Boils are tender, pus-filled bumps that can form under your skin when bacteria infects one of your hair follicles, causing it to become inflamed. As this lump fills with pus, boils become larger and more painful until, after up to two weeks, they come to a head, burst and drain.
A cluster of boils is called a carbuncle. And boils and carbuncles can occur anywhere on your body, especially your buttocks, inner thighs, and under your arms. But they can also form on your face, neck, or back.
While painful, boils aren’t usually a serious condition. In fact, with a few home remedies, you can treat them yourself.
Keep the area clean.
Use liquid antibacterial soap to keep boils, and the skin around them, clean. And applying antibacterial ointment to the area will help kill bacteria.
Apply a warm compress to boils.
Applying a wet, warm compress to boils at least four times a day will make them come to a head faster.
Wet a washcloth with very warm water. Ring the washcloth out, and apply it to the boils, leaving it in place for at least fifteen minutes. To make sure the washcloth remains warm enough, rewet it with more warm water every few minutes.
What to do when boils pop.
Once boils have popped, applying saltwater can dry out the pus, which will speed up the healing. In a sink, combine two cups of hot water and two teaspoons of table salt. Wet a washcloth in the water, ring it out, and apply to boils. When the washcloth cools, dip it in the saltwater again, ring it out, and reapply.
Never squeeze or lance boils.
You want boils to drain, but trying to force the issue by squeezing boils, picking them with a pin, or slicing them open with a razor isn’t the way to go. When you do any of the above, you risk spreading the infection. Stick to using warm compresses, which will bring boils to a point where they’ll drain all on their own.
When boils drain, the infection can spread.
You want boils to drain, because only then can they heal. But the pus that drains from boils can spread the infection to other parts of your body. Using antibacterial soap to keep boils, and the skin around them, clean can lessen the chance of spreading the infection. And, instead of baths, take showers, which will wash the pus away. And always wash your hands thoroughly after touching boils, or the areas around them.
When should you see a doctor?
Most boils can be treated at home. However, you should see a doctor if:
• Boils are unusually painful.
• The boils are red.
• There are red lines radiating from boils.
• They haven’t healed in two weeks.
• Boils are accompanied by a fever or chills.
• You have several boils.
• Boils are a recurring problem for you.
• You have boils on your lip, nose, cheeks, scalp or forehead.
Sometimes, the infection can only be cleared up by antibiotics, or by surgically draining the boils.
If you are breastfeeding and develop boils on your breasts, stop breastfeeding immediately, or you’ll risk passing infectious bacteria on to your baby.
Keep these tips in mind and, the next time you’re plagues by boils, you can get rid of them fast.
