Boils

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Boils

Rub yourself the wrong way, and a boil is the price you might pay. These painful oversize pimples have less to do with personal hygiene than you might think. They’re usually caused when friction (from ill-fitting undergarments or a tight shirt collar) or a scratch allows bacteria under your skin.

The bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, settle in a hair follicle or an oil gland, where they are attacked by your immune system. The result is a red, pus-filled nodule. In time, the boil will be absorbed by your body or will erupt and drain.

Boils are usually harmless, but it’s not a good idea to squeeze one. The natural remedies in this chapter, used with the approval of your doctor, may provide relief, according to some health professionals.

See Your Medical Doctor When... You develop recurrent boils. You develop a fever, feel chills or have swollen lymph nodes or glands.

Aromatherapy

tea tree essential oil is a great natural antiseptic that speeds the healing of virtually any kind of skin irritation, says San Francisco herbalist Jeanne Rose, chairperson of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and author of Aromatherapy: Applications and Inhalations. She suggests applying a single drop of tea tree oil directly to the boil after bathing until the boil goes away.

For information on preparing and administering essential oils, including cautions about their use, see page 19. For information on purchasing essential oils, refer to the resource list on page 633.

Ayurveda

Here’s how to bring a boil to a head, according to Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc., director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico: Apply a paste made from ½ teaspoon each of ginger powder and turmeric and enough warm water to mix. Rub the paste directly on the affected area, cover with gauze and leave in place for a half-hour. Repeat as necessary until the boil breaks and begins to heal. Turmeric can stain skin and clothes, cautions Dr. Lad, so be sure to wear old garments when using this remedy. Any skin discoloration should wash off in two weeks, he adds.

Food Therapy

“Eat foods that are rich in vitamin A and zinc, because these nutrients aid in skin healing and repair and can help relieve boils,” says Allan Magaziner, D.O., a nutritional medicine specialist and head of the Magaziner Medical Center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. “Good sources of vitamin A include any fruit or vegetable that has a yellow or orange color—squash, yams, sweet potatoes and carrots. Zinc is found in oysters, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Vitamin A is also found in dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale.” (For more information on food sources of vitamin A and zinc, refer to “Getting What You Need” on page 142.)

Homeopathy

“If you have a boil that comes on quite suddenly, is very bright red and inflamed and is hot and very painful to the touch, then Belladonna is a good remedy choice for you,” says Mitchell Fleisher, M.D., a family practice physician and homeopath in Colleen, Virginia. “If it’s a boil that comes on more slowly, looks more darkish blue than red and is extremely painful to touch and you feel quite chilled, then try Hepar sulphuris. Take a 6C or 12C dose of the indicated remedy every three to four hours as needed until you feel relief.” If the swelling and inflammation go down within 12 to 24 hours, then you’re on the right track; otherwise, seek professional medical care, says John G. Collins, N.D., a naturopathic physician and associate professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon.

Belladonna and Hepar sulphuris can be purchased in many health food stores. To purchase homeopathic remedies by mail, refer to the resource list on page 637.

Hydrotherapy

Alternating hot and cold compresses speeds the healing of a boil by increasing the flow of blood to the affected area, says Agatha Thrash, M.D., a medical pathologist and co-founder and co-director of Uchee Pines Institute, a natural healing center in Seale, Alabama. Her instructions: Soak a washcloth in comfortably hot water and hold it against the boil, refreshing the heat as necessary to keep the cloth hot. After three to five minutes, apply a cold compress for 30 to 60 seconds. Dr. Thrash says to repeat this treatment three times daily until the boil comes to a head or goes away.

Juice Therapy

Like many other skin ailments, boils result from a buildup of toxins in the system, according to Eve Campanelli, Ph.D., a holistic family practitioner in Beverly Hills, California. To stimulate the liver and speed up the elimination of wastes, Dr. Campanelli recommends drinking a blend of 8 ounces of carrot juice, 1 ounce of beet juice, 4 ounces of celery juice and ½ to 1 ounce of parsley juice. “A large glass each morning and a smaller glass in the afternoon is an effective and a very nutritious way to get the liver moving,” says Dr. Campanelli.

For more information on juicing techniques, see page 93.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

To relieve a boil, take 10,000 international units of vitamin A and 15 to 20 milligrams of zinc, advises Allan Magaziner, D.O., a nutritional medicine specialist and head of the Magaziner Medical Center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. If you’re prone to boils, keep taking these nutrients, but cut the dosage in half after the boil disappears, he says. And if boils aren’t a chronic problem for you, he advises that you stop taking the supplements after the boil has cleared up.