Furunculosis is a very common disease, from which both adults and children are currently suffering. At the same time, many patients postpone the trip to the specialist because of embarrassment or simply do not attach any importance to this inflammation. However, not everyone knows that ignoring such suppurations, especially in the facial area, can provoke serious consequences, including hospitalization and surgical intervention. Therefore, it is important to know how to distinguish a boil from an acne.
What is furunculosis?
Furunculosis is a pathological process, manifested in the form of purulent-necrotic inflammation of the hair sacs, which are called follicles. Staphylococcus aureus is considered the main causative agent of this disease. When Staphylococcus aureus enters the subcutaneous fat layers, it begins to provoke inflammation, as well as tissue necrosis. If boils periodically form in various parts of the body over a long period, then it is customary to talk about chronic furunculosis. To avoid any complications, you need to know how to distinguish a boil from an acne.
Reasons for the appearance
If one boil has formed on the body, then this does not mean that a person fell ill with furunculosis. However, if the patient is not careful about the treatment, then this neoplasm can cause new pustules to appear on the body. The main reason for the formation of boils is getting on the damaged areas on the body of the bacterial flora, mainly staphylococcal. In addition, some unfavorable factors can contribute to the development of the disease, which should include:
- a variety of microtraumas on the skin of the face, such as scratches or scratches;
- non-compliance with hygiene standards;
- weakened immunity;
- age-related changes in the skin, for example, adolescent age;
- hormonal failure in the body;
- malnutrition;
- vitamin deficiency or hypovitaminosis;
- regular contamination of the epidermis of the skin;
- oily type of skin of the face;
- excessive sweating.
In some cases, boils can form on the body due to hypothermia. Other causes of the formation of these ulcers are:
- deficiency of vitamins in the body;
- emotional and physical overwork;
- the presence of chronic diseases;
- impaired metabolism in the body;
- combing insect bites;
- inflammatory and infectious diseases.
Mostly boils are formed on the body in the spring, when people have weakened immunity, as a result of which one can easily catch any infection.
Provocative factors
Furunculosis may be present on the skin in the form of neoplasms in a small amount, however, under favorable conditions, Staphylococcus aureus can begin to multiply actively, provoking purulent processes on the body. Factors that contribute to the activation of Staphylococcus aureus:
- poor hygiene;
- hypothermia;
- viral diseases, such as influenza and SARS;
- abrasions on the skin;
- imbalance in the intestinal microflora;
- weakened immunity due to adverse environmental conditions;
- taking certain medications, such as antibiotics.
It should be noted that all factors that create favorable conditions for the reproduction of Staphylococcus aureus, one way or another, are based on reduced immunity. For this reason, the treatment of furunculosis should be comprehensive.
Symptoms of furunculosis
Speaking about how to distinguish a boil from an acne, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of furunculosis. It is not difficult to determine the boil, since it is noticeable, and soreness can be observed in the area of its formation. What is the difference between a pimple and a boil:
- the swelling in the boil will be much greater than in a simple acne;
- redness in the area of the boil is the most extensive;
- a boil may be accompanied by an itch;
- in the center of the boil, there is almost always hair, which can not be said about the usual acne;
- a boil is accompanied by soreness.
A few days after the formation of the boil, the skin begins to tighten, acquiring a bright red hue. After some time, the swelling becomes larger, and the boil itself begins to pulsate, the soreness increases. Considering how to distinguish a boil from an acne, it is worth noting that at the stage of development of this abscess, its size in diameter can be up to 3 cm, which can not be said about the usual acne.
After some time, a purulent rod, a small vesicle filled with pus may form in the place of the boil. Considering what distinguishes an acne from a boil, the following symptoms of furunculosis should be distinguished:
- fever;
- severe tiredness;
- general weakness;
- headache;
- muscle pain;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes.
At the last stage of the development of furunculosis, the abscess bursts, and pus comes out of it, after which the wound begins to heal. The boiling time of the boil, as a rule, is from 7 to 12 days. In some cases, a laboratory test is required to treat boils, for which pus is taken from the neoplasm. If more than 3 abscesses appeared on the body, then it is necessary to donate blood to detect the level of inflammation.
How to distinguish a boil from an acne
A photo of a boil and acne can clearly show the differences between these neoplasms from each other. However, to be completely sure that it was a boil that formed on the body, and not a simple pimple, one must be able to distinguish between the invisible symptoms of these neoplasms. First of all, you need to understand how to distinguish a boil from an acne (photo not shown for aesthetic reasons). In fact, outwardly one can see some similarities, so not everyone can immediately understand what exactly he is dealing with.
Speaking about how to understand whether a boil or pimple formed on the face, it should be noted that there are differences in the nature of their formation. Normal acne on the body can appear for a variety of reasons, while boils are formed solely due to exposure to Staphylococcus aureus. Also, the boil has a rather deep inner root. For this reason, an autopsy of the abscess can cause a worsening during the entire treatment.
Considering how to determine whether a boil or pimple has appeared on the face, you should pay attention to a solid formation, which has an internal root that rises significantly above the abscess. In ordinary acne, as a rule, there is no solid shaft. Another difference from the acne boil is a bright red shade. This indicates the initial stage of development of furunculosis. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the fact that, unlike acne, boils on the body may not have clear boundaries, and the process of their formation sometimes proceeds with severe pain.
How to understand that a boil begins to form under the skin?
In answering this question, attention should be paid to the clinical manifestations of boils. Speaking about how to distinguish a boil from an acne at an early stage of its development, you should pay attention to symptoms indicating that this is not a simple acne on the body:
- a swelling forms on the skin, which is dense to the touch, its center is raised;
- the skin becomes red, and redness does not have clear boundaries;
- pain is observed not only during touch, but also as an independent symptom;
- the resulting tubercle may be accompanied by itching;
- every day the symptoms become more pronounced, and the swelling increases in size;
- a week later, pus from the boil begins to flow to the top of the neoplasm.
Treatment methods
With the first signs of acne, similar to boils, iodine can be used as an antiseptic. The skin near the neoplasm is treated with chlorhexidine or simple alcohol. While suppuration is observed, as an adjuvant, you can use ichthyol ointment, which resolves acne and boils. In addition, a very effective ointment for combating boils is Levomekol.
In this case, it is worth paying attention to the fact that during the treatment of a boil it is strictly forbidden to warm the neoplasm.
Experts also do not recommend self-removing boils on the body. When squeezing, there is a chance of introducing any infection into the resulting wound. Ultimately, the neoplasm will begin to increase in size, accompanied by severe soreness. Therefore, you should not remove the abscess yourself, as the bacteria that are in it can penetrate deeper into the skin, and then into the blood.
There were cases when, due to the formation of one boil, internal organs were infected with staphylococci, which provoked serious consequences. Only a qualified dermatologist can correctly remove the neoplasm and make an appropriate medical selection. Boils, acne with purulent contents on the face or other area of the body are a signal that you must immediately visit a medical facility.
Folk remedies
There are many different folk recipes with which you can overcome the symptoms of an unpleasant disease. To remove the boil at home, often use the following traditional medicine:
- Burdock. To do this, boil the leaves of burdock in milk, and then apply them to the affected areas on the body all night.
- Aloe. Aloe leaves are a traditional remedy for the treatment of various purulent diseases on the skin, including the fight against furunculosis. However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the healing properties of plants appear in the fourth year of their life. The juice contained in aloe leaves helps the pimple to ripen, after which all the purulent masses are pulled out. To do this, cut the leaf along and attach to the affected areas on the body.
- Bow. Onion is another folk remedy that can suck pus well from neoplasms. To do this, first you need to boil the onion head, then apply it to the affected area overnight, fixing it well with gauze or another bandage.
- Rye flour and honey. These products must be mixed until a pasty mass is obtained, after which the product should be applied to the affected areas, bandaged well and left overnight.
- Laundry soap. To treat a boil, it is necessary to grind laundry soap and pour plain water for 15 minutes. Apply a thick mass on cheesecloth and apply to the resulting boil. The dressing should be changed every three hours.
- Vishnevsky ointment and fir oil. This folk remedy is very effective for treating boils at home. The mixture of Vishnevsky ointment and fir oil has an excellent warming effect, which accelerates the maturation of the boil. To prepare the mixture, you need to mix 7 parts of fir oil with 3 parts of Vishnevsky ointment. Such a composition is also ideal for treatment and internal simple acne. Fir oil has analgesic and antimicrobial properties, and Vishnevsky ointment helps to cleanse various bacteria from inflamed skin, accelerating the boil's maturation and further healing.
When treating boils, acne with purulent contents at home with folk remedies, it is necessary to remember that such treatment methods can be used only at an early stage of the development of the disease. Otherwise, the treatment of this ailment should be carried out by a qualified specialist.
Dissection of a boil
In advanced forms, there is a need for surgical intervention to remove the boil. In this case, the neoplasms are opened, after which a thick purulent content in small quantities is removed from them. Purulent contents accumulate at the surface of the skin, resulting in the formation of a small ulcer, at the bottom of which there is a necrotic greenish shaft. This root should open in a few days, and after that a small amount of blood and pus comes to the surface.
Preventative Compliance
In order to never encounter the formation of a boil on the body, special attention must be paid to preventive standards, which imply the following procedures:
- compliance with hygiene standards;
- treatment of all existing wounds, cracks and injuries on the skin;
- strengthening the immune system;
- prevention of hypothermia.
Forecast
If a boil appears on the face or other area on the body, then this means that the patient has any problems with the immune system. Such inflammatory formations can periodically appear on the body again and again. This indicates that there are some more serious disorders in the human body. In such cases, you need to seek the help of a specialist so that he prescribes a full examination to determine the provoking pathology.
To prevent the development of furunculosis, experts recommend carefully monitoring the health of their body. It is also necessary to adhere to the correct regime and diet, abandon all existing bad habits, and also adhere to the simplest rules of hygiene.
Conclusion
Almost anyone will be able to independently independently identify whether a boil or pimple has formed on the body. For this, it is only necessary to study the symptoms of furunculosis, as well as the features of the inflammatory process. The main sign of a boil is swelling, which is accompanied by soreness, and in the center of the neoplasm is a hair. In this case, the inflammatory process will be accompanied not only by pain, but also by possible itching.