Draining these painful skin infections can be tricky and is typically best left to a medical professional. This is especially true if the boil is on the face, neck, hands, ankles, genitals, rectum , or any vulnerable area of skin as it would likely need to be drained by a specialist in an operating room.
The same would apply if you have diabetes or have a compromised immune system. An abscess must be drained in a sterile environment using sterile instruments which include, among other things, gloves, a mounted surgical blade, an irrigating syringe, sterile saline, and dressing. Superficial boils that affect fleshy parts of the skin—think the upper leg or torso—are more routinely drained as an in-office procedure. However, even some of these require surgical care if they are large or especially deep.
Anesthesia can be challenging when draining a boil. Injecting lidocaine in and around the painful mass can make the pain worse and risk puncturing the pus-filled abscess particularly if it's a carbuncle, a consolidated cluster of multiple boils.
Smaller boils may benefit from an ethyl chloride spray which can numb the area of skin around the boil. As an in-office procedure, every effort is made to ensure a sterile environment. The procedure only takes around five to 10 minutes in total and most typically involves the following steps:. Despite warnings, people will often opt to lance a boil themselves. It might certainly seem to make sense if it is pimple-sized and not inordinately painful.
The problem is that the unexpected can and does happen, and a "superficial" boil can turn out to be deeper and more extensive than imagined. Avoid temptation. Instead, place a warm, wet cloth on the boil for 20 to 30 minutes for four to five times per day. You can cover it with a heating pad to provide additional warmth. In about a week or maybe less, the boil may open on its own.
When it does, wash the affected area with soap and water and dress with a sterile bandage. You can also use an over-the-counter antiseptic preparation like Bacitracin, Neosporin, or Betadine if the wound is small. Keep using heat for the next few days to promote draining, washing the area twice daily and applying a fresh bandage every time.
If the boil fails to open on its own, don't get frustrated and try to "pop" it. Squeezing only forces the infection deeper into your skin. Make an appointment to have it drained in a sterile environment.
If you have a boil and experience any complications, including fever or a worsening of symptoms, see your healthcare provider immediately or visit your nearest emergency room. Boils are typically bacterial infections. Putting pressure on one to make it burst can push the infection deeper into the skin. Instead, for small boils, use warm compresses to draw the infection out and let it drain on its own.
A boil commonly has a white or yellow center, which is caused by the pus inside it. The boil may spread to other areas of the skin. A cluster of boils connected to each other under the skin are called a carbuncle. A boil can heal on its own. However, it may become more painful as pus continues to build up in the lesion. Instead of popping or picking at the boil , which can lead to infection, treat the boil with care.
Follow these steps:. Medical treatment may include:. Surgical treatment usually involves draining the boil. Your doctor will make a small incision in the face of the boil. Resist the urge to pick at and pop your boil. Instead, apply warm compresses and keep the area clean. They may recommend lancing and draining the boil and may prescribe antibiotics. Pus is a normal part of many common infections, including skin abscesses and tonsillitis. Some skin bumps are…. Boils are caused by bacteria building up in a hair follicle and pushing up to the surface of the skin.
Recurring boils happen for a number of reasons…. He or she will numb the area first. Sometimes gauze is placed in the cut so that it stays open and keeps draining. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to stop the infection. Take your antibiotics as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better or the boil looks better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics. If you often get boils in the same spot, gently wash the area well with soapy water every day. Always dry the area well.
Do not wear tight clothing over the area. If you have many boils, your doctor may prescribe a cream or ointment that you put inside your nose. This is because the bacteria that usually cause boils sometimes live inside the nose and then spread to other areas, including your skin. Your doctor may also advise you to take antibiotics for a longer time than normal. These medicines may help keep boils from coming back.
Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
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