Boil

Symptoms of hair follicle infection

A boil usually develops from a minor inflammation of a hair follicle—called folliculitis . As the inflammation spreads, it can become uncomfortable as a red, painful swelling with a central, deep lump . The swelling gets bigger and fills with pus, which you can see as the yellow-whitish tip of the “pimple.” The pain usually continues to increase until the furuncle has emptied spontaneously. With the exit of the pus and the central tissue plug, the pain immediately subsides. This whole process can last as little as 2 days, but it can also stretch over 3 weeks. After the furuncle has emptied, the healing process begins, which unfortunately usually involves asmall retracted scar ends.

Boils can appear anywhere on the body, but are most often found in areas that are more hairy . Sweat and excessive friction increase the risk of developing boils. The typical positions are:

• face
• The neck
• armpits
• Thigh
• buttocks and genital region

If left untreated, hair follicle inflammation can spread further within the tissue and lead to the formation of multiple boils. These can coalesce under the skin into a large (3-10 cm), inflamed area called a carbuncle . Carbuncles are very deep inflammations and are therefore more likely to heal with scarring than a single boil. Due to the strong inflammatory reaction, a carbuncle can be accompanied by fever. The infection can spread via the bloodstream to blood poisoning ( sepsis ), inflammation of the inner lining of the heart ( endocarditis ) or the bone marrow ( osteomyelitis ).) to lead. If boils occur repeatedly or if boils appear in batches, it is called furunculosis .

Causes of a boil

In the majority of cases, a boil is caused by an infection with Staphylococcus aureus . Although this bacterium can be found in the normal flora of the skin and nose of some people and does not cause any symptoms there, it can penetrate the skin via small injuries and punctures and trigger inflammation of a hair follicle there. During inflammation, dead bacteria, immune cells, blood, and dead skin cells collect in the center of the swelling, forming a pus-filled clot. This process is favored by a weakening of the immune system and is observed more frequently in men .

Diagnose

The furuncle is a visual diagnosis . The typical clinical presentation allows the diagnosis to be made without further investigation. However, if furunculosis recurs or does not respond to normal therapy, it may also be necessary to send the pus to a laboratory for microbiological testing . This allows the causative pathogen to be identified and possible antibiotic resistance to be identified.

When should I go to the doctor?

Individual boils can be treated at home and are usually not a reason to see a doctor. However, with the possibility of developing complications such as endocarditis, there are some symptoms that you should definitely see a doctor for.

• You have more than one boil
• You have a boil on your face (e.g., nasal boils), or a boil blocks your vision
• The boil is extremely painful or gets bigger quickly
• You have a fever or general malaise
• The furuncle is getting bigger and bigger despite self-treatment
• The furuncle becomes spongy-soft . A spongy boil tends not to drain on its own.
• The boil does not heal for more than 2 weeks
• You have recurring boils ( furunculosis )

How can I treat a boil myself?

The most important rule of self-treatment of boils is the prohibition of manipulation . Don’t squeeze or cut boils to drain the pus. Manipulation of the boil can spread the infection further under the skin and provoke increased scarring. Instead of pressing on the boil, there are other ways to speed up healing:

• Warm Compresses
  The heat helps relieve pain and increases blood flow to the inflamed area. As a result, more immune cells are brought to the focus of inflammation, which can fight the infection. Put a warm washcloth on the affected area for 10-20 minutes 3-4 times a day.
• Zugointment (ichthyol ointment)
  As a rule, ichthyol ointments with a concentration of 10, 20 or 50% are used to treat boils. Note that only concentrations of up to 20% should be used on the neck, face, or genitals.
• Wash your hands Always wash
  your hands before and after touching the boil. The bacteria can be spread through your hands.
• Painkillers
  Painkillers can temporarily relieve the boil’s discomfort.
• Covering After Draining
  After the boil has drained, you should cover it cleanly to avoid spreading the germs.
• Immobilization of the body part
  Avoid strong movements of the affected body part.

Medical therapy of boils

If you have any of the symptoms listed above that indicate a serious boil, you should seek medical attention. A doctor can open large boils and carbuncles under reasonably sterile conditions and drain the pus . Taking antibiotics may also be necessary to control a larger infection.

What are risk factors for developing boils?

Anyone can develop a boil, but it’s important to remember that boils are infectious foci that can be passed from person to person. Close contact with people with a staph infection also increases the likelihood of developing a boil yourself.

A reduced immune system makes it easier for bacteria to colonize a hair follicle. This reduced ability of the body to fight off germs is often found in people with diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes), for example. Other skin diseases such as acne vulgaris or eczema also worsen the skin barrier and thus facilitate infection.

Preventive measures against boils

Although it’s not possible to completely prevent boils from forming, there are a few things you can do to minimize your risk.

• Regular hand washing with soap.
• Cover wounds to keep them as clean as possible.
• Don’t share toiletries and personal items. These include, for example, towels, bed linen, razors and clothing. Staphylococci can be transmitted not only from person to person, but also via objects.
• Strengthen your immune system through a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Here’s how Med-Healths can help

If you want to be sure that you have correctly diagnosed a furuncle, you can send a doctor a photo of the affected skin area directly via Med-Healths. He or she can discuss the possible causes of the redness with you and give you further tips for treatment. If you have symptoms of a serious infection, you can get a direct referral to a specialist through Med-Healths so you can start treatment as soon as possible.