The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Iodine
Posted by Frances (Gainesville, FL) on 04/25/2007
★★★★★
I got my first boil ever recently. At first I had no idea what it was, but it rapidly increased in size and pain, began to itch around the edges and turned very red. My mother (a nurse) told me it was a boil on Sunday and to "leave it alone" (I have a bad habit of picking at wounds, etc.). Through the night, this became one of the most painful things I had ever experienced. The next day, Monday, everything I did was a royal pain - getting in and out of my car, sitting down in a chair, even walking - because the boil was on my lower back, just above my rear-end and a few inches to the right of my spine. I knew I had to do something or I would lose my mind, so I started researching remedies, and I came across your site. Monday night, I went home, took a long, hot, epsom salt bath/soak, and then swabbed the entire area with iodine. The next morning, I cleaned the area, then swabbed it with more iodine. This seemed to reduce the pain slightly and the itching more. Partway through the day, it started getting a little more sensitive, so I figured I'd try it again. I went to the bathroom at work and cleaned it up and put some more iodine on it, making sure to spend a good deal of time just resting the iodine swab on the scabbed area of the boil. Through the rest of the day, the pain did not seem to diminish, so I had decided to try baking soda when I got home. However, before my mom left for work, I asked her if she would please remove the bandage I had put on and check to see if it looked any better. Taking off the bandage was very painful, and I was afraid that it was no better at all. However, I was plesantly surprised to find out that the reason it was painful was because it was DRAINING. Yes, less than 24 hours after starting the iodine, after just 3 treatments, the draining started. It was great. We cleaned it well with some peroxide and put some neosporin on it, then some gause to help soak up the pus. After a while, I did another epsom salt bath/soak and took a shower, where I washed it well with a tea tree oil / aloe vera body wash. Out of the shower, I again cleansed it with peroxide, then put on some more neosporin, one of those non-stick pads, and a bandage to catch the ooze. Hopefully it will all drain out today or tomorrow so that it will just be a distant memory by this weekend. :) Thanks for all of your help!
P.S. I was thinking of trying an oatmeal-and-baking soda combo tonight to see if that makes a core come out.
Iodine
Posted by Earth Clinic (USA)
★★★★★
Use colorless (aka "decolorized") iodine on the face, as iodine will stain your skin orange. Hold a q-tip soaked in iodine to the boil for several minutes. Replenish the iodine if the q-tip dries out too much. The boil will burst. However, it does scab and take about a week to heal. Cover with fresh aloe or dab with hydrogen peroxide 3x a day to speed healing.
Calendula Homeopathic
Posted by Scott (Evanston, IL) on 05/04/2007
★★★★★
calendula homeopathic has seemed like a friendly topical for my persistent boils, which you might try while taking the turmeric.
Oregano Oil
Posted by DeAnn (Lubbock, TX) on 07/04/2007
★★★★★
I considered myself a healthy 54 until december of 06, when I got a cut on my figure that woudl not heal. After finally healing I got the first of three boils on the buttock area. Two of which had to be lanced in the hospital. of course the Dr. prescribed cipro, lixapro, etc, you name it. When the third one appeared I used oil of oregano on a round band aid for a week change it often and it went away. I am currently taking oil of oregano in pill form everyday and drinking green tea and doing the apple cider vinegar with water and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. I have been boil free. I should also mention that when I had to have the first boil lanced, the Dr. mention I was the third person that day that he had done the same procedure.
Epsom Salt
Posted by Tammi (Montgomery, Alabama) on 07/12/2007
★★★★★
I am on my third boil within the past 7 days. Seems like as soon as I drain one another one comes in that place. This is the most painful and uncomfortable illness I have ever experienced. I am 36 years old and my labor pains from my two children didn't last this long. I do believe mine were staph infections. I soaked in hot hot water. I applied on my hand towel hot water and epsom salt and apllied it directly on the boil for about 15 minutes. The next morning most of the soreness and swelling disappeared. I am on day ten now and the boil has not drained yet!! I have been on antibiotics for 5 days so far. Boils are definitely a delicate and serious situation!!!
Colloidal Silver
Posted by GABI (TORONTO, CANADA) on 02/04/2008
★★★★★
Hi. I didn't try turmeric when I was in boils. I use Colloidal Silver Water. Apply a drop or two on top of boil (acne too!). After 1-2 hr it stops hurting, stops "growing". Up to 3 days it subsides to red spot. You can use small hair spry bottle (with very fine mist like spry). If you have acne or boils more then one and you expect more to show up spray it on your skin just once and let it dry. Nothing will break out! I suffered for almost 30 years from something what doctor called "diaper rush" (!). The pic of my "diaper rush" was always during summer months. After using once single spray of Colloidal Silver Water I am free of this skin condition. I will get 1 tiny pimple time to time but who hasn't have it during hot summer days?
Turmeric and Homemade Salve
Posted by Dustin (Texarkana, AR) on 07/11/2007
★★★★★
Homemade Salve for Boils: I started getting boils on my bottom and on the inside of my legs a few years ago...I guess when I was about 19. I'm 23 now and multiple boils have combined on my right buttock into a huge carbuncle...or a huge boil with many different heads. I started the tumeric remedy about a week ago...big difference fast! Just be sure not to miss a dose...I have been taking more than instructed only because of the enormity of my problem. I went to a health food store today and bought some oil of oregano and Red Clover-a blood purifier like turmeric. I am so reay to get ths thing knocked out....it is working!
There is a salve i concocted just this evening that is very soothing for the boils...I mixed baby oil gel with desitin diaper rash cream as a base, then added turmeric powder (careful, too much can stain your skin yellow!) the powder from one of the red clover capsules, oil of oregano, and tea tree oil. The diaper rash cream is brilliant because it is thick and helps it to stay in place, it also reduces friction to those boils between the legs...and causes the other ingredients to stay in place and not get wiped off.
Laundry Soap and Sugar
Posted by Bill (Bloomfield, New Mexico) on 08/21/2007
★★★★★
This remedy was used on me by my grandmother when I was a teenager. It never failed to work! The ingredients: yellow laundry bar soap and granulated sugar. She would apply the soap and sugar to a gauze pad, wrap it over the boil at night. The boil had excreted its contents by morning! It is not easy to find yellow bar soap. I don't know about the effectiveness of any other bar soap, but experimentation is certainly worth a try.
Turpentine
Posted by Joe Worsley (Advance, North Carolina) on 08/30/2007
★★★★★
In the early stages of a boil or common pimple or even pimples on the face or other parts of the body try dabing them with Turpentine - YES Turpentine. It's a old time remedy for a lot of things. They used to sell small bottles of what was called Rectified Turpentine in drug stores but it's very difficult to find these days. Art supply stores sell it for a high price. Common painters Turpentine works great. At the start of one and several times diring the day dab some Turpenting on the spot. You will be suprised most of the time that it will stop development at that point. I once told a Dermatologist about it and he said that it was highly allergenic. And I told him that it probably worked better than anything he could prescribe and he agreed!
EC: You can still find turpentine in pharmacies and grocery stores throughout the in the USA. It's usually found right next to small bottles of iodine.
Watkins Salve
Posted by johndoe (Fairfield, Ia) on 08/31/2007
★★★★★
I have had boils appear months apart and very often at times. I use Watkins salve and they go away or come to a head in a day or so. Some times over night. Apply Watkins salve to the boil and also apply some to a band-aid and cover boil with band-aid. Works every time for me.
Baking Soda
Posted by Julie (White Oak, NC) on 09/02/2007
★★★★★
Thank you Gabi from Jax, FL. I had a boil to come up on my buttock 4 days ago. Today is Sunday and I was ready to get come relief. It was Labor Day week-end and I could not wait three more days to go to the doctor. I did a home remedies for boils search and found this website. I first tried the oatmeal and salt remedy for two hours, but nothing happened. I decided that I was going to try a different remedy every two hours until I got one that worked. Next I tried the grated potatoes, but again nothing happened.
I tried the baking soda, lemon and Vitamin E and within two hours, I was getting relief and the boil had opened up and started to drain.
I also drink the two cups of hot water mixed with one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of honey. Thanks. This is what I will try from this day forward and will pass it along to others.
Ice Cubes
Posted by Megan (St. Louis, MO) on 09/04/2007
★★★★★
I have always gotten boils since I was young. I recently came across some information regarding them and a simply cure that I tried. Putting a whole ice cube on the boil 3 to 4 times a day and waiting until it completely melts will kill the boil. The information I came across said that boils need heat to grow and that the ice cubes stop them in their tracks. When you put the ice cube on it has a burning sensation and after 3 or 4 days the boil went completely away that I had. Just thought I'd share. An inexpensive remedy.
Infared, 125 Watt Clear Lightbulb
Posted by Bev (Elroy, WI) on 09/05/2007
★★★★★
to respond to the woman with the terrible boils. I suffer from horrific cystic acne. I discovered that if I eliminate all forms of hidden MSG [do an internet search to find all that it is in] that my skin is perfectly clear. I am so sensitive that I cannot even touch anything with citric acid or natural flavor which is a form of hidden MSG and is in most shampoos, liquid hand soap, prepared foods, pop etc. I convinced my husband to eliminate all hidden MSG and his headaches, ezcema and skin rash went away. Now when he has any exposure the itchy, weepy skin rash comes back and today it is back with a vengence. He had mustard on Sunday and it flared. By Monday evening it was drying up and he licked the spoon of the ice cream he served our children and during the night it erupted so bad he could hardly sleep.
A good rememdy for all these skin things is a 125 watt clear infrared bulb. Not only will this clear up the skin but is great for any aches and it healed my son of acute asthma. Asthma requires a one hour treatment 1-2 times daily or more. The more you use it the quicker it heals. The only draw back is having to stay stationary so long. My husband hasn't had time to sit under it the past two days so he is still in bad shape. He started on the vinegar and honey last night to see if a change in body pH will help.
Watch Your Sugar Intake!
Posted by Sage (DETROIT, Michigan) on 09/06/2007
★★★★★
re: Turmeric works but not with a lot of Sugar consumption. Thanks to this site,' Turmeric has helped alleviate my boil problems in the past. However after a recurrence last month, I was reminded that sugar does inhibit the immune system. I ate some cotton candy (Straight spun sugar), and four boils popped up in the groin area two days later. I have already cut out pop/soda drinks which helps. Again I was reminded that plenty of water, fresh fruits, and veggies help keep the boils away. I know now that I am asking for problems when I consume too much sugar (also candy) and baked sweets. I hope that this helps others and I am very thankful for this site.
Iodine, Epsom Salt, Sodium Chloride
Posted by Caitlin (Springfield, Missouri) on 09/10/2007
★★★★★
About a week ago i noticed u bump on me at first i thought it was just a pimple until it got bigger and bigger it was right on my butt. It got to the point where i couldn't even walk or sit down it hurt so bad. So i talked to my mom ad she went to the store and got Iodine that really helped. Then i would take a hot hot bath ( hot as you can stand) and put Emsom Salt in there around the boil. It brought it to a head so i could pop it. Afterwards i started using Sodium Chloride' by the next day it was gone!!! It was the best for me!!
Preventing Reinfection
Posted by Jane (Austin, Tx) on 09/11/2007
★★★★★
One thing everyone is overlooking is self reinfection. The use of short sheets like in the hospital need to be used and washed daily as do pillow slips, mattresses or any other surface like your couch, chair the boil could come in contact with needs to be sprayed daily with an antibacterial spray. Showers and tubs need to be sanitized after each use. Shower drains are the perfect place for the staph to multiple and become air born. I have been plagued with boils off and on for over a year. To keep the infection down I use ladies boxers and loose clothing. I also apply liquid antibacterial soap after my shower to a large area around the boil at first notice and let the soap dry on the skin, then apply a little antibacterial soap on a bandaid to cover it, this has kept the boils from enlarging, it speeds the healing process, just bathing in the soap does not help. When I was a child my mother used something called Green Soap on impetigo which is staph related and it was the only thing that cured it, but I have not seen it in pharmacies for years. Regular Antiboitics without steriods are virtually worthless.
Drawing Salve
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) 392 posts
The big problem about black salve is it causes scars, while it removes the toxins. There a mixture of aloe vera oil and some tea tree helps with the healing or regeneration of skin cells.
The other issue is the body was not properly alkalized enough to stop the boils so the boils will recur even if all the other supplements were taken. Hence 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, in 1/2 glass of water, taken twice a day should prevent recurring boils. Also proper alkalization helps the healing.
Ted
