# Broomstick's New Zit From Hell **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 16, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780 "2008-09-16T01:48:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/21 "2008-09-16T15:44:54Z")
> [@](#): > > The wound obligingly burps up a wad of pustulent grossness and a small miasmic cloud of rot-stench. My, but you have a way with words. Good luck on your (very speedy, I hope) recovery. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/22 "2008-09-16T16:29:47Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > apparently it was urpsing up biohazard during the night I adore your descriptions. Hope you’re feeling better. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/23 "2008-09-16T16:47:19Z")
A combination of good humor and creative description has gotten me through many medical misadventures. I just wish I didn’t have quite so much practice at it… ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/24 "2008-09-16T17:00:52Z")
I feel terrible, because I mentioned your horror story in a newly created zit story thread. Perhaps my mention brought it back from the grave! How embarrassing. In the meantime, don’t forget hot compresses. Use the hottest, saltiest water you can stand. The heat opens up blood vessels in the area, bringing in immune cells and the antibiotic. The salt pulls fluid out of the injury, allowing more good stuff to sneak in. In the meantime, I hope your doc also gave you good pain meds. Hydrocodone isn’t that expensive, and you sure deserve some for what you’re going through. Stupid MRSA. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/25 "2008-09-16T18:29:28Z")
I don’t get it either, why some people are prone to infection and some just aren’t. Not to tempt fate or anything, but I’ve never had a skin infection in my life (even after stepping on a rusty nail as a kid). My wound care usually involves bleeding it as well as I can, and leaving it alone after that (I rarely use bandaids or sterilize the wound. I might pour a little rubbing alcohol on it if I think of it.) I would volunteer for a study to help the scientists figure out what I’ve got that other people are missing if it would help. 😕 Fingers crossed for a speedy return to health, **Broomstick**. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/26 "2008-09-16T18:46:32Z")
Are you sure that your OTC antibiotic goo isn’t [contaminated](http://www.springerlink.com/content/h606144x7nn51426/)? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/27 "2008-09-16T19:39:54Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > I feel terrible, because I mentioned your horror story in a newly created zit story thread. Perhaps my mention brought it back from the grave! How embarrassing. Ha ha ha - yes, it’s _all your fault!_ You jinxed me! No - that first story has been mentioned lots of times before that. Pure coincidence. > [@](#): > > In the meantime, I hope your doc also gave you good pain meds. Hydrocodone isn’t that expensive, and you sure deserve some for what you’re going through. Nope, I didn’t ask and he didn’t offer. It’s painful, but it’s not interfering with my sleep, and the pain keeps me from overdoing it or running around too much which would not be helpful at this point. Actually, it hurts less right now than yesterday at this time. And my ankle bone appears to be resurfacing from my swollen leg. Probably both good signs. > [@featherlou](#): > > ``` > I don't get it either, why some people are prone to infection and some just aren't. > > ``` Well, in my case, due to allergy-related skin problems my skin is broken much more frequently than most people’s, and that alone increases my risk of getting any sort of skin infection. Diabetes makes for more risk, too, but I’ve been tested quite often and I don’t have diabetes (thank goodness). In some cases, there’s a clear cause leading to susceptibility. But yes, sometimes a person seems prone to something for no apparent reason. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/28 "2008-09-16T20:00:24Z")
Much as I enjoy an epic zit story, I really hope that this doesn’t turn into one. I wish you the best of luck and hope that you have a speedy recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/29 "2008-09-16T20:07:08Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Are you sure that your OTC antibiotic goo isn’t [contaminated](http://www.springerlink.com/content/h606144x7nn51426/)? I thought about this, and I think it’s unlikely. It’s a relatively new tube, and when I use it I don’t let the tip touch anything, instead I squeeze it over the wound. We’re usually pretty careful about that stuff because my husband’s a diabetic and we need to be careful about those things. We often replace the tubes of goo before they’re used up just because we’re suspicious about them being open too long, even if we’re careful about keeping them clean. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/30 "2008-09-16T20:27:04Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > No - that first story has been mentioned lots of times before that. Pure coincidence. Dare I ask for a link to Part 1? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/31 "2008-09-16T21:41:01Z")
My story starts at post #44 [Favorite Pimple Stories](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=106449) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/32 "2008-09-16T22:27:57Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > I don’t get it either, why some people are prone to infection and some just aren’t. Not to tempt fate or anything, but I’ve never had a skin infection in my life (even after stepping on a rusty nail as a kid). My wound care usually involves bleeding it as well as I can, and leaving it alone after that (I rarely use bandaids or sterilize the wound. I might pour a little rubbing alcohol on it if I think of it.) I would volunteer for a study to help the scientists figure out what I’ve got that other people are missing if it would help. 😕 > > Fingers crossed for a speedy return to health, **Broomstick**. Same here. I cut my foot on a broken bottle at the beach and walked through all kinds of crap to rinse it in Lake Michigan and nary a problem was had. Best of luck to you with this latest grossening eruption. My friend did outpatient IV treatment to avoid a hospital stay with his MRSA. I hope that’s an option for you if the oral meds don’t do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/33 "2008-09-16T23:47:32Z")
I’m trying to decide if I’m more comfortable with my leg elevated or not. So far, it seems a bit of a toss-up. I am not and have not been running a fever during all this - apparently the infection is still very localized. I think the festering thing is trying to come to a head. It keeps burping up little gobs of puss. I wish it would just _vomit_ puss and get the bulk of the nastiness out of me. I almost always feel better after a good puke, I’m sure my infected shin would have similar results. I do have some appetite tonight, but it’s uncomfortable to stand for a long enough period of time to do a full dinner, so I made a bowl of soup (used the last of the garden’s spinach in it, too) My husband is driving me nuts. He still had the Headcold From Hell, and keeps anxiously asking “Is it better? Is it really better? Is it worse?” Well, dear, I’m sorry but this was just not going to get all better and have me skipping down the street in a mere 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Moment\_Slayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Moment\_Slayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moment_Slayer)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/34 "2008-09-17T01:16:13Z")
Broomstick, Reading this thread after having just read your thread on bird potty training. One thought that leaped into my head is whether you bird is a carrier for the MRSA. This doesn’t mean the bird is **BAD** as nearly all people carry Staph aureus on their skin and it is only a real problem when a wound occurs and it is drug resistant. Given that you have had the bug before it is possible you’ve passed it back and forth with the bird. Just a thought - your vet can likely check for MRSA in the bird poo. Note that this is a theory of the most unsupported form but the juxtaposition of the two threads caused my spidey sense to tingle. Also please note that I am not a physician nor an infectious disease specialist however I am in the science field. I did a brief Pubmed search and found 12 references regarding MRSA and birds. Most of them regard food animals but if it is possible with food animals it might also be possible with pets. Best of luck beating the bug. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/35 "2008-09-17T02:18:13Z")
I’m more concerned with passing it to the birds than vice versa. The conure we’ve had for over a year. The cockatiels for five. If they were carriers I think I would have caught this before now. Also, we’re careful about washing up after cleaning up bird droppings, changing cages, etc. All of our birds were domestically bred. These are not the same birds we had the last time I had an infection. Frankly, I think it MUCH more likely I picked it up either in my garden, or at work since at work I’m often dealing with dirt, bugs, and so forth. Or from contact with another human being. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/36 "2008-09-17T10:17:52Z")
I hate to bring this up, but have you checked for an allergic reaction to the antibiotic? My daughter had an infected spot on her leg that WOULD NOT heal, and it turns out that she’s allergic to one of the ingredients in Neosporin. She now uses another antibiotic cream. Would you humor me and test your antibiotic on an unbroken, uninfected patch of skin, please? I worry about you and your allergies. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/37 "2008-09-17T10:47:04Z")
Well, what I’ve got brewing on my leg isn’t like _any_ allergic reaction I’ve ever had, but OK, that’s not unreasonable. Haven’t looked at it yet, but walking is less painful this morning ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/38 "2008-09-17T16:26:45Z")
Reading your first zit thread reminded me of a cyst I used to have on my back. It had been a painless little dime sized lump for a few years when one day it decided to go nova - expanded to about the size of a silver dollar and hurt like hell. I headed for the doctor who informed me it would have to be opened and drained. He takes me into an exam room and puts me on my knees on the step of an exam table, bending forward over the table. After some very painful scrubbing he stuck a needle into it to numb it - and I cow-kicked the syringe out of his hand. He called in a guy to hold my legs down and proceeded to open it and clean it out - looked like about half a cup of cottage cheese. Nasty. I prefer zits that don’t hurt. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/39 "2008-09-17T16:35:15Z")
Why can’t I learn to stay out of these threads? StG ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780/40 "2008-09-17T17:04:44Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Why can’t I learn to stay out of these threads Insidiously seductive, ain’t they? **Broomstick** , have you ever tried putting tea tree oil instead of Neosporin on these things? It’s an anti-bacterial/fungal/septic, and I’ve had good luck using it on some pretty nasty cuts and pimples and the like. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-new-zit-from-hell/463780.md?page=3)