A boil is a localized skin infection that occurs in the lower layers of the skin. A boil usually appears as a red and tender area on the skin. With time, the skin begins to rise and the boil becomes harder and firmer. Eventually, the boil becomes filled with pus which is nothing but the dead bacteria and white cells that accumulate in the boil. The boil may come to head and begin oozing on its own. It is advised not to pick or scratch boils as the infection may spread. Heat boils, or fever blisters, are very different from regular boils. Fever blisters are due to the HPV, a virus that causes herpes. This virus is transmitted to the body through sexual contact and may remain dormant in the body for years before becoming symptomatic. A person with herpes virus may appear to be completely healthy.
The person may even feel healthy, but the fever blisters begin to form every now and then. These blisters are filled with pus, and if you pick at them, or scratch them, they become open sores that may infect others upon coming in contact. Heat boils treatment is often prescribed by a doctor, and it usually involves some kind of antiviral medication and topical creams. However, regular boils can be treated with any home remedy for heat boils. Also, regular boils can be drained naturally, or by surgically opening them up and draining them. On the other hand, it is best not to try and drain fever blisters as they are highly infectious. There are several different types of boils and treating boils of each kind requires a different approach. Good hygiene is the key to preventing boils from occurring. Here are some of these different types of boils.
- Furuncle: Also known as carbuncle, this is an abscess like skin lesion that is caused by bacteria known as staphylococci. A furuncle is often associated with fever as well as chills. Staphylococci may cause a condition known as furuncolosis or carbunculosis in which the boils are recurring and persistent and thus treating boils caused by this virus would need continuous effort.
- Acne: Cystic acne, which are filled with pus, are another kind of boils. Although not as common as furuncles, cystic acne are formed when the oil ducts in the skin become clogged and infected. The acne may go deeper into the skin tissue. These are usually more inflamed than regular acne and treating boils such as these would include a variety of home remedies.
- Hidradenitis suppurativa: This is a condition in which multiple boils may form under the armpits or in the groin region. This condition is caused when the sweat glands become inflamed. This is an infection that cannot be treated with antibiotics alone. The infected sweat glands may have to be removed through surgery. Thus treating boils of such nature could be very troublesome.
answered by G M