A boil is called acute purulent-necrotic inflammation, which develops in the hair follicle, sebaceous gland and surrounding connective tissue. Such a disease is provoked by pyogenic bacteria, in particular Staphylococcus aureus.
General information
Usually a purulent boil is located on areas of the skin that are subject to frequent friction and mechanical damage (for example, on the neck, lower back, back of the hands, on the buttocks or knees).
After the bacteria of Staphylococcus aureus enter the wound or microcrack that has formed on the skin after epilation or when shaving, the rapid development of furunculosis begins.
During the day, a small pimple acquires the size of a pigeon egg.
Features of the disease
At the very beginning of the disease, a boil on the leg manifests itself in the form of a small, troubling node with hair in the middle. A few days later, due to necrotic processes, fluid accumulates in it, or the so-called infiltrate. As a result, a pustule forms in the center of the abscess. When it is opened, the stem of the boil comes out with pus and dead tissue around it, and an ulcer forms in its place. As a rule, it drags out over time. However, a scar often remains on the skin.
If the boil on the leg is significant and positioned in such a way that it brings aesthetic discomfort, then you can contact a plastic surgeon or cosmetologist for the subsequent elimination of scar tissue.
Causes of occurrence
The boil on the leg is localized mainly in those places where there is increased friction and a large accumulation of hair follicles. One of these places is the area on the lower leg, hips, buttocks or under the knee.
Why does a boil arise on the leg? The cause of the appearance of such an abscess is damage to the skin and the receipt of micro-wounds. Subsequently, bacteria of Staphylococcus aureus fall into such cracks, which leads to infection.
Also, a boil can occur due to anemia, a lack of vitamins in the body, type 1 and type 2 diabetes (with this disease, furunculosis very often becomes a chronic process), alcoholism and prolonged hypothermia.
Other reasons
About what the boil looks like, we will tell a little lower. According to experts, such a formation on the lower extremities often develops after a bruise or shock. Especially often athletes suffer from furunculosis.
With regular scratching of wounds or abrasions, they are systematically infected. This is the reason for the development of furunculosis on the leg.
If abscesses appear very often over a long time, then the causes of their formation can be associated with chronic diseases, as well as with an impaired metabolism in the body and diabetes.
Main symptoms
What does the boil look like? With the development of such an abscess on the leg, the skin begins to redden, itch and itch. Then there is local pain. In this case, a boil similar to a large pimple is formed. It is diagnosed quite easily. As the abscess develops, the affected area begins to twitch. Many patients observe a noticeable pulsation that stops after the boil matures.
If such a nuisance arose in the area between the legs, then it delivers a lot of pain. This is due to the constant friction of the abscess when walking.
Life cycle
Before telling you how to cure a boil, you should tell what its life cycle is. It consists of the following stages:
- Inflammation. A small pimple forms on the leg, which in the early days does not have clear boundaries. After that, it begins to grow and rises above the skin. In this case, the abscess constantly itches, itches and bothers.
- Necrosis and suppuration. After inflammation, the boil ripens. Its core with pus, as well as dead tissue, emerges from the pustule.
- Healing. As soon as all its contents come out of the abscess, a so-called crater is formed. Subsequently, the wound is healed.
Usually the boil passes independently, without interference from the outside. If more than a week has passed from the moment the patient noticed symptoms of an abscess, and the pathogenic acne has not matured and causes a lot of pain and discomfort, you should immediately consult a surgeon.
The doctor will carefully open it and clean everything with special means. If you do not consult a doctor on time, then such an abscess can develop into a more serious problem.
How to cure a boil?
If the abscess on the leg does not require surgical intervention, then it is necessary to adhere to the following treatment regimen: before each “contact” with an acne, hands should be thoroughly washed or disinfected with an antiseptic. This will prevent the infection from entering the focus of the boil.
Until the abscess has matured, it is required to apply an antiseptic ointment on it every day. To do this, the surface of the boil should be pre-disinfected with hydrogen peroxide.
After this procedure, it must be closed with a tight gauze bandage.
After the rod exits, the wound should be thoroughly disinfected with hydrogen peroxide. When it dries and begins to tighten, you can lubricate the rim of the scar with a solution of brilliant green or iodine.
If the boil does not ripen and brings a lot of discomfort, then you should consult a doctor. The surgeon must anesthetize the affected area and make an incision in it. After that, pus is squeezed out of the abscess and the shaft is removed. Next, the wound is disinfected.
By applying a sterile dressing to a pimple, the doctor sends the patient home.
In the presence of severe pain, including during the boil ripening, the patient is recommended to use painkillers, observing the interval between their intake - 5-6 hours. Such means can serve: “No-Shpa”, “Ketanov”, “Nise”, “Analgin”, “Spazmalgon”.
It is forbidden to take analgesics for more than two days in a row. During this time, the pain syndrome should noticeably subside.
If a boil on the leg occurs in a child, then it should be treated only by a doctor. This is due to the fact that such a disease can be not just an infection, but be a consequence of an autoimmune or catarrhal disease.