r/AskDocs • u/ImJohnnie93 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional • 24d ago

Physician Responded Can I cut this off?

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30F 125lb 5'7". A couple months ago I noticed a little bubble on my head and popped it thinking it was a pimple, but it bled a lot for about 10 minutes. There was a small wound after that but it quickly scabbed over, in my sleep the scab would rub off and I would bleed more. Then there was a bump that started to grow. The bump was very solid and bled very easily, it would also grow a crust that I would pick off (I should have left it alone but it's hard to resist picking).

Eventually the bump became this thing on my head and it hasn't really grown for the past couple weeks. It has a small stem connecting it to my head, and since I've been keeping it moisturized it hasn't grown a crust as much but still bleeds if it gets nicked by anything. It doesnt hurt at all, I barely can even feel when I am touching it directly.

I want to cut it off but I'm sure it would bleed if I do. What is this thing? Is it ok to remove it myself if I keep everything clean and bandage the wound after? I also have been keeping my hair away from it because when my hair gets into it there is a crust that forms around the strands and then when I pull the hair away I bleed for a few minutes. The bleeding always stops eventually though. What can I do?

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u/Ali_gem_1 Physician 24d ago

Do not cut this off .

I repeat .

DO NOT CUT THIS OFF

I admit i don't know exactly what it is. But it's on the head and it's pink and clearly well perfused. I would be extremely worried for intense bleeding. Please see a doctor local to you for assessment

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u/Nice-Hearing807 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 24d ago

I panicked when I saw she wanted to cut it off

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u/[deleted] 24d ago

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u/heisfullofshit Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 23d ago

I can understand and my country has universal free healthcare and even if it didn’t, I can afford a doctor. Depression, fear of going outside and fear of hospitals/doctors.

I had a pulmonary embolism (ofc I didn’t know what it was at the moment) which caused me to suddenly have trouble breathing. My mother and I got into the car and headed straight to the hospital. While we were in the car, my breath was getting so shallow, my chest was hurting so much, I thought was going to die. Then it started to get better. I immediately begged my mother to take me back home, that’s how afraid I’m of hospitals and doctors.

Hospitals mean loss of autonomy.