Treating Boils and Carbuncles

If you have ever had a boil or a carbuncle, you know how painful it can be. A boil is a painful puss-filled lesion that forms when Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria-a normal bacterial resident of the skin-invades a hair follicle. A boil starts as a tender red bump that grows quite large and fills with pus. Boils most commonly occur in hair bearing areas, such as the face, neck, back, arm pits, thighs and buttocks.

Staph Aureus is normal flora to the skin. It does no damage as long as it doesn't go somewhere it doesn't normally belong. Our skin is the first line of defense against infection, however, where there is a scratch, abrasion, or a cut, a pathway is created for the bacteria to penetrate. Once inside the deeper layers of the skin, the Staph sets up residence in the hair follicles and surrounding tissues. The boils may squeeze together to form a carbuncle as the inflamed tissue swells around the boils. The boils clump together almost like a bouquet of flowers.

Harvard Medical School's consumer health page states: "Most small boils heal without leaving a scar. In general, the larger the boil or carbuncle, the greater the chance that it will leave a scar."

You may be able to treat a single boil or carbuncle at home, but it is imperative that you don't poke at it, squeeze it or try to lance it yourself. Doing so could spread the infection into the blood stream, which is a condition known as sepsis or septicemia. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that is characterized by fever, chills, and leads to shock, which is characterized by rapid heart rate and low blood pressure and can lead to death.

Treatment

If you have a boil or carbuncle that persists for more than 2 weeks you should see a physician. The doctor may obtain a sample of the discharge, if there is any, to confirm the organism is Staph Aureus. The doctor may lance the boil or carbuncle to drain the pus, and thus relieving the pressure, which relieves the pain. An antibiotic may be ordered to kill the bug and prevent the spread of the infection systemically, while the wound is healing.

If you have diabetes or an impaired immune system, vitamin A or Vitamin E deficiencies, take immune suppressing medications you may be more susceptible to skin disorders of this kind. If you are an athlete or wear tight clothing that causes friction you may be susceptible also. This disorder can also be caused by a lack of hygiene.

Prevention

If you have diabetes or the above mentioned deficiencies you may not be able to prevent boils, however, cleaning all cuts and scrapes thoroughly with soap and water, avoiding tight clothing will help to prevent the spread of bacteria and the breakdown of skin integrity, which causes the boils. For more information see the websites at the end of this article.

Sources:

Mayo Clinic Webpage
CNN.com Health Library page
Harvard Medical School Consumer Health Information Page