Boils (cont.)
When should I seek medical attention?
Any boil or abscess in a patient with diabetes or a patient
with an underlying illness that can be associated with a weakened immune system (such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) should be evaluated by a health-care practitioner. Additionally, many medicines, especially prednisone, that suppress the immune system (the natural infection-fighting system of the body) can complicate what
would be an otherwise simple boil. Patients who are on such medications
should consult their health-care practitioner if they develop boils. (If you
are not sure about your medications' effects on the immune system, your
pharmacist may be able to explain to you which medicines to be concerned about.)
Any boil that is associated with a fever should receive medical
attention. Increasing reddening of the nearby skin and or/formation of red streaks on the skin, the failure of a boil to "form a head," and the development of multiple boils are other symptoms that warrant a visit to a health-care practitioner.
A "pilonidal cyst," a boil that occurs
between the buttocks, is a special case. These almost always require
medical treatment, including drainage and packing (putting gauze in the opened
abscess to assure it continues to drain). Finally, any painful boil that
is not rapidly improving should be seen by a health-care practitioner.
What can be done to prevent boils (abscesses)?
There are some measures that you can take to prevent boils
from forming. Good hygiene and the regular use of antibacterial soaps can help to prevent bacteria from building up
on the skin. This can reduce the chance for the hair follicles to become infected and prevent the formation of boils. In
some situations, your health-care practitioner may recommend special
cleansers such as pHisoderm to even further reduce the bacteria on the skin. When the hair follicles on the back of the arms or around the thighs are continually inflamed, regular use of an abrasive brush (loofah brush) in the shower can be used
to help break up oil plugs and build-up around hair follicles.
Pilonidal cysts can be prevented by avoiding continuous direct pressure or irritation of the buttock area when a local hair follicle becomes inflamed. At that point, regular soap and hot water cleaning and drying can be helpful.
For acne and hidradenitis suppurativa (see above),
antibiotics may be required on a long-term basis to prevent recurrent abscess formation. As mentioned above, surgical resection of sweat glands in the involved skin may be necessary. Other medications, such as isotretinoin (Accutane), can be used for
cystic acne and have been helpful in some patients with hidradenitis
suppurativa. Recurrences are common in patients with hidradenitis
suppurativa.
Finally, surgery may occasionally be needed, especially for pilonidal
cysts that recur, but also for hidradenitis suppurativa. For pilonidal
cysts, surgically removing the outer shell of the cyst is important to clear the boil. The procedure
is typically performed in the operating room. For hidradenitis
suppurativa, extensive involvement can require surgical repair by a plastic surgeon.
- A boil, or skin abscess, is a collection of pus that
forms inside the body.
- Antibiotics alone can be inadequate in treating
abscesses.
- The primary treatments for boils include hot packs
and draining ("lancing") the abscess but only when it is soft and ready to
drain.
- If you have a fever or long-term illness, such as
cancer or diabetes, or are taking medications that suppress the immune system,
you should contact your health-care practitioner if you develop a boil
(abscess).
- There are a number of methods that can be used to reduce the likelihood of developing some forms of boils, but boils are not completely preventable.
Last Editorial Review: 1/26/2009
- tetracycline, Sumycin - Specifies the medication tetracycline (Sumycin), a drug used for many different infections including respiratory tract infections due to Hemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
- Staph Infection (Staphylococcus Aureus) - Read about Staph infection symptoms, signs (boils, rash), causes (Staphylococcus aureus bacteria), types, treatment (antibiotics) and complications (impetigo, cellulitis).
- isotretinoin, Sotret, Claravis, Amnesteem, (Accutane is no longer available) - Read about the medication isotretinoin ([Sotret, Claravis, Amnesteem) (Note: Accutane has been taken off the market)], a drug used to treat severe acne that is resistant to more conservative treatments such as creams, drying agents, and topical or oral antibiotics.
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