A boil is a pus-filled skin infection that typically forms around a hair follicle. It can appear anywhere, but the buttocks are one of the most common locations for boils.
Boils, also known as furuncles, are typically brought on by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.
This article examines the typical causes of boils on the buttocks, how to recognize a boil, treatment options, over-the-counter medicines, and when to consult a doctor.
Boils, An Overview
Boil, also known as a skin abscess, is a common and painful infection of the hair follicle and the surrounding skin. While good home care can frequently clear up a single boil, medical attention becomes necessary when a boil refuses to respond to treatment or appears in certain vulnerable areas of the body.
Boils can appear anywhere on the body. But they are most frequently found on the face, neck, armpits, shoulders, back, and buttocks. Hairy, sweaty areas are common locations for boils, as well as friction points like the inner thighs. Boils can also form around the ear or close to the nose, and the pain frequently gets worse as pus builds up beneath the skin before easing as the fluids start to drain.
Symptoms of Boils on Buttocks
The most typical sign of a boil is a red, tender, and painful bump or lump on your skin. You may also notice swelling and coloring around the bulge in either red or purple.
A boil typically starts as a small, around pea-sized, uncomfortable or tender patch on the skin that then hardens or becomes stiff.
Eventually, a yellow or white tip can emerge and break, and pus may pour out of the boil if it bursts. The bump can continue to expand and fill with pus as it grows, but as it does, it tends to get softer.
Boils can continue to grow until they are quite large — they may even reach the size of a golf ball, and some boils don’t rupture and may result in a crust forming on top of the hump.
Several additional skin disorders, such as infected sebaceous cysts and cystic acne, as well as other skin infections, can mimic boils.
Common Risk Factors For Having Boils
As mentioned, the most common cause of boils in buttocks – or anywhere else on the body – is the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Areas of the body with hair, sweat, and friction are also more likely to get boils, and skin folds are a popular location for them.
Below are some of the most common risk factors for having boils:
+ Having eczema
+ Being in close proximity to or residing with a person who has boils
+ Having type 2 diabetes
+ Having a disorder that impairs the function of your immune system
+ Smoking cigarettes
+ Having minor skin wounds or injuries
Other medical conditions or lifestyle factors that make people more likely to get boils include:
+ Iron deficiency
+ Diabetes
+ Antibiotic use in the past
+ Unclean personal habits
+ Obesity
+ HIV and other autoimmune diseases
Diagnosis
A primary care physician or a skin specialist, such as a dermatologist, can identify a boil on your skin. A healthcare provider can also identify boils on buttocks by performing a physical examination, asking you questions about your health history, and taking a pus sample to identify the infection’s origin.
Boils on Buttocks: Treatment, Home Remedies, and Lifestyle Changes
Boils can be treated in a variety of ways. But it’s crucial not to pop or puncture the boil since this could lead to worse consequences.
Home Remedies for Addressing Boils on Buttocks:
+ Apply a warm compress to the boil. Apply the compress to the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day, until pus is released.
+ Follow a healthy diet that contains nutrients, like vitamin C, as it helps in wound healing.
+ If the boils hurt, think about taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
+ Maintain the area clean, don’t touch or rub it.
+ If the boil pops, keep it covered with gauze or a bandage to stop the bacteria from spreading.
Medicines:
When you have boils on buttocks, the doctor may give you any or some of the following medicines:
+ Antibiotics, both topical and oral
+ Topical disinfectants
+ Antibacterial soaps or cleansers.
Lifestyle Changes:
+ Refrain from squeezing the boil or other lesions
+ To prevent illness transmission, wash your clothes and towels separately from other household items.
+ Changing and washing bedding everyday
+ Taking regular baths
+ Reducing weight to get rid of wrinkles
+ While your boils are healing, stay away from the gym, the pool, and any contact sports to prevent the infection from spreading to others.
+ Avoiding tobacco use
+ Consuming a balanced diet
Medical Treatment:
In some cases, large boils that don’t go away on their own require medical intervention. And these medical procedures for boils include:
+ Draining the boil and creating an incision
+ Using gauze to compress an incision will collect pus and promote healthy skin healing.
Your healthcare provider can assist you in choosing the best course of action for treating your boil and can provide advice on whether it seems preferable to switch from self-care to medical therapy.
Complications
Issues from a boil on the buttocks are conceivable. Often, these complications occur when the infection spreads to other parts of the body. It’s vital to avoid popping or picking a boil because doing so increases the likelihood of the infection spreading. Complications may include:
+ A lot of scars
+ A carbuncle, or collection of connected boils
+ Inflammation of the skin and surrounding soft tissue is known as cellulitis.
+ Heart inflammation known as endocarditis
+ Osteomyelitis, also known as bone inflammation
+ Sepsis, a serious systemic infectious inflammation that needs to be treated right away.
Outlook
Boils on the buttocks may be completely curable with only supportive home treatments, but for larger boils, you need to see a doctor for a treatment plan.
When a large or deep boil cures, it may leave a red scar on the skin. In some situations, the skin infection may also recur.
Although boils themselves are typically not serious or life threatening, some of their repercussions can be. Therefore it’s crucial to contact a doctor if a boil is huge or not healing.
