Just when you thought pimples were the end of the world, it’s time to get familiar with boils – painful eruptions of the skin that easily draw unwanted attention. Two weeks is the typical lifetime of a boil and after it drains, you’re going to need to treat the aftermath. Use home remedies for boils to enhance the healing process.

What are Boils?

Boils (also called furuncles) typically start as red, tender lumps that quickly transform into pus-filled growths, becoming more painful until they erupt and drain [1]. The eruptions can emerge on any part of the body where hair follicles are found. Oftentimes, boils appear on the face, but also on the scalp, underarms, thigh, groin, and buttocks. From small sores the size of a pimple to larger lumps, boils average larger than ½ inch in diameter.

Causes

When staph bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) invade one or more hair follicles, an infection arises, which can lead to a boil. The bacteria actually normally live on your skin and other parts of the body, but when given the opportunity, it can enter the body through a scratch, cut, or other break in the skin. White blood cells come to the rescue, fighting the infection. As a result, a boil emerges as skin becomes inflamed and pus starts to gather.

Boil Home Remedies

No matter how tempting it may be, never squeeze or lance a boil, or you run the risk of spreading the infection. The fluid and pus contained inside the boil is full of bacteria that not only make your infection and surrounding skin worse, but could also trigger new eruptions. Instead, consider the following home remedies for boils:

a) Soap and Water:

Fight an infection by keeping skin clean. Use liquid antibacterial soap and water when washing and increase frequency when a boil starts to drain.

b) Warm Compress:

Increase the flow of blood to enhance the healing process by applying warm, moist heat to a boil, which encourages the removal of pus. Soak a washcloth in hot water and place on the boil for 20 to 30 minutes for two to three times per day. Generally, the boil will pop on its own and drain, which eases discomfort and jumpstarts the healing process.

c) Vegetable Compress:

Create a compress out of nature’s finest – heated slices of tomato, the outer leaves of cabbage, or raw onions. Directly place cut vegetables on the boil.

d) Hard-Boiled Eggs:

During the 19th century, the whites of hard-boiled eggs served as a home remedy for boils. The boiled egg white was moistened and then directly applied to a boil – covered with a cloth.

e) Saltwater:

Prepare a saline solution to treat a boil after it has popped. Add one teaspoon of salt for every cup of hot water. Dip a clean washcloth into the liquid, wring it out, and press to the boil to coax out pus and fluid. The objective of the salt is to also dry out the eruption. After the cloth cools, soak in the solution and reapply.

f) Onion:

Onions contain antiseptic chemicals and antimicrobial properties that contribute to the healing process of a boil. Place a thick slice of onion over the boil and wrap the region with a cloth or gauze. Every three to four hours, replace the poultice until the boil comes to a head and drains.

g) Opt for a Shower:

When a boil drains, it is important to keep the surrounding skin clean. Take a shower instead of a bath to lessen your risk of spreading the infection to other parts of the body.

h) Nutmeg:

Stimulating circulation throughout the body, nutmeg can play a role in helping the fight against bacterial infections associated with a boil. Mix ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg into one cup of hot water and drink.

i) Parsley Leaves:

Boil parsley leaves until they become soft and wrap in a clean cloth. Place over the boil to ease the release of pus.

j) Garlic:

Kill germs and promote the removal of pus by applying freshly cut garlic to boils.

k) Tea Bag [2]:

An easy kitchen home remedy for boils includes applying a warm tea bag of black tea to a boil and leaving on for 15 minutes. Repeat this treatment several times throughout the day.

l) Cornmeal:

Follow in the footsteps of the Aztecs and create an absorptive remedy for boils. Boil ½ cup of water and add enough cornmeal to create a thick paste. Apply the mushy cornmeal to your boil and cover with a cloth. Every one to two hours, repeat this remedy until the boil comes to a head and drains.

[1] http://mayoclinic.com/health/boils-and-carbuncles/DS00466
[2] Reader’s Digest Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things; pg 328