Murielle: It’s a bit tricky to explain, Doctor… This morning while getting dressed, I felt discomfort on my… right buttock. I touched and then looked in the mirror. It looks like a big red button.
Dr Pierrat: Don’t worry. These are things that happen… you are going to show me that. But tell me first. Does it itch?
Murielle: Not really, I feel more like a burn.
Dr Pierrat: But how ? It’s strong ? Does it really hurt or does it just bother you?
Murielle: On waking it just bothered me but now it throws me intermittently.
Dr Pierrat: We will look at this.
Murielle goes into the examination room. The doctor puts on gloves to examine the pimple carefully.
Dr Pierrat: It is indeed red. And since it’s warm and shiny and a little soft, I think it’s filling up with pus. You make a boil, you must not touch it, nor press it with your hands!
Murielle: Why can it get worse?
Dr Pierrat: Let’s say that manipulating it risks promoting the spread of the infection.
Murielle: Ah well, I have an infection then?
Dr Pierrat: A boil is a small local infection that develops around a small hair. Staphylococcus is usually the cause.
Murielle: But does it happen here? Have you seen this before?
Dr Pierrat: Absolutely ! Boils can form everywhere, in the chest, armpits, thighs, buttocks. Even the face sometimes. It is then more annoying, especially when it is near the nose, because there is more fear of dissemination.
Murielle: And how is it treated?
Dr Pierrat: On the face, an antibiotic is frequently prescribed. But in your case, do not panic! We will start with a local treatment. You will apply hot, alcoholic compresses several times a day to “ripen” the lesion and promote the natural elimination of pus.
Murielle: And if it comes out, what do I do?
Dr Pierrat: As soon as the pus evacuates, it’s a good sign. You clean and disinfect thoroughly morning and evening. Then you apply a clean compress. If it doesn’t go away in a few days or if you have a fever, you come back to see me, of course. But don’t worry, it’s the very beginning, it should heal slowly in a week.
Murielle: But why did I have this? Can it come back?
Dr Pierrat: You may be tired right now, which can lower defenses. But it’s often teenagers or younger adults who have this kind of problem. If it happens again, I will order a blood test to measure your sugar, because this infection is more common in diabetes.
What to know about boils
THE boil is an acute inflammation and depth of a pilosebaceous follicle. Originally a bacterium, most often Staphylococcus aureus. There is a large, very painful pimple, first red and hard, which quickly turns into a pustule, a pimple with a white head which signals the presence of pus. This is evacuated after a few days and sometimes leaves a mark, in the form of a small depression in the skin at this location. Treatment is based on disinfection, application of antibiotic ointment, and sometimes an incision to help eliminate pus.
OTHER CONSULTATIONS WITH THE MEDICAL ADVISOR
- Doctor, I still have urinary burns
- Doctor, I have unusual discharge
- Doctor, it stings in my throat
- Doctor, my neck hurts
- Doctor, I have palpitations, what to do
- Doctor, my ear hurts
- Doctor, my foot hurts
- Doctor, I have bad breath
- Doctor, my head is spinning
- Doctor, my chest hurts when I walk
- Doctor, I’m running out of breath fast
- Doctor, my fingers are still frozen
- Doctor, I had blood in my urine
- Doctor I have ringing in my ears
- Doctor, I have a lump in my groin
- Doctor, what are these red patches on the neck?
- Doctor, I often feel nauseous
- Doctor, I still have hot flashes
- Doctor, my leg hurts
Read also :
- Abscess, boil: essential oils to the rescue
- Mask: what you need to know to limit pimples and irritation
- Dermato: the true from the false on your skin
