Lumps in armpits in pregnancy

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am 36 weeks pregnant and for the last two weeks I have noticed these lumps in both my armpits, they really hurt and get swollen at times, dissapear and reappear. Sometimes it's just in one armpit, sometimes in both. Could this be related to pregnancy hormones? Thank you.

Dear Gabriela: What you are may be due to folliculitis. The cause of folliculitis in pregnancy is unknown and is probably caused by hormonal changes. The are usually benign lumps and will disappear on their own. Treatments include topical corticosteroids and topical benzoyl peroxide (Benzac).