Healthy Living: Boils
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Boils are small infections of the hair follicle characterized by painful red bumps on the skin. They can range from pea-sized to, in extreme cases, the size of a golf ball. A boil is a type of staph infection that starts out as a hard bump that later fills with pus to form a head, similar to that of a pimple.
Getting Rid of Boils
In general, boils are unsightly but do not pose a major threat to your health. Placing a warm, damp cloth over it several times a day draws pus to the surface to expedite drainage. Boils usually go away within a week or so, but in some cases a doctor must lance the boil in order to drain it.
Other forms of treatment include antibiotics (for severe or recurring cases) and topical ointments. Most topical solutions only relieve the discomfort, but some products, such as drawing salves, claim to draw the infection out. It is important to keep the area clean to avoid spreading the infection.
Boils can be caused by a number of factors. When sweat glands become blocked an infection may occur, sometimes resulting in a boil. Ingrown hairs are another possible cause. You can take measures to prevent boils by keeping the skin dry and clean and by using an antibacterial cleanser that helps defend the skin against unwanted bacteria.
Posted on: Monday, June 23, 2008 at 1:18 pm 
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