Boils are reddish, pus-filled bumps that can appear on any part of your skin. These painful nodes are the results of bacterial skin infections forming in oil glands and hair follicles. People with boils find them to be equal parts uncomfortable and embarrassing, particularly if they grow larger and redder. Luckily, most boils are relatively easy to treat at home. So if you ever find yourself with one, don’t panic and read on below for home treatment tips:
Use heat -- Soak a towel in hot water then wring it put until it is only slightly damp. Apply your warm compress to the boil for 10 to 20 minutes. Repeat this every few hours with a new warm compress until the boil is gone. Heat increases blood circulation in the area while also encouraging antibodies and white blood cells to combat the infection, making this method the safest way to deal with boils.
Apply essential oils -- Aside from making your home smell good, essential oils can also be used to banish stubborn boils. For this, your essential oil of choice should be tea tree essential oil, which has potent antiseptic and antibacterial qualities. Do not use essential oil directly on your skin as it can cause you to experience a burning sensation. Instead, combine five drops of tea tree essential oil with a teaspoon of olive oil. Gently rub the mixture onto the boil with a cotton swab two to three times daily. You could also mix one part tea tree essential oil with 10 parts of hot water and simply use as you would a normal warm compress. (Related: Tea tree oil can work wonders for your skin.)
Turn to turmeric -- Thanks to its natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, turmeric can be an effective boil treatment. Just mix equal parts turmeric powder with equal parts water until a paste is produced and apply it to the boil twice daily for five to ten minutes. If desired, you could also drink a warm glass of water or milk with a teaspoon of turmeric powder that’s been mixed in to speed up the process.
Rub on castor oil -- According to Healthline.com, castor oil is naturally rich in anti-inflammatory ricinoleic acid. As such, directly applying a small amount onto a boil three times a day is a surefire way to make it disappear over time.
Once your boil is gone, you can now take extra measures to avoid boils in the future. Boils can’t be fully prevented, but you can at least minimize your risk of getting them by practicing a healthy lifestyle. As per MedicalNewsToday.com, eating a varied and nutritious diet, as well as staying hydrated, will greatly improve your immune function. Exercising regularly is another practice that will greatly benefit your body in the long run, as will thoroughly washing your hands after coming into contact with another person. These habits will make you less susceptible to developing boils.
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