What is a Boil and How to Deal With It?

A boil is a localized skin infection that begins deep in the skin (in a hair follicle or oil glands). It is a puss-filled bump caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. A boil is also known as a skin abscess. Boils can be accompanied with chills or fevers.

The skin generally gets reddened and a tender bump begins to develop. With the passage of time, the area becomes firm and hard. Within four to ten days generally the center of the bump softens and gets filled with white blood cells that the body sends from the bloodstream to fight the infection. This filling takes place gradually.

The mix of white blood cells, bacteria, and proteins forms the so called pus. Eventually, the pus forms a head. This head gets open and the pus can naturally get drained. Some times it needs to be surgically drained out through the surface of the skin.

These big red, pus-filled boils are typically not dangerous or life threatening but they certainly are painful and can grow increasingly painful until the pus is drained.

They are contagious too so they can spread to other skin areas if scratched or the pus is allowed to spill to other skin areas and allowed to contaminate other skin area.

Boils usually appear on the area that sweat or likely to get friction. Most affected are face, neck, armpits, shoulders, thighs and buttocks. Some times they appear in a group which is a more serious type of infection. There are many different types of boils.

Boils are pretty common, any one can get it, but persons who have poor hygiene habits and people whose immune system is weak are more likely to get it. People with diabetes and kidney problems are also susceptible to get boils.

Learn more about causes, symptoms, prevention methods and home remedies for boils in the other related articles:

What is a Boil and How to Deal With It?

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