Boils and carbuncles are skin diseases. There is a small difference between a boil and a carbuncle. A boil is an infection of a hair follicle caused by Staphylococcus. A boil is a tiny red lump, and the skin may be tender. When the infection of hair follicles spreads along a wide range of skin, it becomes a carbuncle. When a carbuncle occurs, the surrounding skin may be red and swollen. Small boils may disappear within a few days without treatment and usually without scarring. However, for carbuncles, the lumps fill with pus, growing larger and sometimes painful. Gradually the pus will drain from the blemishes, and they are often accompanied by scars if not dealt with correctly.
Boils and carbuncles often occur on areas of the skin with lots of hair follicles, such as the back, neck, armpit, shoulders and thighs. Usually we can regard a boil as the fist step on the way to a carbuncle. Carbuncles cause a deeper infection and heal more slowly than single boils do, and are also more likely to leave a scar. So, when you think you have spotted a boil, you should take certain actions to prevent it from developing into a carbuncle. Compared with boils, carbuncles are harder to control and therefore responsible for much more pain and tenderness, and healing requires a long period of time.
According to current treatment, those with boils and carbuncles are advised to apply a hot wet dressing to the lesions. This application should last ten to fifteen minutes at least two times per day. Actually, measures discussed in the treatment of acne, such as dietary adjustment and lifestyle changes, are also advisable in the treatment of boils and carbuncles.
There are some factors which might increase your risk of developing boils and carbuncles. So no whether you have developed these conditions or not, you should pay attention to the following risk factors. First of all, if you are diabetic, you should take heed. Diabetics are at higher risk for developing boils and carbuncles, as diabetes make it more difficult for your body to fight bacterial infections. Secondly, a poor immune system will have difficulty combating germs, resulting in infection of skin. Other risk factors are other skin conditions such as acne and dermatitis. With these conditions, your skin has already been damaged, therefore allowing bacteria to enter your body easily.
There are many medical treatments and self-care tips concerning boils and carbuncles, yet these cannot all necessarily be applied to every case. Natural treatments of boils and carbuncles such as vitamins, herbs and supplements have been tested to be helpful for skin healing and repair as they contain important components targeted at building a strong immune system and help to achieve optimal skin health.
Article Source: http://www.fitnesshealtharticles.com.
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