Boil or furuncle is a skin disease caused by the inflammation of hair follicles, thus resulting in the localized accumulation of pus and dead tissues. Individual boils can cluster together and form an interconnected network of boils called carbuncles. In severe cases, boils may develop to form abscesses. The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify diseases and a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or disease. ... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) is a coding of diseases and signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or diseases, as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO). ... // L00-L99 - Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L08) Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00) Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (L01) Impetigo (L02) Cutaneous abscess, furuncle and carbuncle (L03) Cellulitis (L04) Acute lymphadenitis (L05) Pilonidal cyst (L08) Other local infections of skin and subcutaneous tissue (L081) Erythrasma... A hair follicle is part of the skin that grows hair by packing old cells together. ... Pus is a whitish-yellow or yellow substance produced during inflammatory responses of the body that can be found in regions of pyogenic bacterial infections. ... A carbuncle is an abscess larger than a boil, usually with one or more openings draining pus onto the skin. ... Look up Abscess in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Symptoms

The symptoms of boils are red, pus-filled lumps that are tender, warm, and/or painful. A yellow or white point at the center of the lump can be seen when the boil is ready to drain or discharge pus. In a severe infection, multiple boils may develop and the patient may experience fever and swollen lymph nodes. A recurring boil is called chronic furunculosis. Pus is a whitish-yellow or yellow substance produced during inflammatory responses of the body that can be found in regions of pyogenic bacterial infections. ... Pus is a whitish-yellow or yellow substance produced during inflammatory responses of the body that can be found in regions of pyogenic bacterial infections. ... An analogue medical thermometer showing the temperature of 38. ... Lymph nodes are components of the lymphatic system. ...

In some people, itching may develop before the lumps begin to develop. Boils are most often found on the back, underarms, shoulders, face, lip, thighs and buttocks, but may be found elsewhere. Boils on the ear tend to be more painful, and can create shooting pain in the entire area when touched.

Sometimes boils will emit an unpleasant smell, particularly when drained or when discharge is present, due to the presence of bacteria in the discharge.

Causes

Boils are generally caused by an infection of the hair follicles by Staphylococcus aureus or staphylococcus epidermidis, a strain of bacteria that normally lives on the skin surface. It is thought that a tiny cut of the skin allows this bacterium to enter the follicles and cause an infection. This can happen during bathing or while using a razor. Binomial name Staphylococcus aureus Rosenbach 1884 Staphylococcus aureus, the most common cause of staph infections, is a spherical bacterium, frequently living on the skin or in the nose of a healthy person, that can cause a range of illnesses from minor skin infections (such as pimples, boils, and cellulitis) and... Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ...

People with immune system disorders, diabetes, poor hygiene or malnutrition (Vitamin A or E deficiency) are particularly susceptible to getting boils; however, they also occur in healthy, hygienic individuals, due to overscratching a particular area of the skin. A scanning electron microscope image of a single neutrophil (yellow), engulfing anthrax bacteria (orange). ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ...

Hidradenitis suppurativa causes frequent boils. Hidradenitis suppurativa or HS is a skin disease that affects areas bearing apocrine sweat glands and hair follicles; such as the underarms, groin and buttocks, and under the breasts in women. ...

Boils in the armpits can sometimes be caused by anti-perspirant deodorants. The armpit (or axilla) is the area on the human body directly under the area where the arm connects to the shoulder. ... Stick deodorant Roll-on deodorant Deodorants are cosmetic substances applied to the body, most frequently the armpits, to reduce the body odor caused by the bacterial breakdown of perspiration. ...

Treatments

Most boils run their course within 4 to 10 days. For most people, self-care by applying a warm compress or soaking the boil in warm water can help alleviate the pain and hasten draining of the pus (colloquially referred to as "bringing the boil to a head"). Once the boil drains, the area should be washed with antibacterial soap and bandaged well.

For recurring cases, sufferers may benefit from diet supplements of Vitamin A and E. Vitamin A is an essential human nutrient. ... Tocopherol, or Vitamin E, is a fat-soluble vitamin in eight forms that is an important antioxidant. ...

In serious cases, prescription oral antibiotics such as dicloxacillin (Dynapen) or cephalexin (Keflex), or topical antibiotics, are commonly used. For patients allergic to penicillin-based drugs, erythromycin (E-base, Erycin) may also be used. Staphylococcus aureus - Antibiotics test plate. ... Dicloxacillin (INN) is a narrow spectrum beta-lactam antibiotic. ... Categories: Stub | Cephalosporin antibiotics ... Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic which has an antimicrobial spectrum similar to or slightly wider than that of penicillin, and is often used for people who have an allergy to penicillins. ...

However, some boils are caused by a superbug known as community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or CA-MRSA. Bactrim or other sulfa drugs must be prescribed relatively soon after boil has started to form. MRSA tends to increase the speed of growth of the infection. Antibiotic resistance is the ability of a micro-organism to withstand the effects of an antibiotic. ... MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacterium that has developed antibiotic resistance, first to penicillin in 1947, and later to methicillin. ... Co-trimoxazole (abbreviated SXT) is a bacteriostatic antibiotic combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, in the ratio of 1 to 5, used in the treatment of a variety of bacterial infections. ... SULFA, short for Surrendered ULFA, i. ...

Magnesium sulfate paste applied to the affected area can prevent the growth of bacteria and reduce boils by absorbing pus and drying up the lesion. Magnesium sulfate is a chemical compound containing magnesium, with the formula MgSO4. ...

Prognosis

For most cases, there are no serious complications and a full recovery is expected.

External links

• InteliHealth - Boils and Carbuncles
• Health In Plain English - Boil or Furuncle
• eMedicine Health - Boils Overview
• MedicineNet.com - Boils
• Dermatlas: Images of boils