What is a boil? How can I treat a boil at home? When should I see a doctor for a boil? Get the answers to these questions and more in our comprehensive guide on managing boils.

Understanding Boils: A Closer Look

A boil, also known as a furuncle, is a painful, pus-filled bump that forms when a hair follicle becomes infected, typically with the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Boils often appear on areas of the body with a high concentration of hair follicles, such as the buttocks, inner thighs, and underarms. The infection can also occur on the face, neck, and even the eyelid in the case of a stye.

Causes and Risk Factors for Boils

The primary cause of boils is the invasion of bacteria, often Staphylococcus aureus, into a hair follicle. This can happen through a small cut, scratch, or even a blocked pore. People with weakened immune systems, diabetes, or poor hygiene are at a higher risk of developing boils. Additionally, factors like friction, moisture, and the use of certain lotions or creams can contribute to the formation of boils.

Identifying and Diagnosing Boils

Boils typically present as a painful, red, and swollen bump on the skin. As the infection progresses, the boil may develop a white or yellow head as the pus comes to the surface. It’s important to differentiate boils from other skin conditions, such as cysts or abscesses, which may require different treatment approaches.

Home Remedies for Treating Boils

In many cases, boils can be effectively treated at home with the following methods:

• Applying warm compresses to the affected area to draw out the infection and promote drainage
• Using over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide products to help dry out and shrink the boil
• Gently cleaning the area with an antibacterial soap and warm water
• Applying a saline solution to the boil after it has drained to help dry it out

When to Seek Medical Attention for Boils

While many boils can be treated at home, there are certain situations where it’s best to see a doctor:

• The boil is located on the face, neck, or near the spine
• The boil is deep and contains a lot of pus
• You develop multiple boils at the same time
• The area around the boil becomes increasingly red and inflamed
• You have a weakened immune system or other underlying health conditions

Preventing Future Boils

To reduce the risk of developing boils, consider the following preventive measures:

1. Maintain good personal hygiene, including regular handwashing and bathing with antibacterial soap
2. Avoid sharing personal items, such as towels, razors, or clothing, with others
3. Keep skin clean and dry, especially in areas prone to boils
4. Avoid irritating the skin or creating small cuts or abrasions that can allow bacteria to enter
5. Manage any underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, that may increase the risk of boils

Boils can be a frustrating and painful condition, but with the right treatment and prevention strategies, you can get your skin back on track to being healthy and blemish-free. Remember, if you have persistent or worsening boils, don’t hesitate to seek medical attention for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do I keep getting boils in the same area?

A. Recurring boils in a particular area, such as the inner thighs or buttocks, can be a sign of an underlying condition or a localized area of friction or irritation. It’s important to identify and address the root cause, which may involve improving hygiene, reducing moisture and friction, or treating any underlying health issues.

Q. Can boils be contagious?

A. Boils are caused by bacterial infections, which can potentially be transmitted to others through direct contact with the infected area or sharing personal items. However, the risk of spreading boils is generally low, and they are not considered highly contagious.

Q. How can I safely drain a boil at home?

A. It’s best to avoid attempting to drain a boil at home, as this can lead to the spread of the infection and potentially cause more harm. Instead, focus on applying warm compresses to the area and allowing the boil to drain naturally. If the boil does not improve or continues to worsen, seek medical attention for proper drainage and treatment.

Boils | Prevention

Description & Prevention

“Boil, boil, soiled and troubled; skin that burns, oh nasty bubble!” This mutation of a classic line from “Macbeth” might make Shakespeare turn over in his grave, but it aptly describes the witch’s brew of pus, infection, pain, and inflammation that make up a boil.

A boil occurs when bacteria — usually Staphylococcus aureus — invade a hair follicle in the skin, travel down the follicle, and form a collection of infected pus at the base. The boil often comes to a head when the fluid naturally pushes its way to the skin surface. The result is a swollen, hard, red bump on your skin.

“The most common places for boils to form are in blocked hair follicles on the buttocks, inner thighs, and under your arms — areas with a lot of moisture,” says Sheryl Clark, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Cornell Medical Center and an assistant attending physician in medicine at New York Hospital, both in New York City. Occasionally, boils can also form on the face or neck. A stye on your eyelid is also a type of boil.

Since the staph bug often invades your body through a scratch or cut, put antibacterial ointment on all cuts and scrapes. People prone to boils may want to consider washing regularly with antibacterial soap. [pagebreak]

Treatment

Never pop a boil, says Dr. Clark. “A boil drains a large amount of highly infected fluid. If you squeeze it, you will actually spread the infection and make it worse.” Instead, try these doctor-recommended steps.

Apply warm compresses. “Warm, moist heat increases bloodflow to the area, which may bring the boil to a head and speed healing,” says dermatologist Karen E. Burke, MD, PhD, an attending physician at Cabrini Medical Center in New York City and at Greensboro Specialty Surgical Center in North Carolina.

Apply a washcloth soaked in hot water to the boil for 20 to 30 minutes, two or three times a day, until the boil comes to a head. “Sometimes that allows the boil to pop on its own and drain,” says Dr. Clark. Once the boil pops naturally, it should feel better immediately, and it should heal within several days.

Reap the benefits of benzoyl peroxide. Especially if a boil is large, the acne preparation benzoyl peroxide may help dry it out. “An over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide agent such as Oxy 10 can be used twice a day to dry out the lesion and reduce its size,” says Wilma Bergfeld, MD, head of clinical research in the Department of Dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. “Benzoyl peroxide is also an antiseptic, so it kills bacteria.”

Try a saline solution. Once a boil pops, apply saltwater to draw out pus and fluid and dry it out. “In a clean basin or sink, mix a teaspoon of salt for every cup of hot water. Dip in a washcloth, wring it out, and hold it on the boil. When it cools, redip it and reapply,” suggests Dr. Clark.

Wash away germs. Keep the area clean by washing with a liquid antibacterial soap and water, especially when a boil has started to drain. “Tap water is fine unless it’s an open wound; then use sterile bottled water,” says Dr. Bergfeld.

Apply antibacterial ointment. Bacitracin or Neosporin can help kill off any bacteria that is inside the boil or on the skin, says Dr. Clark. [pagebreak]

When to See a Doctor

If you have just one boil, you’re probably safe treating it at home, says Dr. Bergfeld. But you should see a doctor if:

You develop a boil on your upper lip, nose, cheeks, scalp, or forehead. Infections in these areas can gain easy access to the brain.

Q. A few years ago, I noticed…

Q. A few years ago, I noticed a few boils between my legs after a trip to a water park. They went away but returned about six months later. Now I always have them, inside my thighs under my buttocks. The doctor said they weren’t an STD. What are they and why are they there? They never go away no matter what. It’s very embarrassing.

A. You shouldn’t be embarrassed about your condition. Boils are simply bacterial infections of hair follicles. They happen to most of us at one time or the other.

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The bacterial organism that usually causes boils is the well-known Staphylococcus aureus. The infection results in large, red, tender, swollen areas around each hair follicle affected.

The most common sites for boils are areas of the skin subject to irritation and friction, pressure or moisture. Application of petroleum-based lotions or creams also can plug the holes around the hair follicles and lead to an infection.

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As you probably know, most of the time, these boils are just a painful but relatively minor skin problem that go away on their own. However, they can recur in the same area over and over again, and sometimes the infection can spread, creating a more serious problem.

I suggest you deal with your problem in three ways: self care, medical treatment and detective work. Self-care measures include: Applying warm, moist compresses on the boil to encourage it to drain by itself; avoiding squeezing the boil; washing the affected area (and your hands) with a strong antibacterial soap; using an over-the-counter antibacterial ointment as necessary.

Acne medications that contain benzoyl peroxide are absorbed through the skin and can be helpful. If the boil has come to a head, gently lancing it with a sterilized needle will hasten resolution.

Staying cool, clean and dry surely should help. You may want to try cotton underwear and avoid wearing pantyhose when you can.

With your condition, you may be inclined to take many showers or baths a day. There is no evidence that washing your whole body that frequently will help prevent boils. And you may in fact be washing away natural oils that are good for your skin.

The recommended medical treatment for an existing “mature” boil is incision and drainage by a health-care provider. But your major concern is to stop recurrence of episodes of the infection. Because you get these infections frequently (known as recurrent furunculosis), you may want to ask your doctor about oral antibiotics, particularly dicloxacillin, rifampin or erythromycin if you’re allergic to penicillin.

Finally, the detective work involves trying to find out how and why you are getting these staph infections. It’s often difficult to find the predisposing cause, but you should try. The first thing is to assure that you’re not getting the infections from your environment, which can include roommates or family members.

From what you’ve said, you probably do have boils. But it may be a different skin infection. If after doing all I’ve suggested, you still have the infection, you may want to have a doctor, preferably a dermatologist, culture some of the exudate to determine what the organism is.

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Update on walking: For all you men over 70

who say, “I’m too old to exercise and it won’t help me now anyway,” a recent study proves you wrong.

Men between the ages of 71 and 90 who walked only 1.5 miles per day cut their risk of heart attack in half over three years.

We’re not talking jogging here, simply walking, something almost everyone can do safely when starting out slowly and working up to it.

I expect that studies in older women also will prove that walking a moderate amount each day will prevent heart attacks for them as well.

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Write to Dr. Douma in care of the Chicago Tribune, Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.

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