Getting to Know Boils

A boil is type of skin infection which starts in the oil gland or hair follicle. The infected area of the skin turns red and then, a tender lump will develop. In a span of 4 to 7 days, the lump will turn white because pus already collected under the skin. Once the infection spreads into the skin's deeper tissues, it will become an abscess.

Boils usually appear on the neck, face, shoulders, armpits and buttocks. For those that appear on the eyelid, it is already regarded as a "sty". Should several boils appear, it becomes a more serious type of infection known as "carbuncle".

Boils are noted to be caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus. It is also a common occurrence for such staph infections to become serious and develop into abscesses. The bacteria can enter the body and present itself on normal skin through small breaks in the skin. They may also travel down hair towards the follicle.

People who have certain types of diseases and health conditions can also become prone to skin infections like boils. These are:

. Immune system problems
. Poor nutrition
. Diabetes
. Exposure to harsh chemicals which can irritate the skin
. Poor hygiene

How to Know if you have Boils

When a person has boils, he or she will fid a red, hard and painful lump which is no more than an inch in size in his or her skin. After a few days, this lump becomes larger, softer and more painful. Later on, a pocket of pus will form on top of the boil. When there is severe infection, you will also notice the following:

. There are more boils appearing around the original boil.
. The skin surrounding the boil becomes red, swollen and painful.
. The lymph nodes become swollen.
. Fever develops.

A person who has boils accompanied by the following symptoms or conditions should see a doctor to have it checked:

. When the skin around the boil has red streaks or when it turns red.
. When you've fever.
. When the pain becomes severe.
. When there is a second boil appearing.
. When the boil doesn't drain.
. When you've problems or other conditions like: diabetes, heart murmurs, immune system problems or if you are taking medications which suppress the immune system.

Taking Care of Boils

There are home therapies you can use for boils but only for the small ones. If you have bigger boils with so much redness around it, you need to seek medical attention instead of attempting to deal with the condition yourself. Below are a few things you can try:

1. Applying of warm compress and soaking the boil in warm water. Aside from decreasing the pain, it also helps draw out the pus. You can make use of a wash cloth and soak it in warm water before squeezing out excess moisture. You can repeat doing this until the wound heals.
2. Using antibacterial soap as soon as the boil starts draining. Do this until all the pus disappears.
3. Applying medicated ointment and bandage.
4. Never attempt to pop a boil using a needle. Doing so can make the infection worse.

Aside from what causes a boil, most people are interested to know about medications and natural remedies for boils. Preventive measures against boils are also worth knowing