What are boils? 7 tips to combat them What are boils? 7 tips to combat them

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Painful, uncomfortable and dangerous if not treated carefully: Boils are a skin nuisance that everyone can experience, but can be prevented. Here we will give you some tips to combat boils.

Abscesses that form on the skin due to infection of a hair follicle, skin structures in which hair grows, are known as “boils”. The affected area becomes inflamed and a painful lump forms, which can be filled with pus and dead cells.

As the amount of pus increases, the body will seek a way to drain it, so at a certain point a white or yellowish point will appear in the inflamed area, similar to acne cases.

These follicles are prone to infection, especially in hairy, moist, and friction-prone areas such as the armpits, buttocks, thighs, face, neck, and groin. Other cases that can cause skin infections are:

Why are boils generated?

We are all prone to injuries. This damage to the skin leaves it exposed to bacteria that live on its surface, which can cause an infection no matter how small. A boil not only affects the infected follicle, but also the surrounding tissue.

Not every skin injury causes a boil, as our immune system should be able to fight bacteria before infection occurs. However, even if we follow the advice to combat boils, there are certain aspects that can make us more prone to this type of infection, including furunculosis, a condition in which multiple abscesses frequently develop.

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Some of the reasons that make us more likely to suffer from boils are:

Why do I get boils so often?

Generally, cases in which several abscesses develop in a row are a consequence of the points listed above, or poor treatment of a previous infection. Another tip to combat boils is to wash clothes, sheets and blankets that may have been in contact with the affected area with neutral soap, so another infection can be prevented.

If the inflammation does not subside naturally and the infection continues for more than 10 days, if you develop several boils at the same time, or if you develop a fever, see a dermatologist. He will be able to drain them and indicate a treatment.

Seven tips to combat boils

It is possible to remove boils. You just have to adopt some good habits to combat them and avoid suffering from them frequently. So pay attention to your skin. Take note!

  1. If you have a boil, use warm water, chamomile tea, or basil leaf compresses at least three times a day to reduce pain and inflammation. It is important that the compress is clean and that you use a new one each time.
  2. While you have the boil, bathe daily with antiseptic soap.
  3. Boils often "burst" spontaneously after a few days. If this is your case, clean the area with a sterile gauze, water and neutral soap, to prevent the pus that was drained from infecting other areas of your skin.
  4. Keep the areas of your skin that have a lot of hair controlled, clean and dry, this way you will avoid infections.
  5. Avoid wearing very tight clothing or clothing that generates friction in delicate areas of your body, so you can prevent injuries that can develop into boils.
  6. Do not squeeze the boil with your nails, otherwise you will worsen the infection. Let it drain on its own and, if it doesn't, visit a specialist doctor.
  7. If you are highly prone to developing these infections despite following the above advice, we recommend a general check-up to determine what factors are affecting the health of your skin.

Hygiene and care of our skin are determining factors to combat boils and prevent them from continuing to appear. It is also a way of taking care of our entire body, since avoiding these infections also protects our blood and organs. In addition, it allows us to live a more comfortable and pain-free life.