Boil On Inner Thigh
Tips for Treating a Boil on Your Inner Thigh
While anyone is susceptible for them, there are certain risks factors for that lead to getting a boil on your inner thigh. Because the inner thighs tend to rub against each other during walking, this can be an extremely painful condition if the boil is not treated as soon as possible.
A bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus is generally the enemy that causes boils. Commonly called simply staph bacteria, this germ is responsible for a variety of serious diseases and conditions such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, endocarditis and meningitis. Staph can be found anywhere; it is frequently found in areas where large numbers of people congregate. Hospitals, in particular, are under the constant threat of staph germs. Staphylococcus aureus typically lives on our skin and sometimes in our mucous membranes, often without causing any discomfort or problems whatsoever. It is only when the bacterium invades our inner workings that they cause issues.
A boil occurs on the skin when the staph bacteria enters the skin when there is a scrape, scratch or cut that provides an opening. The body’s immune system immediately recognizes that a foreign substance has gotten in, and dispatches specific white blood cells called neutrophils to the site to begin battling infection. As these specialized cells reach the location and corner the staph bacteria, inflammation starts; creating a warm, reddened area. In time, pus will form at the inflamed site. Pus is a combination of dead white blood cells, dead skin cells and the bacteria. When a boil forms, it is due to the fact that the invasion of the staph bacteria has occurred within a hair follicle. The area will at first simply appear reddened, swollen and may be itchy. Over the next few days, as pus begins to form, a raised bump gradually emerges. It will continue to grow; in some cases, boils have grown to approximately three to four inches in diameter or more before they form a “head” that finally bursts and drains. After draining, the area will generally heal on its own if not aggravated. Large boils are known to cause considerable scarring, but small boils typically leave the area unscathed when healed.
These skin infections can occur anywhere on the body where there are hair follicles. A boil on your inner thigh can cause extreme irritation and pain because of the contact continually made when the thighs rub against each other. Wearing tight fitting pants or nylon stockings can exacerbate the problem and should be avoided. Hair on the inner thigh often grows in irregular patterns, which can lead to ingrown hairs in this area. Ingrown hairs that come in contact with the staph bacteria can also cause boils.
There are several ways to treat boils. The first thing to know is what NOT to do; do not attempt to squeeze or lance it on your own. If it is small and immature, applying warm, moist compresses, especially warm salt water compresses will help to bring the boil to a head and drain more quickly. The boil should also be carefully washed a few times each day; afterwards, apply an antibiotic cream and cover it with a bandage. To avoid spreading the bacteria to other parts of the body or to other individuals, be sure to wash your hands with soap after treating your boil. In addition, all linens that have come in contact with the boil should be washed. If a boil grows extremely large without developing a head, a visit to the doctor is likely needed. Sometimes it is necessary for the doctor to lance the boil to drain it and hasten healing.
Anyone with hair follicles has the possibility of experiencing the painful effects of a boil. Learning the causes and how to treat these skin infections can help to deal with them quickly and safely.