Boils are caused due to infection by bacteria that attack through the tiny break in the skin and infect the blocked oil gland or hair follicle. An abscess is caused when the white blood cells sent to attack the invaders cause the pus. Though boils are painful and ugly, they are rarely fatal. If you follow the tips mentioned below, you can prevent or treat the boils very quickly:
?Keep the skin wet and warm: Applying a warm compress is the best way to treat the boil. But this compress should be kept wet and very warm. It is not enough to just keep the cloth on the boil. It must be kept on for about 10 to 15 minutes. You should keep on wetting it every few minutes to ensure that the boil stays wet and warm. Use this 15 minute compress four or five times a day to drain the boil of the pus and speed up the healing.
?Clean with antiseptic: If you experience boils frequently, you can lessen the frequency of their occurrence by cleaning the skin with antiseptic soap.
?Do not play with the cysts: When cysts are infected, they can easily turn into the boils. Hence it is highly advisable to leave the cysts alone and not mess around with them. If need be, get them excised by the doctor.
?Go for showers: When the pus from the boil is draining, it is important to keep the skin around it clean by taking showers instead of baths. This eliminates the chances of infection from spreading to other parts of the body. Wash your hands well after treating the boil but before preparing the food. This is because the bacteria in the boil called staph bacteria can cause food poisoning.
?Opt for kitchen remedies: The old folk remedy of applying warm, milk-soaked bread directly on the boil can work well with some people.
?Try vegetables or tea: Compresses of heated slices of tomato or raw onion or mashed garlic or the outer leaves of the cabbage are some of the other recommended home remedies. You can cut these vegetables and apply them directly on the boil to get the benefits. Another useful kitchen compress is placing the warm tea bag of black tea directly on the boil for 15 minutes several times a day.
