Sept 11.....it was real bad.....i had a huge hole/cavity in my ass that i had to return to the emergency room every day to have repacked with medicated gauze for more than a week (same thing happen to the first infection as well).....the sessions were under local anesthetic, yes a needle into my abcess on my ass....more pain than you can ever imagine..........draining and repacking were the most painful things i have ever experienced in my life.....simply horrific......heres what you are in for....._


_when i came back to the ememgency room.....the doc said "hey!!! yer back!!!! hows it going?......HAHA!!!.....hows that $13,000 bike?......that was an F8 right?.....change sports yet?" (funny guy)_









half of the hospital staff (sexy young co-ed interns included) saw me in this position, several times a week....keeps a man humble. :thumbsup:












thats about 3ft of medicated gauze packed into that hole in my ass












this is the first one, which was more on my ass than "up in there" as the 2nd one was....for scale.....this abcess is the size of the palm of my hand.....and i have big hands....it burns like the surface of the sun. :thumbsup:












_after about 1.5 weeks of daily hospital visits it was suggested that i could heal faster and save time if i packed the giant MRSA hole in my ass, myself.....at first i said:_

_"no fookin way man....its like digging a bullet out of your own shoulder (in this case a hole in my ass), no way"_

_the doc said:_

_"you can cut your recovery time in half if you do it multiple times a day...."_


_that's all he needed to say...game on.....they got me all setup with a take home surgical kit to perform this daily procedure at home....went to riteaid and got tons of alcohol pads, sterile rubber gloves, bandages, the works.....try it man....you cant see what you are doing, looking up into your ******* with tweezers, flying a rope of gauze, into a hole in your ass....packing that hole.....even with a mirror down there.....its a mofo, and it burns every time you touch it....and you miss...and you try again....and it hurts and it burns, finally you get it started and you start packing that hole with the gauze............oh....and i wore adult diapers for two weeks to catch all the sloppy puss and blood that was draining out of the hole, via the gauze string packed into the cavity in my ass....it was really sickening, and i honestly cant believe i did it...day after day.........but its pretty much cleared up now....with the exception of the deep scar tissue, which hurts after a few hours on the saddle. _

_so....after all that....i say to you....wash your kit after every ride. wash your assole and parts.....NEVER apply cream with a dirty bare hand, use hand santizer, better yet.....use a glove.....im now "colonized" with STAPH (thanks to a recent trip to TH/KH), you might be too, welcome to the club....its a bitcch to get rid of.....wash your riding gloves......change out of your shorts ASAP....no lounging around looking cool in your bibtights......dont wipe your nose with your hands....then later use your hands to to reapply cream....STAPH lives in your nostrils and belly button......wash your ass ASAP....use Hibiclens on your assole and parts.....clean...clean....CLEAN!!! be really aware of where your hands have been, where they are going and sterilize them....you got the bug....its going around....some of my buddy cyclists have it on their legs/ass/arms too....now you have it, welcome to Club STAPH._

_and if you have to use cream.......use this....as it seems to work better for me.....and i have tried many....


_








good luck with all this....its a real bittch to get rid of when you get it....be patient, eat all your meds....and be clean!!! :thumbsup:


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

those who saw it will agree... that was a sweet mangina.

Seriously though, you have written about this in the past. Thanks for sharing pictures. I've literally broken every single one of your suggestions, flagrantly and repeatedly. Nothing thus far. Having THAT would slide me into serious depression. Glad it's over for you.


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

Wetworks said:


> Kudos to you on posting this. Hopefully you can stave off all the PMs hitting on you that will follow




thanks WW.....always happy to be of service.....no worries on the PM as over half of the posters on this thread are in Rokh Hard's Ignore(ant)Box! :thumbsup:



> Seriously though, that must've been hellacious. One question I have is why did you get such a bad sore in what seems to be a lot further north of where they typically appear? In other words, I'd expect one near the seat bones (bony prominence), but is it just as common in that area of the perineum?




honestly....this has been the most excruciating pain i have ever been thru....and i have had experienced alot of pain via sports injuries in my days.....i hope to god that all that STAPH is gone.....never again....but if so....i know how to handle it. :thumbsup:

these are two separate infections, 3-4 months apart....and in different locations, left and right....one was pretty much on my right sit bone, and the other up in the inner crotch area, near the boys, where one would traditionally see chafing from the edge of the seat.....which im going to change on the new F8, btw. :thumbsup:

whats more concerning is the scar tissue (hard knots/nodules) that i can feel deep up in my ass/parts.....if i sit on the saddle just right.....it hurts like a motherflocker.....so i kinda have to "adjust" my sitting as i ride....and ride "light" on the saddle....keeps the legs engaged more! more power! im hoping that the scar tissue will break down over time.....otherwise they will have to go in a cut it out (as an abcess).....which i really dont want to do.....its like a no mans land of tissues up in there. ugh. this really has been a motherflocker to deal with....really gets in the way of allot of stuff.....but its subsided....for now! :thumbsup:


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

9W9W said:


> those who saw it will agree... that was a sweet mangina.



thanks 9W.....that mangina now has some scars on it to tell the tale....and chicks dig scars......cant wait for a little show n tell....

"hey thar darlin.....wanna see mah scarz?" ..... heh. :devil:




> Seriously though, you have written about this in the past. Thanks for sharing pictures.



thanks man....it was pretty bold, not all that comfortable putting that out there....but if i can help one person get the message about this stuff and how not only painful but life threateningly dangerous it is, i will have been of service......this is the dark underbelly of cycling. 



> I've literally broken every single one of your suggestions, flagrantly and repeatedly. Nothing thus far. Having THAT would slide me into serious depression. Glad it's over for you.



Obey the Rules!!!! (ha!) :thumbsup:


seriously.....this kept me off the bike most of the season.....its painful, its exhausting and expensive.....do everything in your power to not get the bug.....in fact im considering not doing gran fondos/mass rides any more......2K people all rubbing cream on their assoles, then touching the food, the bathroom doors, your meeting people, shaking hands......then all that ends up in your shorts, next to your boys, up in your ass just waiting for a little hot spot, a open hair follicle......a little chafe....then game on....your life is hell......yeh, mass rides......more like mass biohazards. :thumbsup:


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

9W9W said:


> Seriously though, you have written about this in the past. Thanks for sharing pictures. I've literally broken every single one of your suggestions, flagrantly and repeatedly. Nothing thus far. Having THAT would slide me into serious depression. Glad it's over for you.



.....also....probably the most important thing here is not the pain, the suffering, the hassle, the inconvenience, the cost, ect. of being infected....but YOU become infectious.....if you live with people.....wife, husband, kids, family, roommates, girl/boy friend.....if you are infected, you then in turn have a very good probability of spreading the bacteria around to them.....thats what happened the first time i had MARSA in 2013....brought it back from TH, was on remote beaches, deep jungle, undeveloped areas exploring.....the day i got home, my skin dried out, started peeling and withing 11hrs i was in the emergency room with MRSA on my right shin (i got pix of that, but its not as exciting as my MANgina pix are)....then it spread around the house, first the kids, then the wife....we fought that bug for two months.....yeah.....STAPH/MRSA its a motherfooker.....do everything you can not to get it. :thumbsup:


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## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

not recommended for lunchtime viewing!


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

DaveG said:


> not recommended for lunchtime viewing!



....not unless you enjoy a tossed salad with your lunch! HA!! :thumbsup:


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## thisisthebeave (Aug 30, 2015)

robt57 said:


> Are you using gel pad shorts by chance?


Nah, Capo/Castelli for road/CX and Fox for MTB, all some kind of fancy foam I believe.


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## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

Rohk, I am curious, do the doctors tell you if this will this fully heal eventually?


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

DaveG said:


> Rohk, I am curious, do the doctors tell you if this will this fully heal eventually?



well.....yes.....the STAPH bacteria may/may not continue to develop into full blown infections, i would suggest reading up on this (STAPH/MRSA) as it potential in our sport is not uncommon and there is more to it than i will go into here....some thoughts through.....

we often carry the bacteria with us "colonization", but not always breaking out in full blown infections "infection"....so the answer your question, "possibly" as i may still carry the bug, but not break out with infection.....people who carry, and have had outbreaks previous are more prone to reinfection (as it could be deeper in the body/tissues).

those with weak immune systems are at higher risk of infection as well... a few years ago i underwent chemo, so that didnt help my immune system. the infection came on within within days of returning from a sleep deprived month long trip to TH, which was follow by a sleep deprived return travel from TH, accompanied by a record santa ana wind storm which tore up our city, and my house upon my return, so even less sleep there!....so i was a perfect storm for infection, essentially little to no sleep for several weeks. 

the second time, was on day 5 of successive 5 day, 100mi days, riding from SF2LA, lots of cycling, not lots of sleep......again, your best bet is prevention as the cure its much harder to come by. 

the takeaway is 

be clean
get sleep
protect your immune system
dont over-train


:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

Rokh Hard said:


> i would suggest reading up on this (STAPH/MRSA) as it potential in our sport is not uncommon


I'm gonna stick with ignorance, the pictures and description are too gruesome! Sounds like you've endured a lot


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## Christine (Jul 23, 2005)

_I see people ride with loose shorts all the time and I don't know how they do it._

I wear baggy shorts/capris over padded chamois "underwear" (whatever they're called.) SheBeest "Bermuda commutas" can be worn separate from the padded inner shorts, so sometimes I wear the padded part under hiking pants and whatnot, now that the weather's getting colder.

But I'm a mtb'er at heart, so baggy clothes seem normal on the bike!

Never had saddle sores, but then I don't ride freakishly long distances in one sitting, either! Even when I raced, though, never got 'em. But chamois cream *does* have drawbacks for women, I found, so I don't use it anymore.


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

DaveG said:


> I'm gonna stick with ignorance, the pictures and description are too gruesome! Sounds like you've endured a lot



whoa now cowboy!!! ignorance may get you a nice photo album of your own!! you dont want that!!! :yikes:

im not saying cuz the net for pix of big leaky puss pumping boils (unless thats your kink)....but read up on what STAPH is, how it happens, ways to prevent....you know...educate yourself on it, its REAL common in cycling, esp if you do group rides, gran fondos, charity events and the like....just be educated!

here...this is SFW....

Staphylococcus colonization of the skin and antimicrobial peptides

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

in the first article it estimated that MRSA kills more people annually IN THE USA than HIV/AIDS!!!! (this i did not know).....thats a bit more than just a pimple on your ass, cowboy! 

happy reading/learning! :thumbsup:


ps - yeah....ive been thru alot....and there is more to come.....on tuesday im having a heart procedure called an Ablation, to correct this Afib (atrial fibrillation) which a lifetime of endurance sports/athletics has afforded me....too much of a good thing! all things in moderation (what the fook is moderation?!?!?).....yes....this year has been The Year of the Infirmary, for sure. carry on! :thumbsup:


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

Christine said:


> _I see people ride with loose shorts all the time and I don't know how they do it. _


yeah...what a nightmare it must be for them.....skin tight baby!! always!!! go tight or go home!!! :thumbsup:



> Never had saddle sores, but then I don't ride freakishly long distances in one sitting, either! Even when I raced, though, never got 'em. But chamois cream *does* have drawbacks for women, I found, so I don't use it anymore.



yeah....purists diss the cream....with a good chamois you dont need cream, donno....ive tried it both ways....but on the really long rides in one sitting its hard to get off the cream........hey we do our best to Obey Rule #5 but if im leaving my ass flesh on the chamois on a 800km ride....im hittin da cream baby! :thumbsup:


....ps - i have a theory about "double dipping" in the cream as well....but thats for another time. :thumbsup:


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## Rokh Hard (Nov 25, 2013)

thisisthebeave said:


> I've done some reading and I do all the basics, yet still have a couple bad ones that are starting to impact my ability to ride.
> 
> I never wear any clothing item more than one ride, wear nice chamois with no layers between skin and chamois, use Assos chamois cream, take my clothes off as soon as I get home, shower with thorough cleaning of that area right away.
> 
> I've tried leaving them alone, lancing them and squeezing all the goo out, taking time off, etc but they always come back and seem to be getting worse.



so....you want a "cure", huh? 


1) dont get an infection in the first place. fixst. :thumbsup:

2) follow my lead/direction, which is a path carved by time and experience and you will have a very HIGH probability of NOT getting any further infections. fixst. :thumbsup:

i was really surprised thru all this that i have been thru with the cycling related STAPH/MRSA infections, just how LITTLE all the doctors, nurses, and staff know about how to PREVENT cycling related saddle sores/infections.......there is more to it than "keeps yer parts clean and wash your shorts"......i find that odd.....however, i bet with the explosion of cycling that this will change as more and more people have chronic infections.....well....i would hope....we are kinda like cattle to the health care professionals.

anyway....you wanted a "cure".....well cowboy....i have offered you one. do with it, as you will. ride on. :thumbsup:


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## Squint (Jan 22, 2004)

I'll second the zit cream for pimple-type sores. For chafing-type sores, covering them with Newskin or Superglue worked wonders.

If it's an infection rather than just an overgrown pimple or chafing then you need medical attention. Know the difference. And don't try to lance the pimples.


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## Christine (Jul 23, 2005)

_on tuesday im having a heart procedure called an Ablation, to correct this Afib (atrial fibrillation) which a lifetime of endurance sports/athletics has afforded me....too much of a good thing! _

Whoa, is that today?? Keep us posted, and how is a-fib cased by exercise?? That's news to me. I was told that Graves' disease could be aggravated by exercise/caffeine, but I'm still indulging in both.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

Christine said:


> _on tuesday im having a heart procedure called an Ablation, to correct this Afib (atrial fibrillation) which a lifetime of endurance sports/athletics has afforded me....too much of a good thing! _
> 
> Whoa, is that today?? Keep us posted, and how is a-fib cased by exercise?? That's news to me. I was told that Graves' disease could be aggravated by exercise/caffeine, but I'm still indulging in both.



Do the research, marathon runners and endurance HRs afforded for hours on end like cycling, CX Skiing etc is a bad thing later according to most studies I am afraid.

I have mild issues, my sister has had the ablation round one...
I have decided to not run zone 4 much, and even 3 too much anymore riding. SO my low gears and paperboying steep hill has an excuse now.
And my TT bike will get offed, as I am done with that. Probably has most to do with my issues such as they are.

Just some:

Leonard Zinn posted a good article tonight that does a good job explain AFib. He has the scary type where his heart will beat at 220+ for long periods of time.

The heart and masters cycling - VeloNews.com

Here is a report written by cardiologist that is/was a marathon runner.

Endurance Exercise: Is it Proarrhythmic? | EP Lab Digest


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