boils

[Tamela]

In the past couple of years I have been getting risens or boils on the inside of my thighs. They leave dark colored scars after they heal. Sometimes they are so bad that I have to drain them myself using a sterile needle.
I also have had few of these under my arm.
Am I lacking a vitamin or is there a way to prevent them? I do not think they are ingrown hairs.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Tamela:

First of all, please don't needle your boils.  Insteadk, wash daily with Hibiclens (OTC antiseptic), apply bacitracin ointment to each boil after washing and also in your nostrils to suppress the growth of staph germs.  Consider also seeing a doctor for a prescription for an oral antibiotic for a short while.  It's not a vitamin deficiency.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[jan]

Tamela, I am a female w/the similar recurring problem as yours. I've gone to the doctors w/this for help. I've taken oral antibiotics, drank lots of water, and soaked in hot baths sometimes as many as 3 a day. These are so painful, and embarrassing. One thing the doctors haven't told me, but I discovered thru trial and error, was that after I do a hot bath soak, I rest w/an ice pack on the infected area. This really has worked well for me as I KNOW how painful these can be. And the scarring - have that too. But what I found out was that when I soak in a hot bath and then put the ice pack there, it helps localize it more, and it also brings the infection to the surface - and it's alot more quicker to get results than just the soaks. I did tell my doctor what I'd found and he told me to keep doing this when I did get a flare up. Also, I take a Vitamin E capsule and punture it to get the vitamin out and apply it - it seems to really, really help me. And maybe this can help you, I hope so. If you're in doubt about this, ask your doctor and explain what I've told you. All I know is that when I'm going thru this hell that I'm willing to try anything. And I've found my own private regime that seems to get faster and better results. After it does drain, I do use Neosporin or something similar and keep it covered to prevent bacteria for reinfection, but leave it loose so that the area can "breathe" and heal. Hope this helps!

[smoke]

Hi, i agree and i hope i can offer a few tips for you also. I was in pain with these ,and its embarrassing feeling like im doing something wrong .Use anti bacterial soap or Hibeclens. Jan is right with the icepak after hot washcloths.Also you can use Ichthammol ointment,available at your drugstore..it smells bad but is very affective at bringing it to a head.you can get Bactroban ointment(a mupirocin ointment ,which was doctor prescribed to me,which helps also..

[Bruce J]

I had a large boil under my armpit. I could hardly move my arm and at times felt nauseas with the pain. I delt with the critter by spraying the area with a mild antiseptic solution and when dry applied a poultice which consisted of the powder from a crushed antioxidant & multivitamin capsules and an antiseptic cream which held it together under a couple of pieces of sticky plaster. I changed it each day, repeating the process. Apart from tearing a few hairs out when I removed the plasters, things went pretty well and the boil got terminated in a couple of days.

[Dawn]

Please go see a doctor they can put you on something called emycin for a few months it will take your boils away i know i got them to i couln't stand it anymore mine were worse i had them on my face .. i went to the dermatogist and knock on wood no more...

[Bella]

I'm not quite sure if I have what you're all talking about but it sounds very similar. I have these boil-like things they almost feel like cysts sometimes and other times they're soft. But they can get to be very big and painful to walk because they are on my inner thighs. They come and go, they usually last a week and then they scar but the scar eventually disappears over a period of time. I'm afraid they might end up not going away sometime soon. I also have some discoloration even higher up on my inner thighs and I don't know what that's from. I've had this for years and it has always bothered me. I want this to go away more than anything because it has made me VERY self conscious about my sexuality because it's so close to my vaginal area. I'm afraid that if any guy sees it he's going to take off running or something. I'm very insecure about it and if there's any information you can give me about it that would be very helpful. I have been to a dermitologist lately and he gave me this long name for what it was, I don't remember exactly. But, he put me on minocycline and it didn't help. He now wants to try something he called sulfa...do you know what that is? If you have any information on that too I'd like to have it before I try this stuff. I'll be waiting for your response. Thanks

[heather]

i have the same problem. i am only 18 years old and when i first saw it i was shocked and i didnt know what to do or who to tell. i am glad to hear that this is a fairly normal thing with females and i am also glad that you were able to give me ideas on what to do. i have had mine for about 3 weeks now and i hope some of the new ideas will help. i understand how painful it is and sometimes quite embarrassing. thank you for reassuring me that there can be a cure.

[in2health]

A related discussion, Boils was started.

[debhunt]

A related discussion, WHAT DOES PSORIASIS LOOK LIKE was started.