Pimple near the urethra: what could it be?

Author: Aunt Vadge
Qualified Naturopath | BHSc(N)

Last reviewed: July 4, 2026

Dear Aunt Vadge,

A few days ago I noticed it hurt when I wiped after using the bathroom, so yesterday I got a mirror and had a look, and I saw what looks like a pimple barely below and to the left of my urethra.

It looked almost as if it had fused part of my vaginal opening to the skin around it. It’s very small, pimple-sized, and there appears to be pus in it, but it’s hard to tell. I’m not sure if I accidentally cut myself and it’s infected, or what’s going on.

The last time I had sex was in December 2015, but I have masturbated once or twice since. It hurts when I touch it and when I wipe. My discharge doesn’t seem too irregular. I wondered if it might be a yeast infection. I really have no idea.

It’s mostly round, with what looks like a small hole (a kind of divot) in the centre. It’s yellow, all of it, and it’s not flush with the surface. I’m worried it’s something bad, but I’m trying not to freak myself out. I haven’t tried anything because I’m so unsure what it is. Any idea what it is or how to fix it would be much appreciated.

Yours,
Freaking Out
USA

Dear Freaking Out,

Thanks for writing. From your description – a small, round, yellowish bump with a little divot, sitting just below and to the side of your urethra – one likely possibility is a blocked or infected Skene’s duct. These are tiny glands that open next to the urethra on either side, and every so often one gets blocked, builds up, and becomes tender or infected. It isn’t dangerous, but a new painful lump right by the urethra really does need someone to look at it in person, rather than guessing from home.

In our clinic, a tender bump that’s appeared out of nowhere is a familiar worry to talk people through. We don’t do physical exams ourselves, so this one is a job for your doctor or a sexual-health clinic – they look at vulvas all day and have seen it all.

See the diagrams on our Skene’s gland (female prostate) article and check whether the position looks about right. If it settles on its own over the next couple of days, lovely. If it doesn’t, get it seen, because an untreated blocked gland can turn into a cyst or abscess, or just grumble along uncomfortably.

There are other, less common explanations for a bump that seems to tether or fuse the skin around it – including a skin or autoimmune condition affecting the labial skin – which is another reason to have it properly looked at rather than treated blind. Our general guide to vulvar lumps and bumps is worth a read while you wait.

Please get seen sooner rather than later if you notice:

spreading redness, heat or swelling
a fever, or feeling generally unwell
trouble or pain when you wee
the skin fusing together
it getting bigger or more painful

Try not to spiral in the meantime – plenty of these turn out to be minor and very treatable. Write again anytime, especially once you have a diagnosis and want more help.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge

This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.