There are many conditions that may cause bumps to appear on your inner thighs. Some of these conditions are mild and might not require medical attention. Others may be more serious and could require medication or other medical intervention in order for them to go away. Determining the cause of the bumps on your leg will help you narrow down the required treatment more effectively.

Possible Causes of the Bump on Inner Thigh

A common cause of blackheads or red bumps on the inner thigh is hidradentis suppurativa. Lesions stemming from this disease will often break open and leak pus, which may lead to an unpleasant odor. These are caused by oil and dead skin cells blocking the hair follicles on the legs that then become infected with bacteria. Some conditions, including genetics, weight gain, or smoking can add to the likelihood that you will develop this condition.

A similar condition, folliculitis, can cause red bumps along the inner thighs. This is caused when bacteria disturbs the hair follicles, causing them to become inflamed. This may also result in painful, itchy boils developing on the area. Folliculitis can be caused by a number of different types of bacteria, which will influence the severity of your condition as well as the chances of scarring.

More serious bacterial infections can cause an abscess on the thigh. These are most notably accompanied by pain, redness, heat, and swelling in the area. You may also notice a cyst forming along the area, especially if the condition is accompanied by gangrene.

Some viral infections can lead to warts appearing on the inner thigh. These are much more common in children than adults. Warts in this area may travel to the hands, feet, and other areas of the body, or the bodies of others if they are exposed. Warts that are high on the inner thigh may also be genital warts. All warts will be dry and scaly, and some may be swollen or painful.

Similar bumps could be caused by a molluscum contagiosum infection. This is transmitted when you come into contact with an open lesion or handle objects that came into contact with the virus. These bumps will be fleshy in color and may have a dimple on the top.

Bumps that are very painful or near the genitals may be caused by an STD such as herpes or syphilis. In most cases, these bumps will appear as blisters on the thighs or genitals. Bumps caused by herpes will often be accompanied by fever, muscle pain, headaches, or fatigue. Syphilis can cause chills, fever, muscle aches, full body rash, and headaches.

If the bump on your thigh appears to be coming from underneath the skin, it may be a tumor. A normal bump due to injury or body growth will shrink or disappear in a few days. Any bumps that appear to be growing, especially if they are growing quickly, may be part of a more serious condition such as cancer.

Dealing with the Bump on Inner Thigh

Hidradentis suppurativa can be treated with basic hygiene if you use gentle soaps. Wear loose clothing, lose weight, and quit smoking to help the lesions disappear more quickly. If it has been 2-3 weeks and your lesions have not changed, then you may have an infection that requires medical treatment. Any abscesses on your thigh, including those from folliculitis, should be inspected by a doctor to determine potential need for antibiotics. Apply a warm compress to the area for 10-15 minutes every day with the leg elevated to help take down the swelling and pain.

Viral infections, such as warts or molluscum contagiosum, will require medical attention. A doctor can remove warts, often by freezing them. If the infection has begun to spread, this is an ideal way to avoid further infection. A mild case of molluscum contagiosum may go away on its own. A doctor will help you determine if the infection requires treatment.

Infections that appear to be the result of an STD will require medical attention. Syphilis can lead to serious health concerns that could be life threatening or cause brain damage if it goes unchecked. There is no cure for herpes and you will need both treatment and counseling to help keep breakouts in check and to prevent you from transmitting the disease to any partners you have in the future.

Any bumps that appear to be growing beneath the skin, especially those growing at a fast rate, should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible. Tumors that are left to grow can cause damage to the leg and may be life threatening, even if they are not cancerous. Those that are cancerous will need to be dealt with very quickly as tumors that are not attached to organs can easily spread once they come in contact with blood vessels or bone.

Cause	Symptoms	Treatments
Hidradentis suppurativa	Blackheads, red bumps, pus, unpleasant odor	Proper hygiene, losing weight, warm compress, wear loose clothing
Folliculitis	Inflamed hair follicles, painful, or itchy boils	Anti-bacterial or anti-fungal cream. Mild cases often disappear without treatment
Abscess	Cysts, pain, swelling, heat, redness	Antibiotics, warm compress applied to the elevated leg
Warts	Dry, scaly red bumps	Medication, freezing, wart removal
Molluscum contagiosum	Fleshy bumps, may have a dimple	Most cases will go away without treatment. Extreme cases may require medication
STD	Blisters, headaches, fever, fatigue, chills, muscle aches	Medication for the disease
Tumor	Growth underneath the skin, may be painful	Treatment will depend on the cause and status of the tumor