So... I'm at my partners for the holiday week, and, as is probably fairly normal for such things when partners are living far enough from each other that visits are relatively infrequent (We're talking a week out of a month or thereabouts) we had a ton of sex on the 25th and 26th. By the end of the last session I was a little sore (think I had some minor subcutaneous damage from pressure to either side of the clitoral structure) which is normal and fine, but I noticed a lumpy thing, kinda like a lymph node, maybe the size of a small pearl onion and about that texture, to one side of that structure, kinda in/under the labia majora. It had disappeared 2 hours later when I went to poke at it, but it made me realize how incomplete sex ed is. I had fairly comprehensive sex ed, in high school and at church, but we never really covered the internal structures that aren't directly related to reproduction. I've known about uteri and fallopian tubes since I was a young'n but, apparently you learn new stuff every day. Yay, wiki.

My hypothesis is that the lump was the Skene's gland, which appears to work by filtering plasma from the blood, and that it was hard and swollen because there was a back log of filtered blood materials (platelets, leukocytes, that sort of thing) that hadn't been fed back into the blood stream.

Did anybody else know about this Skene's gland? How did you discover it existed? Am I the only one that's gotten this onion-lump thing? I'm mostly just stupid curious, and looking for a sense of what the 'common knowledge' is and some reassurance that I'm not a freak for not having known about this thing that's been in my body for 28 years.

chime on in, I'm v. v. curious.

renaissance2010
Turning to photography as a creative outlet during a valiant fight with breast cancer at age 34, renaissance10 survived and set up a photo contest to help raise funds for the Lavender Trust, a nonprofit that provides information and support to younger women with breast cancer. In the first two years, the competition brought in over £65,000 (that's $107,260.73 U.S.!), with entries from 130 countries last year. Renaissance10 recently joined LiveJournal to meet other passionate photographers and find supportive friends.

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curiouscupcakes
Holy buttercream frosting! If you have a sweet tooth for sugary goodness or a wandering eye for whimsical confection, this is pure ecstasy iced in deliciousness. Hailing the beloved cupcake as the artisinal canvas of choice, you'll enjoy recipes, photos, and bountiful tips to bake up a batch, whether your taste leans toward French classics or funky and flavorful.

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mission101
With New Years in the offing, it's an ideal time to reflect on past accomplishments, make peace with disappointments, and refocus the lens on future goals. This community welcomes you to create a bucket list of 101 things you plan to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. Offering support, guidance, and inspiration, this is a great way to jumpstart those pesky resolutions.

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I woke up this morning with some slight discomfort if I put pressure on my crotch area. I can feel a small bump underneath the skin on the left inner labia lip. It's colorless, and I can't really see it if I look with a mirror, I can just feel it. It only hurts if I put pressure on it.

I know it's not an STD or anything...I've been married for a year and a half and my husband and I were both virgins when we met. We haven't really even had sex for the past week or two because we've been at my parents for the holidays. These are the only possible reasons I can come up with:

-A few days ago we did TRY to have sex. I have an IUD, but we were using condoms for easy cleanup since I don't have my own bathroom at my parents. We were using Lifestyle Skins, which we have never used before. Also, the lube on them dried out pretty quickly and it was really dry so we stopped and didn't finish. Could it be irritation from that?

-I used a new Lush Bath bomb last night. And I probably didn't rinse off as well as I should have because my parents tub and shower are in separate bathrooms, so I didn't rinse off in the shower like I normally would.

-I was wearing fairly tight pants yesterday and went shopping in a really crowded, hot mall. So I was probably sweating some.

I've never had anything like this, so if anyone has any idea what it is, please let me know. Thank you all so much.

We get the "What is this bump?" post here a lot. Sometimes there are multiple ones in a day. I can understand why this happens; there are worries about STIs, even for people who couldn't be infected, and describing a bump requires a subjective process. You never know if your bump is truly similar to the one in the post before yours, so you err on the side of caution. That's totally understandable. Hey, I've even been there. I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from making a post about a lesion because I'll always be happy to help to the fullest of my capacity, but I do want to talk about what you can do if you find a lesion.

I am not a gynecologist or a specialist in skin care. No, I can't provide scientific citations for anything I say here. I have done a lot of research throughout my life, and much of what I know has been picked up through books, being a hormonal teenager prone ONLY to huge cysts, and articles. Nothing I write here is intended to be medical advice.

Pimples can occur anywhere on the external part of the body, including the anus and the internal and external vulva. You should never pop a pimple. I'll explain why below. You should never attempt to pop a lesion of unknown origin, especially if you believe you're at risk for a sexually transmitted illness.

- How can I tell if this is a pimple or something else?:

That's the tough part. Deciding whether to visit a doctor is a big deal. Who has the time or the money to go to a doctor only to be told, "Yep, that's a pimple." However, only a doctor can give you a proper diagnosis. When you make a post, we can help you distinguish between a pimple and a contagious lesion, but we can't diagnose you. You'll have to visit your doctor for a swab and blood work. That's why we're happy to help. Visiting Google Images to see what various lesions may look may help. I'm uncomfortable giving general guidelines for how to distinguish between the two, as this post is meant for generic, broad information.

- Why and how do pimples form? Why should I not pop them?:

Pimples, otherwise known as cysts, are basically infections of the sebaceous glands. The follicles release oils, but the oils turn rancid and waxen. They can't come out, and the follicle can't clean itself. An infection begins. When a follicle gets infected, our skin stupidly begins to reproduce cells, which traps the infection. Think about all the differences between black heads, white heads, and cysts (big and small). In that order, the reason for their appearance and demeanor is due to how much skin can be reproduced to cover them. The cysts develop the most skin cells, and, as the infection grows, it pushes out on the cell walls, causing expansion and death. The more you squeeze a cyst, the deeper into the skin you're pushing the infection, thereby making it worse. Really, the only pimples you should attempt to extract yourself are blackheads, because they're not usually infected. An infected black head turns into a whitehead.

- What can I do to clear this pimple up?

The healing time for cysts is dependent upon a number of variables. They can take anywhere from a week to half a year to clear up. Sometimes the pus never goes away, so the infection dies, but a pimple is prone to coming back in the same area. It's not uncommon for a cyst to recur in the same place. It's always a good idea to try to verify what your lesion could be. If it could, indeed, be a sexually transmitted illness, and you'd like a diagnosis, waiting to see if "the pimple" goes away could reduce your chances of a proper diagnosis. Always ask your doctor if they check the blood for viruses. I've heard of some doctors doing swabs. Even though I know my fair share about STIs, I do not know how to treat them or take care of them.

This advice is designed to interfere with a possibly contagious lesion as little as possible until the possibility of an STI can be eliminated.

1. Wear breathable cotton underwear.
2. Do not apply warm compresses. Yes, the people who tell you that it will pull the infection to the surface are right. This is unnecessary, however, because you shouldn't pop the pimple.
3. Do not apply any topical treatments, especially ones intended to dehydrate the skin tissue such as benzoyl peroxide, unless it has been cleared by a doctor.
4. Epsom salts may provide pain relief.
5. Avoid touching the pimple.

- Wait! You didn't answer my question!:

I apologize. Since I have no formal training in the treatment of pimples, I don't know everything. If you have a question, feel free to ask in the comments. I can't guarantee that I'll have an answer, but I will try my best to find an answer for you.

(I'm in a rush now, so sorry for any errors!)

So i just got back home (to Vancouver) and im watching TV and I see an add for a show called "Big Happy Family" or something-a show about a family of extremely large African American's with a catchline along the lines of 'trying to fit in' or 'accepting' i guess.

Has anyone else seen this? Im not sure what its about--are they trying to show that "big people are normal/happy/great too"?? Or "the struggles of being larger"?? (which seems a bit insulting) or is it a health show on changing their lifestyles? I watch a lot of shows on bigger or very unhealthy people (Big Medicine, You Are What You Eat...) because its motivating to NOT become that way, but this show really rubs me the wrong way...like they are trying to show America that big people have feelings too? And that theyre fine and happy the way they are??? All I can think about is the health issues coming down the line in association to their weight and it makes me feel sad...

Have you seen any situations where people are emphasizing how great it is to be a bigger person?
I dont mean slightly chubby, or curvy models, i mean obese.
How does it make you feel? Awkward? Confused? Sad? Happy?

I'm back again with yet another question. Here is the deal: I started my period December 14. I also started back on HBC (the pill, ortho-cyclin) on the same day after a six month break from it. I have yet to stop bleeding. Should I be worried or is this just my body reacting to the HBC? I am only on it until I (assuming my PAP was normal and everything is good to go) get my IUD (which I am super stoked about!). It isn't a super heavy flow, but it is enough to start getting on my nerves after all this time. Does anyone have any insight for me? I really don't want this to somehow interfere with my getting my IUD because I have wanted it for so long. I hate HBC because all the adverse effects it has on my, and would be very upset if this became a problem. Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Oh and if it is relevant at all, I have never bled for this long before. I'm also experiencing some mild cramping.

is hbc like some skin products where i need to give it 1-3 months for my body to adjust?
I am on my first pack of yaz and I've been spotting for 2 weeks now..even since my natural period was due..i'll be going into the non active pills soon..so hopefully soon after that my body will get with it.
also my boobs have been sore 24/7...is this a side effect..or could they be growing a little because of the hbc?! =/

is there any danger to spotting this long..or longer? if it lasts into the second pack i plan to add more iron rich foods to my diet in case.


also what is the general thought for overweight women on the pill? It didn't seem to be a concern to my doctor when she prescribed my yaz..so i'm not worried about it..i've just read a lot of mixed articles.

thanks so much vp!

Current Mood: curious

So I have never stacked my bc before and I am due to get my period either friday or saturday. My 1 year is this friday and i thought about stacking my bc just for this month.  I would go back on my normal pill routine after this month is over.

Is this safe to do? Would I be at any risk?