A boil or furuncle surprisingly is an infection of the hair follicle. At times these bumps may also be filled with pus. Our skin is covered with bacteria, and although bathing with antibacterial soaps may reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin, you can never eliminate it. Places in the body such as the armpits, face, neck, and groin area contain more bacteria than other places, and therefore such areas are more prone to formation of boils.
The bacteria commonly associated with causing boils are staphylococcus aureus. This kind of bacteria is commonly found in the nose of almost everybody. It is a totally harmless bacteria, and it only causes an infection when it enters the deeper layers of the skin. This can be due to any reason, from an injury to a blockage in the sebaceous gland. Usually, the boil will appear to be a slight swelling around the infected hair follicle, and it does not last for more than a week.
The infection causes pus, which, in turn, causes the swelling, but once the pus hardens or drains away, the swelling subsides. The boil actually becomes large only when more than one hair follicle is infected. In this case, they all join together to form one large swelling.
It is possible for boils to appear on any part of the body, but some of the most common areas that they affect include the face, armpits, necks, thighs, hips and buttocks.
Treatment Options
There is usually no treatment needed for a boil. Popping a boil is never advised because squeezing around it tends to injure the skin in the surrounding area, leaving it prone to more infection. Also, the pus that comes out still has active bacteria in it and can therefore spread the infection into other hair follicles that it comes in contact with. The only thing that is advised is that a warm compress be applied to the boil at regular intervals. This brings the boil to a head and allows it to drain naturally.
Unless the boil is very severe and there is bleeding, there are usually no complications associated with the boil. A bleeding boil needs to be checked by a doctor as it may be a symptom of a serious problem.
Bathing or washing with antiseptic soap is usually more than enough as a preventive mechanism, albeit using antiseptic creams after the boil has formed is of no use. Even oral antibiotics do not seem to offer much help.
Given below are a few medical treatment options on how to get rid of a boil that is very painful:
Home remedies
Prevention Tips
In case you are suffering from chronic boils, it is important to undergo a physical checkup, to rule out the possibilities of medical conditions, such as diabetes, eczema and allergies.
Although bursting a boil is never recommended, many people do it. This is done either by lancing, where the boil is pricked, or by cutting. Popping a boil is very painful, especially before it comes to a head. Lancing or cutting the boil should be done by a medical practitioner, especially if the boil is on the face or near the eyes. The doctor will usually wait until he/she feels that the boil has come to a head before he/she does anything to drain it. This will ensure that the bacteria present in the pus have already been neutralized by the body’s immune system and is therefore not viral.
Styes
A boil near the eye is called a stye, and it is also very painful. Most styes drain by themselves with the application of a hot compress. If, however, the infection does not subside, you may want to visit a doctor to do something about it.
Complications
A burst boil is bad only when you have deliberately picked it before it has come to a head. At this stage of the boil, the body has still not had time to neutralize the bacteria and therefore the chances of spreading the infection are very high.
The most important thing to remember about a boil is that it is infectious. Avoid scratching or pinching it as any seepage can cause fresh infections in the surrounding skin. This gives rise to a condition called ‘carbuncle’ where you will have a bunch of boils grouped together. Keep the area around the boil clean and hygienic as you prepare to burst it.