Skin Boils

What are skin boils?

Boils, or skin abscesses, are localized infections deep in the skin. The center of the boil becomes filled with white blood cells, bacteria, and proteins known as “pus.” Different causes of skin boils create different types of boils.

There are four main kinds of boils:

Furuncle or carbuncle. This type of skin abscess is caused by a bacterium called Staphylococcus aurus. It is often accompanied by fever or chills.

Cystic acne. This type of boil occurs when oils ducts become clogged and infected. It is most common on the face. It is particularly common in adolescents.

Hidradenitis suppurativa. With this condition, multiple skin boils form in the armpits or groin due to infected sweat glands. Antibiotics are usually not effective and a surgical procedure to remove the sweat glands is usually required.

Pilonidal cysts. These skin boils usually form in the crease of the buttocks. They begin as tiny infections of the hair follicles. The irritation from the direct pressure of sitting causes the inflammation to grow. These boils often form after long trips when one has been sitting for prolonged periods of time.

There are other kinds of skin boils, but these are the most common types.

Causes of skin boils

Common causes of skin boils include bacteria that can enter the skin if a foreign object such as a splinter becomes lodged in the skin, ingrown hairs, clogged hair follicles, clogged oil ducts, and clogged sweat glands.

Prevention

Skin boils can often be prevented. If you get a splinter of other foreign objected under your skin, remove it with tweezers. If you cannot grasp the object with tweezers, try gently squeezing the skin and pushing the object toward the surface of the skin. If you are unable to remove the object, see a doctor. Do not leave the foreign object under your skin, as you will likely develop an infection.

If you have ingrown hairs, try applying hot, moist compresses to the area. Then use tweezers and try to gently free the hair from the skin. Be careful not to break the skin, however. Don’t worry if you are unable to free the hair; most ingrown hairs will heal on their own.

To prevent cystic acne, wash the face twice a day with mild soap and water. If you are prone to acne, use a gentle cleanser designed to prevent acne. Wear minimal makeup, as cosmetics can clog the oil ducts and lead to acne and boils.

Boil Treatment

Skin boils can often be treated at home with hot soaks or hot packs. Boil treatment should begin as soon as the boil is formed for best results. Heat application increases circulation and brings antibodies and white blood cells (which help fight infection) to the surface of the skin.

Sometimes the appropriate boil treatment depends upon the cause of skin boils. Boils caused by an infection are often treated with antibiotics. In other cases, a doctor will have to surgically open the boil to drain the pus. If this is the case, make sure to follow the doctor’s instructions about how to care for the site afterward in order to prevent further infection. Don’t try to squeeze or poke boils to drain them on your own. That can cause the infection to spread and worsen.

As mentioned earlier, hidradenitis suppurativa boils do not always respond to antibiotics and sometimes sweat glands must be surgically removed.

If you have skin boils that do not respond to home treatment such as hot soaks, see your doctor to find out the cause of skin boils and be properly treated.