The skin is the largest organ in the body, and insofar as problems occur, the skin is probably the organ that generates the maximum number of doctor’s visits. Whether it is a pimple or a rash, our skin is the single biggest worry for most of us. Getting a boil on our skin is not a serious concern. A boil is defined as any infection that infects a hair follicle and related cells. In fact, most of us would not even realize that we have boils if it were not for the fact that it is in a very visible region such as our face.
The most common type of boil is a pimple. In general, a boil starts because the sebaceous gland produces too much oil, which then becomes food for the bacteria that live on our skin. This causes the oil to solidify and harden, resulting in a small boil. Usually, this is hardly noticeable.
Sometimes, the infection becomes serious enough that the boil becomes red and swollen, calling your attention to it. Even in this case, it is not too much of a problem as the boil will heal as soon as it drains. This may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Boils, mostly, do not leave scars. However, the skin is not the same for everyone, and different people have different skin types. Some people are more prone to scarring than others, but even then, the scar is generally flesh colored and fades out over time.
The only complication is when the boil does not fade away and instead persists. This can either be in the form of a recurring boil or in the form of a carbuncle, where the infection spreads to the nearby follicles. Even here, however, the boil heals completely as soon as it is drained. Using a warm compress is a very good home remedy because it helps most boils drain out. In very rare cases, you may require that a doctor drain the boil for you. In such cases, there is a possibility that a slightly darker spot may remain behind after the boil heals. As mentioned earlier, this will usually fade so that there is no noticeable difference in the skin color. There are, however, a few home remedies for dark spots that some people try in order to hasten this process.
The most common practice is to exfoliate the skin frequently. Exfoliation is known to lighten dark spots on face, but the flip side is that frequent exfoliation can cause other skin disorders.
Lemon juice for dark spots is another remedy, because lemon juice is known to be a good natural exfoliator.
Although these practices may not be unsafe, there is no scientific data to show that there is any benefit to doing any of this. The best policy, therefore, may be to leave the scar alone, and if you do have any concerns, talk to a qualified dermatologist.
References
- http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/skin-care-and-aging
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001141.htm
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001474.htm
answered by A S