I have developed a painful abscess just where i sit on the saddle. The abscess has stayed with me for a couple of months. I am currently resting from cycling but soon about to go for a 700-mile trip... I have been to see my doctor and this has helped up to a point, i.e. the swelling goes away almost (almost!) completely, but then comes back when cycling. I am now on my second antibiotics-cure but worried that the problem will recur when I start up again. Does anyone recognise this? I use a Brooks B17 saddle which has served me really well for several thousands of miles without any problems. Any suggestions gratefully received. posting.php?mode=post&f=1#
Hiya, I had exactly the same problem last year and it drove me crazy, it wan't until I went back to the docs for the third time, saw a locum who said it wasn't an abscess, it was the start of an in-growing hair. Once diagnosed correctly it was sorted within a couple of weeks. Like you I was given AB's that sorted the swelling in the short term but never fixed the actual problem. My advice is to get back to the doc's, just in case. Good luck.
I was going to suggest checking for a hair or an ingrowing one. It happened to me once
In addition, spreading a little Sudocrem on before a ride is very useful. I'm sure that others have suggestions for other creams, but that's my recommendation.
I forgot to mention, I use an antiseptic cream on my my saddle interface,Conotrane comes in large tube and is £1.30 from my local chemist or from Boots. They don't usually have it on display and I have to ask over the counter for it,when I asked the chemist if that was because they made more profit from Savlon @ £2.50 for a smaller tube,I got was a wry smile and was told Conotrane was what he had always used,he's a horserider.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
I've sort of come to the painful conclusion (sorry!) that this is age related, as when I was in my 20's and 30's I cycled many thousands of miles on a standard B17 without padded underdungers or strides, yet now - in my 60's - a few days on a Brooks Flyer gives me saddle sores.
Many of the things you can count, don't count. Many of the things you can't count, really count. - Albert Einstein
Edvardus wrote:I've sort of come to the painful conclusion (sorry!) that this is age related, as when I was in my 20's and 30's I cycled many thousands of miles on a standard B17 without padded underdungers or strides, yet now - in my 60's - a few days on a Brooks Flyer gives me saddle sores.
I think theres some mileage(sorry) in this, I've wondered if its due to a lack of elasticity of the skin with old age etc.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Whatever about the initial poster's problem, this is a complicated area. There are several factors involved. 1. What your backside is used to. Do NOT start a long tour with no previous saddle-time. 2. Saddle height. If it's higher than desirable you get side-to-side movement of pelvis and this is painful on back and backside. 3. Type of saddle. Gel is NOT a good idea in my experience. Gel spreads pressure and causes numbusbumbus horribilis. The most comfortable for most people, for long distance cycling is leather. 4. Width of chamois. The BEST cycling shorts I've come across are made by Altura with a blue rimmed grey synthetic chamois. The chamois is wider than usual, the stitching cannot be felt and these are perfect with a B17 which is my preferred saddle. If you use a leather saddle and the chamois is not wide enough, you can come into contact with a couple of the studs at the back of the saddle and this can be very irritating. 5. Saddle tension. If saddle is well broken in (leather) and sags, this can become uncomfortable. I find that increasing the tension resolves this issue. There are opinions on line that you should NOT do this, as you'll ruin the saddle, but ignore them. A leather saddle like the B17, will only last 6 or 7 years before the leather starts to pop out over the studs etc. In the meantime if you keep a BIT of tension in it, there will be nothing as comfortable. 6. Friction etc. I use vaseline on friction areas, as do all my friends. We've been bike touring for 20+ years and we find you just have to. If you're cycling in very hot weather and sweating profusely you have to vaseline between the cheeks of your you know what, as well or you'll get sore. If you're very hairy with long hair in certain areas, trimming it can prevent tugging and creating irritation as well. 7. Do not go cycling on a leather saddle which is not broken in. Some of the heavier ones are difficult and occasionally impossible to break in. You can resort to oil to try and sort out this problem. Look up Sheldon Brown on this. (Sheldon is dead, but his fantastic website is still on line) 8. You can get things like bursitis, ischio-rectal abscess or pilo-nidal sinus (ingrowing hair) occasionally so see someone if you're not resolving your problem.
I had saddlesores that kept coming back at one point. to treat it I used tea tree oil cream: seemed much more effective than anything else I tried.
Ingrowing hairs can definitely be a problem, so something to deal with that might help. I wonder if washing with a shower pouf might prevent it.
I have found nappy cream (e.g. sudocrem) to be the most effective at preventing problems, having tried various other (often significantly more expensive) options. If there is any soreness of the skin I would recommend using it all the time until gone, to prevent infection/fungal growth. Use it generously!
this has helped up to a point, i.e. the swelling goes away almost (almost!) completely, but then comes back when cycling. I am now on my second antibiotics-cure but worried that the problem will recur when I start up again. Does anyone recognise this? I use a Brooks B17 saddle which has served me really well for several thousands of miles without any problems. 
from my local chemist or from Boots.
