Carbuncles (boils)

Question

My husband has had a I would say chronic problem with boils for about a year or two now, where he gets them often and mainly in the groin area.  Why does he all the sudden have this problem and what can he do to prevent them?  We already use antibacterial soap and we are very clean people, showers daily.  Any suggestions???

shannonlee · Answer

Hi
we deal with these alot in our clinic its a staph infection (abcess) they lance, drain, and pack it right? very painful - sore-
the doctor will do a culture to see if its mrsa which is resistant to antibiotics.
you can carry this staph in your nose
any one in the house should get a culture done of their nostrils
the carrier will be put on antibiotics and hopefully you will not have these abcesses again.
some of the cleanest people i know have had these.

izamom2 · Answer

Hi, thanks for your input, he has been to dr for this problem and they are the ones to suggest using anti bacterial soap.  I dont think it has helped him any.  He has gone to the dr on two seperate occasions to have the boil lanced.  They are extremely painful for him.  He does "pop" them himself now.  He doesnt have any insurance anymore.  He says after it pops and drains then it begins to feel better.  What exactly is staph and is there some kinda treatment you can get for it???  Thanks so much!

star queen · Answer

A boil is an staph infection around a hair follicle.  They are usually around body areas that sweat and chafe.  They can become a very serious problem when they form localized abscesses with puss.  On rare occassions they can spread to deep tissues and become life threatening.  It is never a good idea to "pop" or "pick" a boil, but have a doctor lance it. Boils may appear in the groin area when the clothing is too tight or chafes the skin. Anti-bacterial soap is not a good idea to bathe with in these circumstances.  The soap kills off all bacteria on the skin, including those "good" bacteria that protect the skin from infection. Those soaps with deodorant will dry the skin and add to the chafing. You might stop using the soaps with anti-bacterial properties and those with deoderant in them and use a regular old soap like Dove or Ivory for a while and see if that doesn't help. If your Hubby has one now, or when he has the next one, you should see a dermatologist and get it checked out.

lmroswell · Answer

I know that excess sweating can cause boils.  And rubbing of the area from tight clothing.  Also, I think staph can have a role in boils.  My husband gets these, more in the summer than at other times, especially if he has been out with his bike.  You could visit with a dermatologist and get a topical to see if it helps the situation.

Carbuncles (boils)

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