How To Treat, Soothe & Bring Boils To A Head
31 Comments 
Boils are skin abscesses that can develop for a number of reasons but common culprits are an ingrown hair and plugged sweat glands (armpits and groin area especially). They start out somewhat sore when touched but if allowed to flourish, they will continue to swell in size and become extremely painful…some can grow to the size of an egg!
At first glance you might mistake it for a pimple but until it comes to a head, you’ll find it very, very painful to touch and no matter how much you squeeze it (if you can tolerate the pain), very little (if any) pus will expel.
The best way to get rid of one is to start treatment as soon as you notice it forming (can feel like a tender, sore lump when first developing). If they become extremely large, soft and ready to expel, they’re better tackled by a doctor who will lance it, drain it, pack it and send you on your way with a prescription for penicillin or antibacterial cream.
Side Note: You might recall scenes in historical based movies of nuns heating small glass globes or jars then applying them to a poor soul’s body. This actually was something done for boils, the heat inside the glass would create a vacuum when openings were stuck on the skin which would then draw out the infection. Imagine how painful that was! The good news is, it’s pretty easy to take care of things yourself with a lot less fuss.
To begin:
Help fight the infection by soaking in a hot bath with Epsom salts (keeping the afflicted part under water). You can also apply warm packs or cloths. The heat increases circulation and encourages your body to focus on that spot and attack the infection. Do this a couple times a day and you should see results quickly. Keep it up until the boil has completely gone. If handled promptly, there will be no pus to drain since your body will take care of it.
If things are too far gone and you want to bring it to a head (ripen it) so it will soften and erupt, here’s what you can do (continue heat treatments as directed above):
- Saturate a bandaid pad with a few drops of tea tree oil then cover abscess.
- Regularly soak in lavender water (scroll down page for recipes). Can also use as a compress.
- Slather honey over the spot.
- Apply a fresh sliced tomato or tomato paste on top of it. The acid from the fruit will help soothe and ripen quicker.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice, drizzle over top or soak a cotton ball with it and bandage in place. Same idea as above.
- Poultice: 1 TBS alum + 2 oz fresh tomato juice. Mix together then apply, covering completely. Wrap with cheesecloth, remove after 15 minutes and wash off.
- Regularly slather on garlic oil (instructions found on bottom of page) to hasten things along.
Old Wives Remedies:
- Completely cover it with a piece of fatty bacon (raw), bandage in place and leave on overnight.
- The crusty heel from a stale loaf of bread is soaked in hot milk then placed on the abscess and bandaged in place. Do several times a day until ripened.
It will be ready to open up with little pressure when the top softens and you see a yellow pus dot in the center (just like with a pimple). Once it opens up to drain, the relief will be instant and almost overwhelming. There will be a lot of fluid draining…you’ll be surprised at the amount! Keep the surrounding skin as clean as possible and disinfect regularly. Cover wound with a sterilized bandage.
Important:
- If you notice reddening or red streaking around the boil or patient is feverish or experiences chills (before or after eruption), seek professional medical care.
- People with diabetes and weakened immune systems should have a doctor handle this.
- Remember that you’re dealing with a bacterial infection (staph), wash hands well before and after treatment. Once draining starts, wearing latex gloves while cleaning it up is a good idea.
- If you have a cluster of them, these are called carbuncles and should be looked at by a doctor.
Please Note: These are simply notes I have collected, they are not professional medical advice.
Had a boil that turned into two side by side. tried the warm compress, but it did not help. Went to the doctor who told me that she had to cut it open to get the stuff out. Then proceeded to stick a needle in the center of the boil to numb the area. She did not numb the area with anything before sticking the needle in. Boils are very painful, but a needle stuck in it is HORRIBLE. Not only that but the numbing did not take the first time so she had to stick the needle in each one a second time. I will try some of these other things like the tomato or lemon juice if I ever get another one. (which I hope I never do.)
I’m about ready to pass out just reading what you went through!
That is awful. I used to get boils a lot and a lump of bread in very hot water then on to the boil does it for me every time. I keep applying until my little bowl of water is not longer hot. It can take a couple of days treating the boil 3 times a day. I have found if the doctor intervenes the boils come back in the same spot.
There is an ointment called Ichthammol Ointment available at pharmacies, usually behind the counter (but no prescription is required) that will bring boils to a head. It is relatively inexpensive (I know I paid less than $10 for a 1 oz tube). It smells like tar but it is effective.
The Ichthammol Ointment has been around for years and in the past was called drawing suave. It is the best and works for many things. If you have a splinter just put a dab on band-aid it up and overnight, wa-la not splinter. Very good stuff!
I have never heard of Ichthammol Ointment. Maybe it is a regional only brand, I will look for it before needing it. The salve I am most familiar is called Prid, it is also behind the counter most of the time.It is rather thick and gooey, dark brown in color, works great. It is not especially expensive, less than $5. I suspect the stores prefer you go to the doctor, so you will have an expensive prescription to fill….=)
Prid is the same thing as Ichthammol Ointment….I have tired both….I think my boils are resistant to them, lol….I have a prescription I got from the doctor, expensive, but very effective. I get boils at least once a month along with my menstrual cycle
My husband used to get these quite frequently when we first married (3-4 a year). We were told to apply Aloe Vera. Take the leaf place on a skillet to heat and get the juice flowing(low heat, turning frequently). Apply to boil cover with a bandage. After using this the next two times he had a boil we have never had to use again. And I’m talking about a 20 yr. time period.
I’m sorry I forgot to say…. After heating cut a slit down the side/length of the leaf, then apply to boil and cover with a bandage.
Excellent tip Genoveva, thanks for sharing that! I have something about aloe in my notes too by couldn’t find it. That’s why I have this blog, get everything online on one page and have it searchable…I’m too disorganized with my notes offline! lol
I have been plagued by these my whole life! My Naturopath told me to regularly take a garlic product to keep them at bay; studies show it will kill staph. Just had about five in a row pop up and took more concentrated “AlliUltra” (instead of AlliMax) and they are almost gone, with no drainage after 5 days. Research shows you need 1080 mg of allicin, the active ingredient daily to combat and destroy the staph.
I think that’s good advice Kate. One thing I didn’t get into above was why some people are prone to getting them. It seems there’s a deficiency of some sort (nutrients). I’ve read over and over again to eat lots of garlic (the garlic oil I linked to above is also recommended to take daily).
I have been there and thought I would never make it. I had to go into emergency room because it was on my breast over a weekend. But I have since found if you get one as I do (dr said hair growing back into itself) like once ever few years place VICKS on it and the heat from it will draw, and make it to a head and then heat up a glass pop bottle and it will pull it right out. Heal up and leave no scar!
Castor oil and a warm compress.
I have a boil on my foot and it friggin hurts so badly.. I can’t even walk because I would have to step on it. boils are sooo painful.. I had it for a week now and it is so big (so nasty). I have it under my foot and the skin is thick there so its under my skin and I can’t squeeze it out since its under.. I went to the doctor this thursday and when he pressed it I thought I was going to die.. I bought this cream that he recomended and advil so the pain wouldn’t be that bad. I apply the cream 3 times a day and put my foot in water and salt for 20 minutes 2/3 times a day. Its not going away and I want it to go away.
IT IS SOOO PAINFUL
My doctor was gobsmacked when I told him that I take Silica tablets when I first feel a boil forming. Take one tablet 3 times a day. If you get on top of it early enough you only need to take the tabs for 1-3 days. My Doc reckons if it works, use it. It has always worked for me.
Can Boils Be Hereditary?
I keep getting boils on my scalp. This latest one is pushing on a nerve rather than my dr lancing it to releive the pressure she gave me pain pills which are no help. what is the fastest way to get relief? I have tried almost everything including prid’s and boil ease
Tea tree oil works well had to little bumps on thigh that turned to boil applying mediacated body powder they went away but 2 weeks later they were back big and painful now after applied tea tree oil NP pain they r getting smaller already
The spice Tumeric is incredibly effective on boils and all sorts of skin infections, in addition to a vast array of well documented and researched positive effects on the body. Google “tumeric Health Benefits” and see. I take 800mg twice a day and have been amazed at its impact on my health.
I’ve just tried the aloe vera treatment mentioned above. Had the plant (gel part) on boil covered with a plaster overnight. Just took it off now, and cleaned off with antiseptic bath, and amazingly it all came out – no pain whatsoever. Thanks for the advice
Can I use regular aloe vera from a bottle? I get these horrible boils all the time and the one I have now is the size of a softball but there are no red streaks so I am trying to avoid that and get this taken care of the easy way. I have had a couple lanced and that hurts so bad I don’t want to do it again! Please help!
I am 17 now but have struggled with boils for almost a year and a half, I have atleast 3 a month. Doctors have given me every anti-biotic they can and I’ve been to a herbalist to try the natural route. Its perhaps the most painfull thing I have every experienced… I really hope these tips work, will start trying them imediately (have 3 boils at the moment)….
I suffered with boils and it sounds like you may have hydradanitis supparativa. It can be treated with a long term low dose antibiotic like the ones used for acne, also a topical lotion and an antibacterial soap. It can take a while to take effect but it is well worth it when it does. I have my life back. There is not a cure but this helps manage it. It s worth asking your doctor or looking it up on internet. Hope this helps.
I get boils on my face monthly. This month I got three. I appreciate the advice and am really excited to try some of the above ideas. Also the daily vitamins to see if they help not get them to begin with. It’s hard to do any treatment on my face numerous times a day, and I have to wear makeup to cover them because I work with the public and they aren’t attractive. I hope that this information is helpful. Will report back. I have also had to have a couple lanced open at a doctors office and it is the most painful thing I have ever experienced. Hoping to never have to do that again.
When i was in primary school i often get boils one after the other through out the year…i assumed this must be due to my diet. I used to eat alot of meat and drink less water. I became a vegeterian in class 5 and magically got no more boils. I guess change in diet must have made the difference especially with more greens and fruits. Now i have completed university and am working as a biology teacher. I began eating fish. For the past few weeks stress in work has affect my eating pattern… my diet consisted of fried fish (high protein) and less fruits/greens and even less water. No time to prepare a good healthy meal. Guess what? I got another boil 6 days ago since primary school. The boil on my chin was very painful causing fever. I took antibiotics for two days and had to stop because it was healing the boil making it harder instead of become soft so pus can be drawn out quickly for healing to take place. So i quit antibiotics and went to pharmacy and bought Ichthammol Ointment 25%. Applying it on my boil helped draw out part of the pus in the boil where its soft…its now 6th day and yet the other part of the boil is still hard.. though less painful. Need advice to soften the boil to speed up drawing of the pus so i can go back to class. Shall i continue applying the Ointment? I am thinking of using aloe vera as one suggested. Any advice on how to soften the boil so i could apply the Ointment to complete drawing the pus.
I got this one big lump on my inner thigh 3 days ago….. It was terrible as it hurts real bad. Took antibiotics from the doctor and also a craem lobate. It did help a little, since the progress was slow. The lump turned black in two days as well as bigger in size. Was unable to stand, sit or walk
. My mom did not say a word when left from home on the third day and returned with a few leaves from tue hibiscus plant. She smashed the leaves adding a pinch of rock salt until it was sticky. I applied it myself, covering it with cotton and a tied it with a cloth. Left it on tus whole night. The next morning. ….. surprisingly the abscess was so delicate and soft a ever. It broke out and all the pus began draining. Unfortunately the skin also ruptured. It was bad luck that the seed didn’t come out. So had to apply this miracle paste again. … hut this time it was very sore since the wound was open. Left it for 8 hours now and im about to try pressing it again. Once done im gonna apply some neosporin powder. Take care people.
Hi, my name is Weegie. I have dealt with boils for months and months. Trying to figure out the most possible way of getting rid of them and nothing has worked until my doctor suggested that I use B12. I use 1mg once a day and it has gotten rid of the boil and I haven’t gotten it back. It is an easy remedy and it works great. It’s not a cure but it helps.
I just cut a leaf from my aloe vera plant, warmed it and placed it behind my ear (where my boil is) and covered it with a large bandage. I’ll check back in tomorrow morning and let you all know if it worked for me. I’ve had this thing behind my ear for a week. At 1st it was hard and painful. I used boil ease and it is now soft but is not advancing in any way. Hopefully this Aloe will help it along. Thanks for the advise ! FINGERS CROSSED !!
I had two boils on 1 under arm u can imagine it was a week of hell went to the doctor he gave me an injection and antiniotics after 4 days one popped than the following day the last one popped but than my let side was so sore my breast and arm I was so swollen I also used warm salt water I pray no one goes thru this
I have suffered with boils my whole life!!! (I’m 30) Above leandra asked if they can be hereditary and I believe the answer is YES…my father has also suffered with them his whole life and a few other family members on his side of the family get them as well. I have scars all over my body from them, mostly on my upper thighs and underwear line…the friction from my underwear caused reoccuring boils in the same spots. It got to the point that I had to stop wearing underwear just so that I wouldn’t get them as often. I once got one on my knee the size of an apple that turned into Staph. I found that hot baths as well as moist very hot compresses brought the most relief. I used to end up in the emergency room in tears they would get so bad and so very very painful…I have kicked many doctors after having a needle stuck into them over and over and over!! The packing always annoyed me to the piont that id have anxiety attacks if i didn’t take it out…I always had at least one but usually 3 or 4 at a time…I recently lost 60 pounds and since then I’ve only had 2 boils and I would love to know if my weight loss has anything to do with it. I can’t say that I am eating healthier, I was actually put on medication that caused me to have no appetite so that’s why I lost the weight….if anyone knows if people that are overweight are more likely to get them than others I’m very curious to know…also does anyone know if theres anything that can be done to prevent them? BOILS are horrible and can I relate to all of your stories:(