Boils or furuncles are red bumps on the skin that are filled with pus and are painful. This condition is most often caused by a bacterial infection that triggers inflammation of the hair follicle, which is where hair grows.
The body parts most commonly affected by boils are the face, neck, armpits, shoulders, buttocks, and thighs. Boils can also sometimes appear in the pubic area. This happens because these parts often experience friction and sweat. In addition, boils can also grow on the eyelids. This condition is better known as a stye.
Causes of Boils
The main cause of boils is a bacterial infection Staphylococcus aureus on hair follicles. In some people, Staphylococcus aureus can be found on the skin and in the lining of the nose without causing health problems. New infections will occur if bacteria enter the hair follicle, for example through a scratch or insect bite.
Boils can occur in any age group, but this condition is more common in adolescents and young adults. There are several factors that are thought to increase a person's risk of developing this disease, namely:
- Make direct contact with sufferers, for example because they live at home
- Not maintaining cleanliness, both personal and environmental hygiene
- Have a weak immune system, for example because you have HIV, are undergoing chemotherapy, or have diabetes
- Not meeting the body's nutritional needs properly or suffering from obesity
- Exposure to harmful chemical compounds that can cause skin irritation
- Experiencing skin problems, such as acne and eczema
In addition to the various causes above, egg consumption is also considered to cause ulcers. However, this has not been proven true and still needs to be investigated further.
Ulcer Symptoms
Boils can appear on any part of the body that is covered with hair or hair, including the ear. However, ulcers generally occur on body parts that often experience friction and sweating, such as the face, neck, armpits, shoulders, buttocks, groin, and thighs.
Boils can also sometimes appear on the breast. Breast ulcers are common in women who are breastfeeding, but women who are not breastfeeding can also develop breast ulcers.
When you have a boil, a pus-filled lump will appear on the skin. Boils will be characterized by the following signs and symptoms:
- A red, pus-filled lump appears that is small at first and can get bigger.
- The skin around the lump will appear red, swollen, and feel warm to the touch.
- Lumps that arise will be painful, especially when touched.
- The lump has a white dot at the top which will then burst and ooze pus.
In addition, the lumps that arise when exposed to boils are generally only one. If boils arise in large numbers and gather together, this condition is called a boil or carbuncle. A carbuncle indicates a more serious infection. Carbuncles are more common in middle-aged or elderly people who have weakened immune systems.
When to go to the doctor
If it's still small and your immune system is still good, boils will generally heal on their own. However, immediately do an examination to the doctor if the growing boil is accompanied by the following complaints:
- Fever, feeling unwell, chills, or dizziness
- Continues to enlarge, feels supple to the touch, and is accompanied by severe pain
- Grows more than one fruit in the same location or forms a carbuncle
- Grows inside the nose, on the face, ears, or back
- It doesn't go away after more than 14 days
- Experienced by someone with a compromised immune system
Boil Diagnosis
To diagnose boils, the doctor will ask questions related to the complaints or symptoms experienced, then proceed with an examination of the skin that has ulcers. Boils can usually be recognized easily by direct observation. If needed, the doctor will take a sample of pus, skin, or blood, to be examined in a laboratory. Generally, this follow-up examination will be carried out if:
- Boils do not heal after treatment or occur repeatedly (relapse).
- Boils arise in large numbers and gather or carbuncle.
- Patients have a weak immune system or suffer from certain diseases, such as diabetes.
Laboratory tests, such as cultures, may also be done to determine which type of antibiotic is suitable for treating boils. This is because the bacteria that cause ulcers often have become resistant to certain types of antibiotics.
Ulcer Treatment
Boils that are small, one in number, and are not accompanied by other diseases can usually be treated at home. Some simple ways that can be done to treat boils are:
- Compressing boils with warm water 3 times a day to reduce pain while encouraging pus to collect at the top of the lump
- Clean the boil that bursts with sterile gauze and anti-bacterial soap, then cover the boil with sterile gauze
- Change the bandage as often as possible, for example 2-3 times a day
- Wash hands with soap and water before and after treating boils
Do not pop the boil on purpose. This process can exacerbate the infection as well as spread bacteria. You are advised to wait for the boil to burst by itself. If pain occurs, you can also take pain relievers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
If boils grow in groups and form carbuncles, don't heal after self-treatment, or you have a weakened immune system, then you need to get treatment from a doctor. To overcome this condition, one of the treatment options that will be carried out is with surgery to make an incision on the boil and create a channel to drain the pus (drainage).
In addition, the doctor may also give antibiotics to treat the infection. Keep in mind, the use of antibiotics must be in accordance with a doctor's prescription. Do not change, reduce the dose, or stop taking antibiotics prematurely even if the symptoms have subsided.
Boil Complications
In some patients, boils or carbuncles can reappear after healing. In addition, the bacteria that cause boils can also spread to the deeper layers of the skin and can even cause cellulitis. Boils that are large enough can also leave scars on the skin.
Sometimes, these bacteria can also enter the bloodstream and cause infection throughout the body (sepsis). This condition can cause bacteria to spread to other parts of the body or to internal organs and cause infections, such as endocarditis (in the heart) and osteomyelitis (in the bones).
Boil Prevention
Boils can be prevented by maintaining personal hygiene. Here are some ways that can be applied to maintain personal hygiene:
- Do not share the use of personal items with others, such as towels, razors, or clothes
- Make it a habit to wash your hands regularly with soap
- If there are wounds, whether scratches, lacerations, or cuts, immediately clean and treat the wound properly
- Exercise regularly and eat healthy food to increase endurance
- Avoid direct contact with people with skin infections