Boils on Buttocks: Causes, Treatment, and Symptoms

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Boils that look like pimples on your butt typically occur when a hair follicle becomes infected with bacteria. Home remedies and certain medications may help heal the boil.

Boils are infections, usually bacterial, that start deep inside the skin and often involve hair follicles. Another name for a boil is a furuncle.

They usually look like red bumps or lumps on the skin, and over time they fill with pus. Boils often occur on the buttocks.

Share on PinterestBoils are skin infections that commonly develop on the buttocks. Francisco de Casa / Alamy Stock Photo

The most common symptom of a boil is having a red, tender, and painful bump or lump on your skin. You may also see red or purple discoloration and swelling around the bump.

A boil usually begins as a painful or tender spot on the skin. It tends to be small, about the size of a pea. The spot usually becomes firm or hard.

The bump can continue to grow and fill with pus. As it does, it tends to get softer. Eventually, a yellow or white tip can form and rupture. Pus may leak out of the boil if it bursts.

Some boils don’t rupture and may end up with a crust that forms on top of the bump. A boil can also ooze clear liquid. Boils can continue growing until they are pretty big — they may reach the size of a golf ball.

Several other skin conditions can resemble boils. They include cystic acne, infected sebaceous cysts, and other skin infections.

Share on PinterestBoils often involve an infected hair follicle. Francisco de Casa / Alamy Stock Photo

Bacterial infections are the most common cause of boils on the buttocks. Staphylococcus aureus is usually the bacterium responsible for the boils. This bacterium often lives on the skin or inside the nose.

Skin folds are a common site for boils. Areas of the body that have hair, sweat, and friction are more likely to have boils.

Common risk factors for boils include:

• being a Staphylococcus aureus carrier, which means you always have this bacteria on your skin
• having eczema
• having close contact with or living with someone who has boils
• having diabetes mellitus
• having a condition that reduces your immune system function
• having anemia from iron deficiency
• having small cuts or injuries on your skin
• smoking tobacco

A primary care doctor or a skin specialist like a dermatologist can diagnose a boil on your skin. To diagnose a boil on the buttocks, a healthcare professional will ask you about your medical history and will perform a physical exam. They may also order blood tests or take a sample of the pus to determine the cause of the infection.

Many treatment options are available for boils. However, it’s important to avoid popping or puncturing the boil yourself. This can spread the infection to other parts of your body and lead to complications.

Home remedies

Home remedies for addressing boils include:

• Apply a warm compress to the boil, such as these warm compresses available for purchase.
• Try natural home treatments.
• Stick to a balanced diet that includes nutrients such as vitamin C.

Oral and topical medications

Oral and topical medications for preventing boils from occurring or spreading include:

• oral and topical antibiotics
• topical antiseptics
• antibacterial soap, such as these options available for purchase online
• hand sanitizer, such as these options available for purchase online

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes include:

• not picking at the boil or other sores
• washing your clothes and towels separate from other household items to avoid spreading the infection
• changing sheets daily and washing them
• bathing regularly
• managing weight to reduce skin folds
• avoiding gyms, swimming pools, and contact sports while your boils are healing, so any infection doesn’t spread to others
• not smoking tobacco
• eating a healthy diet

Medical procedures

In some cases, large boils that don’t go away on their own require medical intervention. Medical procedures for boils include:

• making an incision (lancing) and draining the boil
• packing an incision with gauze to collect the pus and help the skin heal properly

Your healthcare professional can help you figure out the best treatment plan for your boil, and they can advise you on whether it seems best to move from home remedies to medical intervention.

It’s possible to have complications from a boil on the buttocks. Usually, these complications happen when the infection spreads to other parts of your body. It is important not to pick or pop a boil due to the increased risk of spreading the infection.

Complications may include:

• severe scarring
• a cluster of connected boils, called a carbuncle
• cellulitis, which is inflammation of the skin and adjacent soft tissue
• endocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart
• osteomyelitis, which is inflammation of the bone
• sepsis, which is a severe infectious inflammation that requires immediate medical attention

Boils are contagious and can spread to other people. You can also spread them to other parts of your own body.

You can take several steps to prevent getting and spreading boils, such as:

• Avoid close skin contact with people who have boils or who are Staphylococcus aureus carriers.
• Wash your hands throughout the day.
• Bathe regularly.
• Wash all clothes, towels, and other personal items you use while you have a boil.
• Avoid sharing towels and personal items with other people.
• Protect and cover all open skin injuries or wounds.

You may be able to make a complete recovery from a boil on the buttocks with just supportive home therapies. Larger boils may require a visit to a physician for a treatment plan.

A large or deep boil may leave behind a red mark or scar on the skin as it heals. In some cases, a skin infection and boils can come back.

Though boils themselves are not generally severe or life threatening, some complications from them can be, so it’s important to see a healthcare professional for a boil that is large or not going away.

Boils are skin infections that appear as red, painful bumps, which eventually swell and fill with pus. They commonly appear on the buttocks and in skin folds where sweat collects.

The most common cause of boils on the buttocks is a bacterial infection. Large boils may require a visit to a healthcare professional.

Boil on Butt Crack: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

You can develop pimples and boils in your butt crack. You may also experience itching and swelling. But other health conditions like hidradenitis suppurativa can cause similar symptoms.

All areas of the body that sweat and have hair are susceptible to boils. This includes your intergluteal cleft, commonly known as your butt crack.

Boils are painful, pus-filled bumps or lumps that typically occur in places where sweat pools. They’re a form of skin infection usually caused by bacteria that infect your hair follicles.

Also called furuncles, boils can develop on your buttocks and in your butt crack.

The most obvious symptom of a boil located in your butt crack is a red, painful bump in your skin. It may vary in size from a cherry pit to a walnut.

The boil may feel warm and swell as it fills with pus. Pus is a collection of dead white blood cells and bacteria. It usually appears white or yellowish in color.

Your symptoms might include:

• weeping or oozing of the lesion
• white or yellow center
• swelling around boil
• additional boils in surrounding skin area
• itching around the boil

A cluster of boils is called a carbuncle. This more severe skin infection can cause fatigue and fever.

Boils are caused by bacteria that infect a hair follicle. Usually, the bacteria is Staphylococcus aureus, which causes staph infection. This type of bacteria is common on the skin.

Similar to pimples, boils occur when pus builds up and pushes up to the surface of the skin. Both infections cause a bump in the skin which may grow as the pus builds up.

The difference between the two is that pimples occur in the first layer of skin (epidermis). Boils occur in the second, deeper layer (dermis).

Common causes for boils include:

• excessive sweating
• lack of proper hygiene
• weak immune system
• shaving

Certain preexisting conditions can make it more likely that you’ll develop boils, including:

• eczema
• diabetes
• immune system deficiency
• conjunctivitis
• allergic asthma
• chronic infections
• cancer

Do not pick or attempt to pop a boil in your butt crack. Popping your boil can allow the bacteria inside to spread through the blood or lymph vessels.

Keep the skin clean and apply moist, warm compresses to the boil for about 15 minutes three to four times a day. This promotes healing.

Most boils go away within 3 weeks. Some rupture on their own. Other boils will dissipate after the body dissolves the boil. If a boil bursts, cover the wound with a bandage.

If pain and swelling get worse after 2 to 3 days, or if you develop a fever, see your doctor. You may need to have the boil surgically lanced (cut open with a sharp tool).

You should not do this at home. A dermatologist or doctor can perform the procedure safely for you.

If boils are severe, don’t respond to home treatment, or keep coming back, they may need to be treated with oral or topical antibiotics or both.

Your boil might not be a boil at all. Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic skin condition that causes bumps that appear very similar to boils. Similar to boils, these lumps are believed to be caused by a blockage of the hair follicles.

Lumps can be very painful and are recurrent. They often rupture, resulting in scarring of the skin.

The cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is relatively unknown, but genetics likely plays a role. People who have obesity and those who smoke are at greater risk of the condition.

There’s no cure for hidradenitis suppurativa, but some medications can help you manage it. These include:

• hormones
• ointments
• pain medication
• immunosuppressants, which are usually used for later or severe stages

Boils can occur anywhere there is sweat buildup or hair. Having a boil in your butt crack can make it uncomfortable to wear clothes, sit, and go about your daily activities.

While they can be painful, boils are usually benign and typically go away on their own after a couple weeks.

If your boil does not go away or improve with time, make an appointment with your doctor to have the boil examined. Your doctor might prescribe antibiotics, and they may lance and drain your boil.

How to deal with emerging pain at the site of the appearance of a pimple

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If a painful pimple appears on the skin, it means that a sebaceous hair follicle has become inflamed in this place. An inflammatory reaction is a consequence of the active reproduction of bacteria in a given area of ​​the skin. At the same time, pain indicates that the process of inflammation occurs in the deep layers of the skin.

Aggressive products to combat oily skin in this case will not help, since the violation of the natural hydro-lipid balance stimulates the active production of sebum. Squeezing out a pimple will not save the situation either: the focus of inflammation is not on the surface of the skin, and squeezing can provoke a partial ingress of the contents of the pimple into the surrounding tissues, which can lead to the appearance of new pimples next to the existing one.

Zerkalin® antibacterial solution containing 1% solution of the antibiotic clindamycin has been developed to help your skin. Zerkalin® has a dual anti-inflammatory effect in acne, with regular use of which pain and redness disappear quite quickly.

Why does a pimple hurt?

On human skin (more in some areas, less in others) there are sebaceous hair follicles. One or more ducts of the sebaceous glands open into the funnel along which the hair shaft passes. They produce sebum, which moves towards the surface of the skin.

This process is regulated by male sex hormones: the higher their level, the more active the production of sebum. There is another option, when the sebaceous glands are forced to work beyond measure – this is the excessive activity of an enzyme that converts testosterone circulating in the blood into a form understandable to the cells of the sebaceous glands – dihydrotestosterone. From 12 to 20 years of age (possibly at a later age), this enzyme is most active.

Bacteria are constantly present on the skin. Some of them are harmless, others are dangerous, but at the same time, up to a certain point, they do not disrupt the normal functioning of the sebaceous hair follicle. The latter include Propionibacterium acnes: they actively multiply and have a negative effect only when they are in an environment closed to oxygen. The maximum amount of Propionibacterium acnes is found on the skin during puberty.

From the age of 12 to 20 (possibly even at a later age due to hormonal characteristics) the most favorable conditions for the appearance of acne are created.

Due to the high activity of skin enzymes, the growth and maturation of sebaceous gland cells increases – the production of sebum increases.

A large amount of sebum clogs pores and blocks the access of oxygen.

Propionibacterium acnes actively multiply in sebaceous hair follicles. They further stimulate the production of sebum, and also release substances into the bloodstream that increase inflammation. When the inflammatory process spreads to the deep layers of the skin, the pimple begins to hurt.

This vicious cycle can be broken by preventing the growth of Propionibacterium acnes or by “killing” the bacteria that have already proliferated at the site of inflammation. Therefore, complex acne treatment regimens include the use of antibacterial drugs such as Zerkalin® solution.

Benefits of Zerkalin® solution

The active ingredient in Zerkalin® is the antibiotic clindamycin. Bacteria show less resistance to it than to the widespread erythromycin. The antibiotic is practically not absorbed into the blood. This means that as a result of treatment, dysbacteriosis or drug-induced acne will not appear. The Zerkalin® solution does not increase the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight, so it can be used during the hot season and while relaxing under the bright sun.

Zerkalin® is an alcohol-based solution of clindamycin. The alcohol base allows the antibiotic to penetrate into the deep layers of the hair canal and has a drying effect.

Zerkalin® in a short time has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, reduces the number of inflamed acne elements on the skin, and reduces redness in the affected area. In addition, Zerkalin reduces the formation of comedones (“black dots”) by reducing the concentration of fatty acids on the skin surface (from 14% to 2% after application of the drug).

Zerkalin® is completely absorbed, leaving no residue on the skin or hair. For maximum effect, it should be applied to dry and clean skin (wait 15-20 minutes after washing) twice a day. The recommended duration of the course of application for a lasting effect is 6-8 weeks.

Ustinov Mikhail Vladimirovich
Dermatovenereologist

Soreness of pustular elements in acne is quite common and is usually associated with an active bacterial infection. It is categorically impossible to try to “squeeze out” such elements on your own. Frequent localization on the face makes this manipulation extremely dangerous and can lead to sepsis. In addition, the presence of acne in a patient, although rare, does not exclude the presence of a boil or carbuncle, festering atheroma, requiring intervention by a specialist in purulent surgery. Therefore, when soreness appears in inflammatory acne elements, the best solution is to go to a dermatologist who is watching you. The doctor will determine the tactics of management, correct the treatment, and, if necessary, refer to the surgeon.

What is a furuncle and carbuncle – ON Clinic medical center blog

1

What are furuncle and carbuncle?

Boils and carbuncles can mature in the skin for several days and heal for another 2-3 weeks. In most cases, they go away on their own, leaving no marks on the skin, but sometimes the abscess has to be opened by a doctor.

2

Why do boils appear?

Boils occur when bacteria, viruses, or fungi enter the follicle (the sac under the skin from which hairs grow), causing inflammation and pus to form. Most often, the follicles are affected by Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium lives on the surface of the skin and nasal mucosa and usually does not cause problems.

Causes of carbuncle and furuncle

Infection occurs when staphylococcus enters the skin through a scratch, cut, insect bite, or irritation. In response to the invasion, the immune system begins to produce white blood cells, which should kill the bacteria and stop the infection from developing. Over time, a mixture of dead bacteria, white blood cells, and skin cells accumulate inside the boil, forming pus. The more pus forms inside the boil, the more painful it becomes.

Boils often appear in places where the skin rubs against clothes or in areas of the body with excessive sweating, such as the armpits, groin, buttocks, thighs and back of the neck. In people suffering from acne, chiri may appear on the face. In some cases, the cause of the development of a boil is inflammation of the ingrown hair.

3

What does a boil look like?

A furuncle looks like a red “bump” that rises above the skin and can be up to 5 cm in diameter. The abscess causes pain, the skin around it is red and swollen. Within a few days, the size of the boil gradually increases, because pus accumulates in it, which subsequently forms a yellowish-white tip in the center of the boil.

4

How to distinguish a boil from a pimple?

Distinguishing a boil from a pimple can sometimes be difficult, especially when the inflammation is still mild, but boils usually gradually increase in size, fill with pus, and hurt. Another difference between a boil and a pimple is that the skin around it turns red and swells. After deep subcutaneous acne, red spots or scars may remain on the skin, and boils usually heal without a trace.

5

What is the difference between a carbuncle and a furuncle?

A furuncle is an inflammation of one follicle, and a carbuncle is a lesion of several adjacent hair follicles. Outwardly, the carbuncle looks like a reddish, dome-shaped cluster of boils with multiple white-yellow purulent heads. With a carbuncle, inflammation covers the deep layers of the skin, up to the subcutaneous tissue, so after the healing of the abscess, a scar may remain in its place. A purulent head in the center of inflammation appears, as a rule, on the first day of the onset of a carbuncle.

Symptoms with carbuncles and boils

• discharge of viscous pus upon opening the surface of the inflammatory element;
• formation of a fluctuation zone in the center of the focus on the third or fourth day;
• increase in pain in the area of ​​inflammation;
• formation of purulent-inflammatory infiltrate around the hair follicle.

Unlike a boil, a carbuncle can grow up to 10 cm in diameter. Carbuncles much more often than boils are accompanied by an infectious-toxic syndrome caused by the ingress of toxins produced by bacteria into the blood. Its manifestations include an increase in body temperature up to 38 ° C and above, weakness, deterioration in well-being, loss of appetite. The infection can spread to other parts of the body. In addition, a person with a carbuncle can infect other people.

Carbuncles appear mainly on the thighs, armpits, buttocks, back and back of the neck. They are more common in men than women, especially older men with poor health or poor immunity.

6

How many days can a boil ripen?

The furuncle matures in about a week. During this time, it gradually increases in size, and a purulent head forms in its center. When it breaks, pus flows out. From this moment, the healing process begins, which lasts from one to three weeks, depending on the size of the boil and the speed of skin regeneration.

7

What happens if you squeeze out a boil?

In no case should you squeeze out a boil yourself, because the infection can spread deep into the skin, and this is fraught with serious complications, especially if the abscess is on the face, neck or scalp. These areas of the body have many lymph nodes and blood vessels that bacteria can enter. Their presence in the bloodstream can cause inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue (cellulitis), brain tissues, kidneys, heart, bones, lungs and other organs. In severe cases, blood poisoning (sepsis) can develop, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate hospitalization.

In addition, squeezing out a boil on your own increases the risk of scarring on the skin, so you need to wait until the abscess erupts on its own or try to speed up its maturation with warm compresses. If they do not help, then you must definitely go to the doctor.

8

How to treat boils and carbuncles?

Most boils can be treated at home with warm, moist compresses. An exception is the case when the abscess is located on the face, where there are many blood vessels and lymph nodes, and the risk of bacteria entering the bloodstream is high. Therefore, antibiotics for a boil on the face are almost always used (only as prescribed by a doctor). Medical treatment of boils may also be required when the infection progresses:

• the skin around the abscess becomes hot and redder;
• red stripes appear leading from the boil to the heart;
• oozing pus or colorless liquid from chiria;
• body temperature rises above 38°C and is accompanied by chills, nausea, vomiting, headache or muscle pain.

Carbuncles do not always respond well to home treatment, so if you have at least one of these signs, you should immediately consult a doctor:

• abscess larger than 5 cm in diameter;
• it appeared on the spine or face, close to the nose or eyes;
• not cured within two weeks;
• increases rapidly in size;
• causes severe pain.

In these cases, a bacterial infection can lead to complications, so treatment should be under the supervision of a physician.

9

Carbuncle treatment at home

The main rule in the treatment of carbuncle at home is not to allow it to become damaged or irritated, because this can lead to the formation of a deep scar and the spread of infection deep into the skin or to healthy areas.

Warm compresses should be used to reduce pain and speed up maturation, opening and healing of the carbuncle. Heat increases blood flow to the abscess, which means more infection-fighting white blood cells are sent to it. The carbuncle matures faster, the pus comes out and the wound clears and begins to heal.

To reduce the risk of spreading infection, the following steps should be followed when applying a compress:

1. Wash hands thoroughly with soap, preferably antibacterial.
2. Gently rinse the carbuncle with warm water.
3. Cover with a clean cloth soaked in warm water and wrung out lightly. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Instead of a wet compress, you can use a heating pad. Before this, you need to cover the abscess with a clean, dry cloth or a sterile bandage. The procedure is recommended to be carried out 3-4 times a day.

The compress cloth should be washed in hot water and dried at high temperature or ironed after each use. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching the carbuncle. In order not to spread the infection, clothes, bed linen and towels that have come into contact with the abscess must be washed immediately.

When the chiri opens, a sterile bandage is applied to it, which is changed regularly. If, after several days of treatment at home, the carbuncle continues to grow and causes pain, then you need to go to the doctor to prevent the situation from worsening and infection from entering the bloodstream. For the treatment of carbuncles are usually prescribed:

• antibiotics in the form of ointments or tablets for oral administration;
• pain relievers, eg ibuprofen or paracetamol;
• antibacterial external agents for daily treatment of carbuncle.

Minor surgery may be required in some cases. The doctor will open the carbuncle under local anesthesia, carefully remove all the pus and wash its cavity with a sterile solution. Thanks to this, the chiri will heal faster and the risk of scarring will decrease. A sample of the pus may be sent to a laboratory to identify the type of bacteria and determine their sensitivity to antibiotics. Antibacterial drugs are prescribed in the presence of:

• high temperature;
• drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus;
• secondary infection of the soft tissues surrounding the carbuncle;
• immunocompromised;
• spread of infection to other parts of the body.

If all the pus has been removed from the carbuncle, then antibiotics are not prescribed, because in this case the wound itself heals well. Depending on the severity, most carbuncles heal within two to three weeks after treatment.

10

How to prevent the appearance of a boil and carbuncle?

To prevent the appearance of a boil or carbuncle, the following recommendations should be followed:

• do not open the boil, as this may spread the infection.