Keep boils or other skin infections clean and covered. Do not squeeze boils as this may cause the infection to spread. If the sores spread or get worse, or you become unwell with fever, see your doctor.
A boil or carbuncle should never be squeezed or pricked with a pin or sharp object to release the pus and fluid. This can spread the infection to other parts of your skin. If left alone, a boil will break and drain on its own over time. In certain cases, a doctor may need to cut into your skin to drain the pus.
A person should never try to squeeze or burst a boil, as this can cause the infection to spread to other areas of the body. It may also result in scarring. If a boil is particularly big, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms, a person should see their doctor.
Do keep skin boils clean: The immune system needs to focus on the infection that's already there. Adding more bacteria will make it harder to fight the infection. Don't bother with antibacterial soaps and cleaners; any soap is fine. Do cover it with clean, dry dressings: The idea is to contain any drainage.
Bathe or shower daily. Don't share washcloths, towels, clothing, bath water, or razors. Sharing these items could spread the infection to others. Wash your hands well after caring for the boil.
Put warm, moist, compresses on the boil several times a day to speed draining and healing. Never squeeze a boil or try to cut it open at home. This can spread the infection. Continue to put warm, wet, compresses on the area after the boil opens.
When the boil bursts, cover it with sterile gauze or a dressing. This is to prevent the spread of infection. Afterwards, wash your hands thoroughly using hot water and soap. Never squeeze or pierce a boil because it could spread the infection.
Are Boils Contagious? Not exactly, but the germs that cause boils (staph) are easily spread through skin-to-skin contact and contaminated objects. These bacteria usually do no harm unless they find a break in the skin. To avoid spreading staph, don't share towels, bedding, clothes, or sports gear while you have a boil.
You usually can care for a single, small boil yourself. But see your doctor if you have more than one boil at a time or if a boil: Occurs on your face or affects your vision. Worsens rapidly or is extremely painful.
Risk factors for boils
Poor hygiene – sweat and dead skin cells in natural creases and crevices, such as the armpit, provide a hospitable home for bacteria. Nutrition – inadequate nutrition may reduce a person's natural immunity. Broken skin – other skin conditions, such as eczema, can break the skin surface.
Other germs from the water can get into your wound(s) and cause additional infections. » It might be difficult to keep infected skin adequately covered while in the water, so it is best to stay out of recreational water. If you do go in the water, cover any bumps, cuts, or infected areas with water tight bandages.
Keep applying heat, either with a heating pad or compress, for up to 3 days after the boil opens. Keep it clean. As with any infection, you should keep the area clean. Use soap and warm water to wash the boil twice daily, and then gently pat the area dry.
Warm compresses are the most effective way to treat small boils at home. Apply directly to the area for 20 minutes, at least 3-4 times per day. You can also add Epsom salt, tea tree oil, or neem oil to compresses for additional benefits in treating boils.
The safest, easiest way to remove a boil at home is to use a warm compress to speed up the natural drainage process. Warmth increases the pressure in the infected pore as it slowly draws pus and blood to the surface of the skin.
After several days or weeks, the boil will usually form a whitish head and then burst, allowing the pus to drain away. At this stage some boils may settle slowly without bursting.
Skin conditions
One skin condition that can cause vaginal boils is folliculitis, which occurs when bacteria infect a hair follicle. This infection is often a side effect of irritation caused by shaving or waxing hair from the pubic area. A bump may be painful and start small but can grow larger and into a boil.
The pus or drainage in open boils can spread infection to others. For open boils, the drainage needs to be fully covered with a dry bandage. If not, stay home until it heals up (most often 1 week).
According to a 2018 article , a person should never attempt to pop a boil themselves. Popping or squeezing a boil can allow bacteria to infect deeper layers of the skin, as well as other tissues and organs. This can lead to serious, life-threatening complications. Boils can heal on their own without medical treatment.
The infection causes the skin tissue inside the boil to die, creating a pus-filled hollow space (an abscess).
Boils should be kept clean and covered. Pus needs to drain before a boil will heal. This may happen by itself, but sometimes treatment is needed. For small boils, you can put a warm compress on the boil several times a day.
As long as the boil is small and firm, opening the area and draining the boil is not helpful, even if the area is painful. However, once the boil becomes soft or “forms a head” (that is, a small pustule is noted in the boil), it can be ready to drain.