Some people may experience ulcers and recover without special treatment. However, is it actually the right thing to do? Let's learn more about the causes of boils and how to treat them.
Boils are soft, pus-filled bumps that appear on the surface of the skin. These lumps feel warm and cause the surrounding skin to become red. Boils are also painful and sometimes accompanied by symptoms of fever and chills.
Boils most often appear on areas of the skin that are damp and sweat easily, such as the armpits and groin. In addition, boils can also appear on the skin of the face, back, chest, and buttocks.
What Causes Boils?
Bacterial infection is the most common cause of boils, especially bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria can enter the body through pores or wounds on the skin. This bacterial infection will cause inflammation to trigger the formation of pus.
The following are some conditions that are at risk of causing a bacterial infection of the skin that can lead to boils:
- Not maintaining good skin hygiene.
- Suffering from skin diseases, such as acne or eczema.
- Suffering from diabetes.
- Have a weak immune system, for example people with HIV/AIDS.
- Make direct contact with people with infections caused by bacteria Staphylococcus aureus.
How to Treat Boils Independently?
To treat boils, you can apply a warm compress to the boil area for 30 minutes, 4 times a day. To relieve the pain that appears, you can take pain relievers, such as paracetamol.
Do not try to drain the pus by pressing or piercing the boil with a sharp object, such as a needle. Besides being able to injure blood vessels, this action can also exacerbate the infection.
If the boil bursts, cover the boil with sterile gauze, then consult a doctor to prevent complications.
When do I need to see a doctor for boils?
Boils can actually heal on its own without special treatment. However, further examination by a doctor is necessary if the following conditions occur in your boil:
- Boils larger than 1 cm
- The boil is getting bigger
- The pain is getting worse
- Accompanied by fever
- Boils reappear
You are also advised to immediately consult a doctor if ulcers appear while you are pregnant or suffering from certain diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and diabetes.
In this condition, boils that are left without special treatment are at risk of causing complications, such as the spread of infection throughout the body (including the brain and heart), death of the skin or tissue under the skin, and bone infections.
How to Treat Severe Boils?
In some conditions, the doctor or surgeon will suggest surgery to remove the pus. Before the operation, the doctor will give a local anesthetic (local).
This anesthetic will be injected directly into the area around the boil to numb it. Next, the doctor will make an incision in the boil and drain the pus.
The incision hole will be filled with a special tool to prevent it from closing. This hole is an exit for the remaining pus that is still forming. The tool will be removed after the production of pus is low. Surgical wounds will usually heal within 10-14 days.
After surgery, you will still need to take antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading, as well as painkillers to ease the pain.
Boils are skin infections that can be experienced by anyone, especially people who don't keep their skin clean. Although boils can be treated independently at home, you are advised to consult a doctor if the boil is more than 1 cm in size, is accompanied by symptoms of fever, or causes severe pain.
Written by:
dr. Sonny Seputra, M.Ked.Klin, SpB, FINACS(Surgeon)