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How to get rid of a boil quickly?
(Last Updated: Aug 22, 2007)
Also referred to as skin abscesses, boils are a type of localized deep skin infection. Boils start with tenderness and reddening of skin, which eventually becomes a pus filled lump of skin. Hair ingrowth is one of the answers to the question “what causes boils.” If you are thinking what causes boils on your body, here are some of the causes: infection by a foreign matter and malfunctioning of the skin glands. Boils generally affect teenagers and adults, and sometimes even kids and toddlers. It is uncertain what causes boils in toddlers, but some of the causes can be infections and environmental pollution.
Some of the forms of boils are as follows:
- Cystic Acne: Such boils are caused due to hyperactivity of the sebaceous glands on skin, which clog skin pores and lead to deep skin infections. Cystic acne is prevalent among teenagers.
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa: This is a severe form of boils that typically occurs under the armpit and in the groin area. These boils are difficult to be treated by antibiotics, and generally require surgery.
- Pilonidal Cyst: Pilonidal cysts affect the crease of the buttocks and are a result of hair ingrowths.
- Boils affect various parts of the body including face, neck, armpits, back, and chest. If you are wondering how to get rid of boils, here are a few remedies that work as treatment for boils. Some of the home remedies for boils are as follows.
- An effective home treatment for boils is to consume bitter gourd juice. It helps treat blood-filled boils and can be consumed every morning on empty stomach with a tea spoon of lemon juice.
- If you are suffering from boils on your back, you can apply turmeric powder. What causes boils on the back is the excessive secretion of oil by the oil glands, which attract dirt and lead to acne like infection, which might turn to boils. As such, one of the effective home remedies for boils on the back is to apply a paste of roasted turmeric roots in water. It is also one of the useful home remedies for boils on breasts.
- Another beneficial skin boil treatment is to apply milk cream. You can prepare a poultice of milk cream with a bit of vinegar and pinch of turmeric powder, which helps ripen and heal the boil, without leading to septic infection. This is one of the useful home remedies for boils on the chest.
- One of the other effective home remedies for boils on the face is to apply betel leaves on the inflamed area. You may boil betel leaves in water till they soften and then coat the boiled leaves with olive oil. It is also one of the useful home remedies for boils on the neck.
- If you are wondering how to get rid of boils on your face, you can apply a paste of grounded cumin seeds in water. This soothes the boils, thereby relieving the condition. It is also one of the beneficial home remedies for boils on your chin.
- One of the beneficial home remedies for boils on the buttocks is to apply onion juice, which will heal the boils.
- If you are wondering how to get rid of boils under your armpit, you can use anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents. As such, one of the useful home remedies for boils in the underarm area is to apply garlic extract or crushed garlic cloves.
- One of the home remedies for boils under the breast is to apply tea tree or lavender essential oils diluted in carrier oils like coconut or olive oil.
- Sometimes, boils are restricted to certain areas like the forehead and chin. One of the effective home remedies for boils on the chin is to apply boiled parsley as a poultice. You can apply it on the boil, and then cover it with a bandage.
- You must consult a doctor in case the boils are severe and persistent.
answered by G M
A boil can be described as a painful, pus-filled bump that develops just below the surface of your skin. These lumps can crop up on any part of your body, but are more likely to appear on areas like the back, arms, thighs, groin and underarms. Almost all of us have suffered from the pain and discomfort of a boil at some point or the other. At first, it may appear as a tender, reddish swelling on the skin. The lump then gets filled with pus quite soon and over the next few days it will probably become larger and a lot more painful. After a while, the boil ruptures and pus drains out. The entire procedure could take days, or even a few weeks.
Boils usually occur when one or more hair follicles get infected by Staphylococcus Aureus, more commonly referred to as the staph bacteria. These bacteria can be found on your skin, throat and nasal passages. At times, the staph bacteria can overgrow, leading to an infection and a few serious health problems, like pneumonia and endocarditis. When these bacteria enter your body through a break in the skin, specialized white blood cells rush to the site, in order to fight off the infection. This causes an inflammation as well as the formation of pus, which contains dead skin cells, bacteria and old white blood cells.
The first thing to keep in mind when trying to treat a boil is that you should never try to squeeze it or burst it on your own.
One of the first steps in the treatment of a boil is applying warm compresses. This helps relieve the pain to some extent and also speeds up the natural draining process. Dip a clean piece of cloth into warm salt water and wring out the excess water. Apply the warm washcloth to the affected area for at least 10 minutes or so. Repeat this exercise every 3 or 4 hours during the day.
Some people dip a washcloth in warm water, to which a few drops of tea tree oil have been added. The antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties present in this oil make it an effective remedy for several skin ailments. However, there is no scientific evidence to prove that tea tree oil can treat a boil and get rid of it quickly.
In order to keep the boils from recurring, it is important to follow strict hygienic measures. Make sure that you launder the washcloth thoroughly before using it. Also wash your hands with an antibacterial soap before and after touching the infected area. Ice is often recommended as one of the most effective home remedies for a boil too.
In case the boil becomes too big and painful, or if it lasts for a long period of time, it is best to consult your doctor. You may need to consider antibiotics, incision and draining, depending upon the severity of the boil.
answered by M W
Clean the area with a betadine solution. Make a mixture on 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water. Soak sterile pads in the mixture and heat it as hot as you can take it without burning yourself. Apply to the boil and leave on until it cools. Do this several times a day and the boil should begin to drain. Keep the boil covered and clean until it has completed drained.
answered by b
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