Boil/Abscess

[ButterfliesnWaterfalls]

Hi,

A bit of an 🤢 one.

I have a boil/abscess in a really intimate area - inner thigh… etc.

It is huge and today - I am in a lot of pain as it is rubbing against my skin every time I walk.

Should I wait a few days. I don’t want to go to the GP - I thought it would disappear by itself but it seems to have gotten bigger and just very uncomfortable and painful.

Any home remedies I can try?

I’ve tried to keep it dry and clean etc.

Thank you.

You can buy magnesium sulphate paste for a couple of pounds in Boots etc. It helps to draw them out. A warm flannel will help in the meantime.

Do you drink beer? I used to drink beer until I made the connection. Stopped the beer and the boils and abscesses stopped. I'd been having them in the underarm area too. If ever I give in and have a few drinks the skin problems start up again so it just isn't worth it for me.

Good luck - I know how painful these are.

Try gentle heat by holding a clean flannel soaked in warm water against it for ten minutes several times a day. Then cover it with a dressing until it heals to prevent them spreading

You can buy a product called hibiscrub/ hibiwash. I've had it on prescription but I've also bought it over the counter.

try putting a warm tea bag on it for 10 minutes , tea has anti bacterial qualities and the heat will help localise the pus, rub some Vaseline or Sudocream onto the area which ever you have handy . The oil in either of these will help bring the boil to a head within 24 hours , you may need to apply twice then pop with a sterilised needle . Clean area thoroughly and spray with antiseptic spray . This has worked for me in the past. I feel for you they are so painful and uncomfortable. It’s so satisfying to pop the feckers though and the pain is gone immediately.

Thank you. No, I don’t drink beer but I’m trying to think what could have caused this. Nothing unusual in my diet.

I did have a waxing appointment a couple of weeks ago - but not in that place.

I’ll go Boots tomorrow and see if I can get that paste - thank you 🙂

Ugh … I didn’t know they could spread? 😩

Never ever pop an abscess yourself. Even with a sterilised needle.
I had a skin infection 2 years ago as a secondary complications to something else ( was already in ICU anyway)
I now have 50% of my left thigh missing and a deformed leg thanks to necrotising faschitis. Obviously extremely but by pricking an abscess you could draw bacteria into your body and can get very ill very quickly. I had sepsis also and multi organ failure.
Obviously very very extreme but these are the dangers of just bursting your own abcesses.
I suffer with HS and have about 6 active abcesses on on my thigh next to my NF scar actually. Hibiscrub is a good shout ( i get it on prescription) but you can buy it on Amazon.
Definitely second a warm compress keep the abscess as clean and dry as possible.

I’ll try this now and get the magnesium thing in the morning.

Warm tea bag and Vaseline. Thanks for the tip.

If it wasn’t in such an awkward place - I would have squeezed it out by now 😭 but it is huge and I’m scared of infecting it.

This is what I’m terrified of!

What if it bursts by itself? What happens then? Is there still a risk of infection?

Hot bread poultice

https://www.healthline.com/health/poultice

Was plagued with them in my 20's - I feel your pain

You want it to burst and when it does you need to keep it open as long as possible squeezing gently to try to get the core out

Unfortunately they do reoccur and will need surgical intervention - LA - drained, packed, dressings changed by the nurse

Soak in a hot bath

Thank you - I will bear this in mind.

Once it bursts naturally - do as pp says, you want to make sure all the pus and debris has come out, afterwards just keep clean, dry and keep an eye on.
I usually put dressings on mine once they have burst as I'm paranoid.

Only have a shower but will try that too.

Hope I get better by Wednesday - as have a lot to walk at work 😔

OP I have no advice but I hope it resolves soon. I had one in my armpit and it was more painful than 3 vaginally births. Mine popped naturally while a was having a shower, I actually cried with relief

I suffer with these as well. They're awful, and I feel your pain. Currently have one under my armpit, has been there for a good couple of weeks now and nothing I do to it is working at the moment. I will try the hibiscrub

I had one on my neck a few years ago- so so painful. Still have a dip in my skin where it was. No tips other than what others have said but At the time my iron was v low and read up about it being a common factor so maybe something to consider to look at if your immune system needs support nutritionally.

I had several years ago all over my bum and inner thighs, the pain was unreal! In the end, I had to go to the GP and was given antibiotics.
i genuinely was popping them multiple times a day in the shower and within an hour they were back in full force! Had to sit on a pillow in the car to get to work!

Tea tree oil

OUCH!!!!

Should never be applied neat to skin.

Magnesium sulphate paste.

If you google for your local duty pharmacy, you should be able to get some today (and dressings).

Thank you everyone.

So some of it has burst 🤢 … still a bit painful to walk but not as much as it was before.

Thank you to everyone who supported me ❤️