How to Treat a Boil

Guide Note

You never know when or where you might get a boil. But a little self-care is all you’ll typically need. How to Treat a Boil tells you what to do when that pesky little red thing shows up.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Step 1: Learn the Facts
• Step 2: Treat Yourself at Home
• Step 3: Determine Whether You Need Medical Attention
• Step 4: Prevent Boils
• Conclusion
• References

How to Treat a Boil Tips

1. Don’t panic. A boil is a bacterial infection that can usually be treated at home.
2. Apply moist heat to the boil twice a day—washcloths soaked in warm water will do the trick.
3. Try not to drain the boil of pus, even if it’s painful, and especially if it’s still firm. Once it starts forming a head, it’ll likely drain itself.
4. When it does start to drain, be careful. The pus is infectious and contagious, and you want to keep it away from other parts of your skin and other people.
5. Keep the area cool, dry and well-aired.

Disclaimer

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor before using the information presented here.

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Introduction

• They seem to come out of nowhere, those big red, pus-filled lumps, better known as boils. While they’re not typically dangerous, they can be painful and contagious. If you’re not careful, and they come in contact with any other part of your body, HealingDaily warns that they may cause more boils to develop.¹

• The good news, however, is that most boils can be treated at home without a visit to the doctor. Here’s what you do.

Step 1: Learn the Facts

• 

  (Creative Commons photo by Michael M.)
  In order to diagnose what exactly you’re dealing with, you need to be able to identify a boil and know how it’s caused.

What is a boil?

• Scientifically known as a furuncle, a boil is a puss-filled bump caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. It’s basically a localized infection that lives deep in the skin and generally starts as a reddened, tender area.²

• The boil is caused due to the bacteria infecting a hair root or a skin pore.³

What happens when I get a boil?

• Boils usually starts out as red and tender, but you’ll notice that it starts filling with pus gradually.⁴

• Unfortunately, boils can be painful and grow increasingly painful until the pus is drained. Draining usually occurs naturally within a week or two.⁴ If the boil becomes too painful, medical advice may be appropriate.

Where are they most likely to appear?

• According to the MayoClinic, boils are most likely to occur in areas that tend to sweat or experience friction—on your face, neck, armpits, buttocks, or thighs. Sometimes, they’ll appear in clusters. Such clusters are known as carbuncles.⁴

How likely am I to get a boil?

• Boils are pretty common, but people with immune system disorders are most likely to get them, says MedicineNet. You're also more likely to get boils if you have poor hygiene or habitually scratch a particular area of the skin.²

Step 2: Treat Yourself at Home

• On average most boils will heal themselves within two weeks. In the majority of cases, boils can be healed quickly with self-care.³ If your boil lasts for longer than two weeks, talk to your doctor.⁴

• Here are some ways to treat your boil:
  

  (Creative Commons photo by Thomas D)

1. MedicineNet says to apply moist heat to the boil with a hot pack or a warm, wet washcloth. This increases circulation to the area and brings in antibodies and white blood cells to fight off the infection.²
   • Do this for 20 to 30 minutes, a couple of times each day.²
2. Aetna suggests covering the boil with a clean bandage to protect the infected area.⁵
   • This will also prevent the boil from accidentally being punctured.⁵
   • And if pus drains, it can be absorbed.⁵
3. Wash the area daily with antibacterial soap, advises Aetna. You don’t want that infection to spread!⁵
4. You may want to consider taking an antibiotic that kills staph bacteria. Doing so can heal a boil faster, especially in children, says the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.³
   • Antibiotics require a prescription from your doctor.
5. MedicineNet suggests you avoid draining the boil when it’s small and firm, even if it’s painful.²
   • Once it becomes softer, or develops a small pustule (known as “forming a head”), it’ll be ready to drain. Usually, they do so on their own.²
   • Avoid lancing the boil yourself, you might spread the infection.²
6. According to MedicineNet, if the boil is large, it may need to be drained or looked at by a medical practitioner.²
7. HealingDaily says to be very careful once the pus starts draining out of the boil. It is contagious and will spread to other parts of your body or to other people if it’s not washed properly.¹
8. Always remember to keep the area clean and dry, cautions Aetna. Cover it with pieces of soft cloth or gauze.⁵

Step 3: Determine Whether You Need Medical Attention

• While most boils aren’t anything to be concerned about, there may be times when they are serious and you may need medical advice.⁴

• PeaceHealth, the MayoClinic and Aetna suggest that you should call a doctor if:

1. The boil is on a delicate part of the body—your face, rectum, groin or spine.⁶
2. The boil is very large and shows no sign of healing.⁴
3. It seems to be getting worse every day.⁶
4. You have a fever.⁵
5. You have recurring boils in different parts of the body.⁴
6. There are red lines radiating from the boil. This may be an indication that the infection has entered the bloodstream and can be life-threatening. Go to the emergency room.⁴
7. If you have HIV or had an organ transplant. These things tend to suppress your immune system.⁴
8. If you have diabetes or other illnesses that make you more prone to infections.⁵
9. If you develop a carbuncle, that is, a cluster of boils in one place.⁵

Step 4: Prevent Boils

• Even though boils aren’t typically life threatening, they can be pretty painful. But there are ways to prevent their occurrence. Some tips:
  

  (Creative Commons photo by Marshall Astor)

1. Use antibacterial soaps regularly, advises MedicineNet. This lessens the chance of bacteria building up on your skin.²
2. If you notice a particular area of your skin that is prone to boils, Aetna suggests you keep it clean and dry. Also, avoid wearing tight fitting clothes so the skin in that area can breathe.⁵
3. The Mayo Clinic suggests keeping cuts and scrapes clean to prevent boils.⁴
4. According to PeaceHealth, if you get boils regularly, ask your doctor for a cream or ointment that’s applied inside your nose. Boil-causing bacteria sometimes lives in the nose and spreads to other areas.⁶
5. Have good bowel movement habits, says HealingDaily. Constipation and related problems can be a factor in causing boils. As waste accumulates, it starts being eliminated through the skin.¹
   • Drink a good amount of water each day.¹

Conclusion

• Most small boils will heal automatically and won’t leave a scar. However, larger boils can tend to be painful and may leave a scar if they’re present on a sensitive area, such as your face. For most boils though, give them some time and a little self-care, and they’ll pop out on their own.⁵

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References for How to Treat a Boil

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} HealingDaily.com: Natural Treatments for Boils
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8} MedicineNet: Boils (Skin Abscesses) Information, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} C.S. Mott Children's Hospital: Pediatric Advisor Boils
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9} MayoClinic.com: Boils and carbuncles
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9} Aetna InteliHealth: Boil and Carbuncle
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} PeaceHealth: Boils