Anyone who has ever fallen victim to boils can arguably attest to their misery. Boils, put plainly, absolutely suck. They can be remarkably painful, embarassing, disgusting and inconvenient, and they can be a real bitch to get rid of once they’ve decided to permanently take up residence in a specific spot on your body.
Boils run in our family, so I managed to hit the genetic lottery in this regard and inherit these abcesses for myself. I’m dealing with one presently, and seeing as it has been a real bitch and took its sweet time to come to a head, I thought I would write a post about these bitches to potentially help out anyone else dealing with them.
This information comes from mayoclinic.org.
“A boil is a painful, pus-filled bump that forms under your skin when bacteria infect and inflame one or more of your hair follicles. A carbuncle is a cluster of boils that form a connected area of infection under the skin.
“Boils (furuncles) usually start as reddish or purplish, tender bumps. The bumps quickly fill with pus, growing larger and more painful until they rupture and drain. Areas most likely to be affected are the face, back of the neck, armpits, thighs and buttocks.
“A carbuncle is a cluster of boils painful, pus-filled bumps that form a connected area of infection under the skin,” the web page states.
I’ve been privy enough to experience both boils and carbuncles at different points in my life, and while neither are pleasant, carbuncles are absolutely worse.
In terms of treating a boil, if you have one or a carbuncle that continues to reappear in the same spot, it might be best to consult your doctor and see about having it removed. Otherwise, your best bet is to apply heat to the area, for example, a warm compress, to encourage the mass to come to a head, break, and drain. Don’t pop or squeeze them, as this is a good way to spread infection or worsen the severity of the abcess. Once the boil has drained, which can take a while, keep the area clean and covered until it has fully healed.
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
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