My baby has a boil, can you squeeze it and get the pus out of it. Will it relieve the baby of the pain she is in?



Pus boils in babies are common and can develop on any part of the body where the skin in covered in hair follicles. Such boils are usually found on the face and neck and in the folds on skin on the thighs, armpits and buttocks. When filled with pus, these boils can be very painful and may even get infected if not treated properly or in time.

In most cases, the pus boil will burst in time and the pus will drain out naturally. However, if the size of the boil keeps increasing or is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, fussiness and loss of appetite, you should see a doctor. Under no circumstances, should you try and squeeze the boil or try to burst it. This is a sure fire way to cause scarring and even a more serious infection.

To help speed up the healing process, you can instead try the following methods:

  • Place a warm cloth over the boil for a few minutes to help reduce its size and dry up the pus within. You can do this up to three times a day for as long as it takes until the boil bursts. The heat increases the supply of infection-fighting antibodies to the area and the healing improves significantly.
  • Once the boil bursts, wipe the area with an antiseptic wipe and cover it with a sterile dressing once the area is clean and dry. Make sure that the pus that drains out doesn’t touch any other part of your baby’s body as pus boils tend to be contagious.
  • Keep your own hands clean and wash regularly with an antiseptic soap after touching the boil as well.
In case the boil does not heal in a few days, your doctor may have to lance the boil. Do not try this on your own at home as you may end up harming your baby’s delicate skin and doing more harm than good. Your doctor will lance the boil by first prepping the area with some rubbing alcohol or iodine. Lidocaine or a numbing agent may also be used to reduce any pain during the process. Using a sterilized blade or needle, the boil will lanced and the pus drained out. Once the wound is completely drained, the area is cleaned well and covered with a loose dressing and allowed to heal.

answered by G M

Let the boil burst on its own after it is ready. If the baby is small, by squeezing the boil you can give more pain to the baby with a mark leaving on that area. To avoid a boil to become septic and ripen faster -

  • Add little vinegar and a pinch of turmeric powder to milk cream and apply on the affected area.
  • Boil parsley in water for 10 minutes, then wrap in a muslin cloth and when warm apply on the boil. The combination of heat and parsley will help baby fight with the boil.

answered by S P


Warning: home-remedies-for-you.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. see additional information
Read more questions in Health Advice