Natural Remedy for Boil
A boil is a painful lump that is filled with pus. It is formed under the skin when germs infect and cause an inflammation on the hair follicles. A boil usually begin as a tender lump. When it is filled with pus, it will begin to grow and become larger and it becomes more painful. The boil continues to grow until it is ready to rupture and drain.
Causes of Boils
A boil grows when the hair follicles get infected. The hair follicles are the elongated shafts where the hair grows.
Boil Growth
The staphylococcus bacteria, which is one of the culprits of a boil, can enter the body through a cut, a scratch or a break on the skin. These bacteria, which will reside in the skin, will grow into a boil beginning with a lump. Pus quickly fills up the lump until it becomes larger, which is more painful.
From a half inch in diameter, it can grow to a size of a golf ball. In a few days, the lump will be filled with more pus until a white yellowish tip appears. This is the time when it is ready to burst. It may take a few weeks before the boil clears up, but others may take a month or so.
Natural Treatment for Boils
A boil can be cared for at home. However, it is not advised to attempt to squeeze or lance it, otherwise you risk spreading the infection into another area. But if you get fever along with your boil or if it becomes exceptionally painful, it is best to consult a medical professional.
Here are a few things that might help heal boil quickly:
- Apply warm compress on the affected area for ten minutes. Do this every few hours. You can also add salt on the warm water as it helps in bursting and draining the boil.
- Wash the boil two or three times in one day and then apply an antibiotic ointment and cover it with bandage.
- Tea tree oil, which is an antiseptic, antifungal, and antibiotic, helps speed up the healing of a boil. Apply to the boil several times each day.