Apply Heat
“Applying a warm compress is the very best thing you can do for a boil,” says Rodney Basler, MD. The heat will cause the boil to form a head, drain, and heal a lot faster. At the first sign of a boil, place a warm, moist washcloth over it for 20 to 30 minutes three or four times a day. Change the cloth a few times during each session to keep it warm. It’s not uncommon for a boil to take 5 to 7 days to break on its own, he says.
Prevent A Recurrence
It’s important to continue the warm compresses for 3 days after the boil breaks, Basler says. All of the pus must drain from the tissues, and it is important that the area kept clean. Covering the open boil is one way to do that, but it’s not critical. “A bandage is mainly to keep the drainage off your clothes,” he adds. MORE: 10 Worst Foods For Your Skin
Clean It
Audrey Kunin, MD, recommends keeping a boil clean to guard against spreading the infection. Wipe it with hydrogen peroxide or apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin or Neosporin as insurance. MORE: Why You Should Never Pop An Ear Pimple
Keep It Localized
When a boil is draining, keep the skin around it clean. Take showers instead of baths to reduce the rare chance of spreading the infection to other parts of the body. After treating a boil, wash your hands well and especially before preparing food because staph bacteria can cause food poisoning.
Apply A Sweet Healing Paste
Once the boil pops, apply a mixture of honey and iodine, which should help treat the infection, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. “It makes an excellent antibacterial mix. The honey works on an osmotic basis, sucking liquid right out of the bacteria and killing them,” he says. MORE: 4 Other Healing Uses For Honey
Tackle It With Tea Tree Oil
After a boil has opened and drained, put a little tea tree oil on a cotton ball and dab it onto the area a few times a day until it is no longer painful. “Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic,” says Georgianna Donadio, PhD.
Quiet A Boil By Using Some Clay
“Bentonite clay is an effective treatment for boils,” says Carolyn Dean, MD, ND. You can purchase the powdered clay in a health food store or online. Using a blender, mix purified or boiled water with just enough clay to make a thick paste. Then apply the paste to the boil, which should draw out the pain, heat, and inflammation, Dean says. MORE: Why You Can’t Stop Picking At Your Skin—And How To Stop It
Set The Stage For Prevention
If you’re prone to boils, you may be able to reduce their frequency by cleaning your skin with an antiseptic cleanser like Betadine to keep the staph population down.
Cures From The Kitchen
Folklore has it that home remedies for boils are as close as your vegetable bin. All the following are variations of the warm-washcloth compress. They should be wrapped in a thin cloth and changed every few hours.
A heated tomato sliceA raw onion sliceA mashed garlic cloveAn outer cabbage leafA tea bag of black tea
MORE: 20 Natural Home Remedies That Work
When To Call A Doctor
Some boils warrant medical care. See your doctor if:
The boil is near your eye, on your nose or lips, or in your armpit or groinThe boil is on your breast and you’re nursingThe boil is more than 1/4 inch in diameterThe boil appears to be extremely tenderYou notice red lines radiating from the boilYour boil is accompanied by fever, chills, or swelling of the lymph nodesYou get boils frequently
In general, if the person with the boil is very young, elderly, or ill, he or she should be treated by a doctor, advises Basler.
Panel Of Advisors
Rodney Basler, MD, is a dermatologist and associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Lincoln. Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, is medical director of Vidacosta Spa El Puente, a medical spa in Costa Rica. She is author of The Magnesium Miracle. Georgianna Donadio, PhD, is director of the National Institute of Whole Health, a holistic certification program for medical professionals. Audrey Kunin, MD, is a cosmetic dermatologist in Kansas City, Missouri, the founder of the dermatology education website DERMAdoctor, and the author of The DermaDoctor SkinStruction Manual. Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, is a board-certified internist and medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, with locations throughout the country. Randy Wexler, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.
