Table of contents:
- What causes boils?
- Risk factors that can be the cause of boils
- Do eggs cause boils?
- When do you need to see a doctor for boils?
Boils are skin infections that attack the hair follicles or oil glands under the skin. A characteristic feature of boils is the appearance of a festering rash that hurts to the touch. What exactly causes boils to appear?
What causes boils?
The main cause of boils is bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria are commonly found in the skin, nose and throat. Of the entire population in the world, it is estimated that there are about 10-20% of people who carry this bacteria.
It is not yet known exactly how this condition arises. However, it usually starts when the skin is scratched or rubbed against something.
As is well known, the structure of the human skin is made as an immune defense against foreign substances that cause disease. When the scratched skin is damaged, these bacteria can enter the walls of the hair follicles and then infect the surrounding skin.
Boils usually appear on areas of skin where hair is grown, where these areas will sweat more often or experience friction. Boils also often appear on the face, back of the neck, armpits, thighs and buttocks. There are even boils in the groin.
Due to the process of emergence, infection from the ingrown hairs is a frequent cause of boils in some people.
Risk factors that can be the cause of boils
Anyone can get boils, whether male or female, young or old. However, there are some people who are more prone to experiencing this.
Boils are easier to attack people with low immune systems. The reason is, people with weak immune systems will find it more difficult to fight infection.
Some conditions that can weaken the immune system are diseases such as diabetes, kidney failure, and HIV, age factors, or if you are undergoing treatment by taking certain drugs that work to suppress the work of the immune system.
A number of skin diseases that damage the protective layer of the skin, such as acne and eczema (atopic dermatitis) can also cause your boils to become more prone.
Boils can be passed from one person to another through direct contact between the healthy skin and pus. Meanwhile, indirect transmission can occur if you borrow personal items from someone who has an ulcer.
Do eggs cause boils?
Source: Once Upon A Chef
Of course, you often hear the advice not to eat too many eggs, because it is feared that this habit will lead to the appearance of boils on the skin.
In fact, eggs are not the cause of ulcers. In fact, eggs themselves are one of the healthiest foods that provide many benefits to the body. However, there are several foods that trigger the development of cystic acne which have similar characteristics to boils.
These foods are sweet foods that are high in sugar and foods that contain saturated fats. Both of these foods can increase blood sugar levels and the production of hormones that are similar to insulin.
Increased blood sugar will encourage oil production on the face and make skin follicles more susceptible to infection from the outside. Later, this is what causes the skin to be more prone to acne, which is similar to boils.
When do you need to see a doctor for boils?
Boils rarely require medical attention by a doctor. If the boil is small, you can do your own treatment at home by compressing it using a cloth soaked in warm water.
Even so, there are times when boils require special treatment, especially if they appear more than one at the same time, or if they are accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms.
- Appears on the face.
- Fever and chills develop.
- Diameter more than 5 cm.
- Does not heal in two weeks (does not break after self-medication).
- Your lymph nodes are swollen.
- Rashes or redness appear on the healthy skin around the boil.
- The pain is getting worse or very painful.
- You have a heart murmur, diabetes, problems with your immune system, or are taking drugs that weaken your body's immune system (such as corticosteroids or chemotherapy) and develop skin ulcers.
If the infection has spread to deeper or expanded tissue, a pus sample may be taken to identify the type of bacteria causing the infection more accurately.
The results of the pus sample can guide your doctor about which antibiotics to use to treat your problem. Examples of drugs that have been used in the treatment of boils include clindamycin ointment, mupirocin, and cephalexin.
