How to cure a boil

A boil is a skin infection in which a hair follicle is invaded by bacteria , developing from there.

Initially, it will show up as a reddened area involving a hair follicle and its periphery. Later, it will fill with pus and pain will be associated at the site, and purulent discharge may appear from the “mouth” of the follicle, as can be seen in the image below.

The infection can be limited to just one follicle or spread to neighboring follicles, thus complicating the picture with what we call furunculosis or anthrax (infection of several follicles).

The main cause of boils is poor grooming associated with aggressive manipulation of the hair follicle , to which is added bacterial infection. That is why they are more common in the man’s beard area, the armpits and in the pubic and groin region, but they can appear anywhere on the body where we have hair or hair; for example, it is also quite common for a boil to appear on the anus or leg.

When shaving these areas, it can happen that more than “cutting” the hair, it is “pulled” by defective devices. At that moment, the main bacteria involved comes into play: Staphylococcus aureus . Staphylococcus is a bacterium that commonly inhabits the skin, but which takes advantage of any alteration in its indemnity to attack.

The areas that are most commonly compromised are areas that are humid due to perspiration that regularly accumulates there. Therefore, the main measure to prevent the appearance of boils is frequent cleaning and proper treatment of the skin in these areas.

An isolated boil will not present major complications. However, if the infection spreads, we can find several forms of complication of the boil depending on the area of ​​the body we are talking about:

• Furunculosis or anthrax: extension of the infection to neighboring areas of the skin.
• Hidradenitis suppurativa: appearance of multiple lumps of variable size, very painful, full of purulent discharge, more common in the armpits and groin.
• Cystic acne : appears essentially on the face.
• Pilonidal cyst : located just above the beginning of the intergluteal groove, in the area that corresponds to the sacrum bone.
• Stye : limited to the eyelid.

In addition, it is important to know that the appearance of fever is an indication that a boil is getting complicated.

The staph be combated with antibiotics . Depending on the medical history of the patient, the doctor will decide on one or the other alternative.

Antibiotics for boils

The main antibiotics indicated according to the evolution of the process and the clinical characteristics that the doctor finds, would be:

• Cefadroxilo.
• Doxycycline.
• Clindamicina.
• Ciprofloxacin.
• Vancomycin.

These are indicated orally. In the event of complications, the patient may need to be hospitalized for intravenous antibiotics.

It is also possible that, depending on the case and especially if a wound opens , it is necessary to carry out a cleaning with cleaning and antiseptic products , such as physiological serum and iodine, always using gauze and sterilized materials, as well as gloves of a only use.

Medicinal plants turn out to be an excellent solution to disappear the boils that worry us so much. Some of them have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and antiseptic properties. These are the most recommended medicinal plants as home remedies to cure a boil :

• Alhova flowers: it turns out to be very effective, it facilitates the drainage of the boil, with great anti-inflammatory potential for our skin. A handful of these flowers should be boiled in about a cup of water, when evaporating we must drink the liquid. Then we place the boiled flowers in gauze and apply 3 times a day to the area where the boil is located.
• Cabbage: it has great refreshing potential for our skin, to prepare it they must be crushed with a cylindrical container and placed in the refrigerator, when they cool they must be placed in the boil area for 10 minutes.
• Valerian: despite being used with a natural sedative, it also has great anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential. To use it, we must boil it for approximately 10 minutes, then we must let it rest for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Then we must rinse our area affected by the boil 3 times a day.
• Rosemary: it is ideal to use it in people with a tendency to acne (boil), due to its antiseptic property. To use it, we must boil it for 15 minutes, then let it cool, then we proceed to strain it, and that water that remains in the container we are not going to drink 2 times a day in the form of an infusion and rinse the face with this same water in morning and evening. Learn more about what this plant can bring you in this other article about the medicinal uses of rosemary .

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

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