How is a carbuncle different from a boil? Predisposing factors for the development of boils. Rye flour with honey

Purulent skin diseases cause a lot of trouble to a person. As a rule, diseases such as hydradenitis, furunculosis, abscesses, phlegmon, carbuncles occur due to infection of the body with cocci. What is the difference between a boil and a carbuncle - quite common skin lesions, everyone should know, since no one is immune from the attack of microbes on the body. Seeing a pimple on the skin, in no case do not rush to squeeze it out. If it's not acne, but something more serious, you run the risk of spreading staph to surrounding tissues and even deep into the body. And this is fraught with the most serious consequences.

Causes of appearance and classification of purulent formations

According to statistics, purulent inflammation on the skin occurs due to the activation of Staphylococcus aureus. However, by itself, it usually does not cause such phenomena. He needs a push that would activate the inflammatory mechanism. There are quite a few factors that would make the infection act. For example, these could be:

• tendency to excessive sweating;
• hypothermia;
• hormonal disruptions;
• excess weight;
• reduced immunity;
• diabetes;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

If a person is struggling with any disease, then his immunity will be somewhat weakened, and this is an excellent reason for staphylococci to attack the body. In clinical practice, cases have been noted when boils became the cause of infection of the entire body with staphylococcus aureus. This has an extremely negative effect on the condition of bones, joints, and heart valves. Even a life-threatening disease such as meningitis can occur.

While it is being formed, it pulls, it hurts, after maturation and removal of pus, it heals for a couple of weeks. It is possible that a scar will remain. This is especially unpleasant if the boil was somewhere in a prominent place, for example, on the face. You may need the services of a plastic surgeon if the lesion was large.

The development of this infection is more serious than a boil. It leads to fever, pain at the site of the lesion, a blood test will show increased ESR, the number of leukocytes.

General signs and stages

Furuncle and carbuncle go through the same stages in their development. There are 4 of them, each has its own manifestations:

• The first stage is called infiltrative. It lasts about three days - depending on the characteristics of the body. A painful edematous abscess is formed.
• The second stage takes about a week. During this time, the skin necroticizes (dies off), the person has a fever, and pain is observed at the site of the lesion. By the end of the period of necrosis, the rod breaks, pus comes out.
• Stage three is characterized by healing. In the place where the purulent-necrotic infiltrates came from, a crater is formed, which will be covered with young tissue for several more days. If the boil was large, then healing can take several weeks.
• In the fourth stage, scarring occurs.

A furuncle or carbuncle abscess always feels like a shooting pain, turns red, even a blue tint is possible. Due to intoxication, a person feels bad, his head hurts, he has no strength. If you press on the site of inflammation, the pain becomes stronger.

What is the difference between a carbuncle and a furuncle

A boil or boil differs from a carbuncle in size and texture. A furuncle, due to the fact that one hair follicle has become inflamed, occupies a much smaller area than a carbuncle. In addition, the latter affects adipose tissue, so the bags of pus lie deeper, there can be several of them.

Causes

The reasons why boils occur are infections in the body. Any abrasion or scratch is an open gate for the penetration of a wide variety of pathogenic microbes into the body. If a person's immune system is weakened, then the likelihood of infection with staphylococcus aureus increases.

The difference between a boil and a carbuncle becomes apparent if you pay attention to the number of foci of inflammation in one small area. If there are several of them and quite deep-seated, then you have to deal with a carbuncle. It happens that purulent inflammation occurs simultaneously in different parts of the body. In this case, the disease is called furunculosis.

Structure of an abscess

Carbuncles and boils differ in appearance. A carbuncle is a few follicles merged in one small area, with a common inflamed tissue, several expressive foci of necrosis, deeply located abscesses that involve fatty tissue in the process. Places of localization - armpits, buttocks, neck, head, face.

In a boil, inflamed tissue is observed only where hair grows, where there is increased sweating or rubbing of the skin with clothes. The area of ​​the affected area is much smaller than in the first case. If a large boil forms, then inflammation of the tissue around it is clearly felt.

Symptoms

Furuncles and carbuncles have common features. But there are quite a few excellent ones to make an accurate diagnosis, since due to the complexity of the course of the first type of disease, it needs to be treated more intensively.

Symptoms of intoxication with carbuncle are very expressive:

• a person has a fever;
• the temperature rises;
• consciousness is disturbed;
• the place of origin is almost black;
• characterized by severe, arching-twitching pain;
• observed nausea, vomiting.

The carbuncle has several rods in the infection zone, respectively, there will also be a lot of abscesses. Small holes are added to them, which are called honeycombs. A little bit of pus comes out of them.

When the main abscesses open, their contents are greenish-gray.

Difference in treatment

The differences between a boil and a carbuncle are in the treatment of these suppurations. So, carbuncle should be treated only in a hospital. Such an extensive lesion must be opened by the surgeon. Today, in addition to the usual scalpel, they also resort to laser removal. This method is not so traumatic, leaves a minimum of traces on the skin. All manipulations are performed under local anesthesia.

If the carbuncle is located on the head, neck or face, then solid food will have to be postponed until recovery, it is better not to talk. Additionally, bed rest is prescribed.

In addition to surgical methods of treatment, medication will be needed. They are used after removal of pus for the final elimination of the infection. This includes the appointment of antibiotics, the treatment of ulcers with regenerating, antibacterial agents.

For the treatment of purulent inflammation such as a boil, you can resort to various means:

1. As soon as there is a seal and redness, lubricate this place with alcohol or brilliant green.
2. Dry heat will help the abscess ripen faster. Lotions cannot be applied, since a humid environment contributes to the spread of staphylococcus to neighboring areas.
3. To relieve pain, you can take mild painkillers.
4. Pharmaceutical products are also suitable to reduce inflammation.
5. If there are several boils, then antibiotics cannot be dispensed with.

In both cases, the issue of improving immunity is relevant.

Thus, the difference between a boil and a carbuncle lies in the external manifestations of these diseases, excellent symptoms, and various approaches to treatment.

Complications

An untreated boil can lead to more serious inflammation - a skin abscess or phlegmon (diffuse suppuration). In addition, in practice, cases of occurrence of:

• thrombophlebitis;
• meningitis;
• sepsis as a result of pus getting into the blood;
• inflammation of the joints, spine, heart valves, kidneys.

Why is it important to know the difference

Since the possibility of developing complications in a carbuncle is much more likely and more serious, you should know how to distinguish it from a boil. This will help to take appropriate therapeutic measures in time.

Furuncle (abscess, boil) is a purulent inflammation of the hair root (hair follicle) and the sebaceous gland located nearby. Carbuncle is a purulent inflammation of several hair follicles and sebaceous glands, as well as subcutaneous fatty tissue.

Furuncle looks like a red, painful nodule on the skin around the hair follicle, in the center of which a purulent “head” forms over time. The sizes of boils are from 0.5 to 2-3 cm in diameter. The appearance of multiple boils is called furunculosis.

Carbuncle a more severe purulent disease in which an extensive focus with purple-red skin with multiple purulent cavities is formed on the body. With carbuncle, general well-being suffers greatly: body temperature rises, muscle pain, general weakness, and headache appear.

Furuncles and carbuncles tend to appear on those parts of the body that are subject to friction, often sweat and are covered with vellus hair, such as the neck, face, underarms and legs. There are boils of the genital organs. Boils and carbuncles are caused by a bacterial infection, usually staphylococcus or streptococcus, that inhabits the surface of the skin. With cuts and other microtraumas, microbes enter the skin and, with a decrease in the body's defenses, can cause purulent inflammation.

By themselves, boils and carbuncles are not contagious, however, with pus, pathogenic microbes can get into neighboring areas of the skin and, against the background of reduced immunity, cause the formation of new abscesses. Therefore, when caring for the skin, you must follow the rules of hygiene: throw away used dressings and wash your hands after touching the boil.

Furuncles are more common in adolescent boys and young adults. Especially the risk is increased in young men living in crowded and poor sanitary and hygienic conditions. Carbuncles are less common and occur, as a rule, in middle-aged and elderly men whose health is weakened by an already existing disease, for example, diabetes mellitus.

Most often, boils can be successfully treated at home, especially in the initial stages, when the abscess has not yet had time to form. You need to consult a doctor with severe general symptoms of malaise, if the boil is located on the face, as well as when a carbuncle appears.

Never try to squeeze or pierce a boil and carbuncle yourself, as this can cause inflammation to spread to deeper tissues, infection in the blood and brain with the development of life-threatening complications.

Symptoms

Furuncle symptoms

Boils can appear anywhere, but most often they occur in areas where there is hair, sweat, and friction. Boils often form on the face and neck, under the arm, on the genitals, thighs and buttocks.

First, a red spot appears on the skin around the hair root, the skin over which swells and becomes dense. Pain appears. The furuncle increases in size, a purulent cavity forms in its center, which usually appears through the skin in the form of a yellowish “head”. Above the purulent focus, it is usually possible to consider a darker purulent-necrotic core.

Most often, after some time, the boil opens, and pus flows out. After that, relief comes, the pain goes away and the skin gradually heals. In place of the boil, a barely noticeable light scar is formed. This process can take from two days to three weeks. It is very important not to squeeze out the boil, as this leads to serious complications.

The most dangerous location of boils is the face, namely the area of ​​​​the nasolabial triangle, which has a special blood supply. As a result of this feature, an infection from a boil through the blood vessels can very easily enter the brain and lead to the development of meningitis, a deadly infection. Therefore, the appearance of a boil in this area is an indication for hospitalization in the hospital. Furuncles on the genitals, in the ear, in the nose are usually extremely painful and are accompanied by severe swelling and swelling. This is due to the presence of loose subcutaneous tissue in these places, which is quickly involved in the inflammatory process.

Carbuncle Symptoms

Carbuncles most commonly occur on the back of the neck, back, or thighs. This disease is more severe, as the process extends deeper into the tissues, affecting the subcutaneous fatty tissue. Often there are general symptoms of malaise: high fever, nausea, vomiting, weakness and loss of strength.

The carbuncle looks like a large inflammatory focus with bright red skin and multiple pustules. The size of a mature carbuncle can be 3–10 cm in diameter or more. Pus can ooze from several places at the same time, making the carbuncle look like a honeycomb. Then all the holes merge into one, through which the purulent contents are rejected.

The reasons

Causes of boils

In most cases, boils appear when one or more hair follicles are infected with Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus). Usually this bacterium lives on the surface of the skin or on the mucous membrane of the nose and throat without causing any harm to the body. It is believed that approximately 20% of healthy people are carriers of staphylococcus aureus.

Boils appear when bacteria enter the skin through a cut or scratch. The immune system responds by sending white blood cells to the source of the infection to kill the bacteria. Over time, dead bacteria and immune cells accumulate inside the boil, forming pus.

Predisposing factors for the development of boils:

• male sex (especially in adolescence) - this may be due to the fact that due to hormonal changes during puberty, the skin becomes greasy, which contributes to the growth of bacteria;
• close contact with a person who has a boil, and non-compliance with hygiene rules;
• playing sports that involve rubbing the skin, sweating, and close contact with other people, such as wrestling or rugby
• living in cramped conditions and (or) poor sanitary and hygienic conditions;
• an existing skin disease, such as atopic dermatitis or scabies;
• obesity is significant overweight when the body mass index is equal to or greater than 30.

However, a boil can also appear for no apparent reason in a healthy person who follows personal hygiene. The re-formation of boils should be alarming in terms of the development of immunodeficiency states that accompany certain diseases, for example, chronic hepatitis, diabetes mellitus, etc. Therefore, you should consult a therapist for additional diagnostics of the health condition.

Causes of carbuncles

Like boils, carbuncles are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Carbuncle appears when the infection spreads deep into the skin and involves several hair follicles and sebaceous glands in the process. People with poor health or weakened immune systems are more likely to develop carbuncles. These are the people:

• with diabetes;
• with HIV infection;
• taking a long course of steroids (corticosteroids) in the form of tablets or injections;
• undergoing chemotherapy;
• severely undernourished;
• with skin diseases affecting most of the body;
• with heart disease;
• drug addicts, especially intravenous drug users.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of boils and carbuncles

Furuncle and carbuncle are easily identified by their appearance and symptoms. As a rule, additional examinations are required only in the following cases:

• a boil or carbuncle does not respond to treatment - it may not be caused by staphylococcus, but by some other bacterium;
• several boils or carbuncles appeared at once;
• reappearance of boils or carbuncles;
• your immune system is weakened by a certain disease, such as diabetes, or you are undergoing chemotherapy.

In this case, the doctor will take the contents of the abscess for bacteriological analysis, as well as smears from the skin. The resulting material will be examined in the laboratory under a microscope to determine the type of infectious agent. You may also be referred for a blood test to see if you have an undiagnosed medical condition, such as diabetes, which can make you more likely to develop boils or carbuncles.

Treatment

How to treat a boil at home

The appearance of a boil on the face requires a visit to the doctor and hospitalization in the hospital. In other cases, you can try to cure the boil yourself, unless it causes severe pain and does not worsen general well-being.

In some cases, it is possible to prevent the development of the purulent stage. To do this, when redness and swelling appear, the skin is treated with an antiseptic solution: medical alcohol, medical antiseptic solution 70-95% (sold in a pharmacy without a prescription), brilliant green solution. Dry heat is used several times a day: heated clean bags of rice, sand, salt, a warm boiled egg, and a heating pad are applied. These procedures have an antiseptic effect and improve blood circulation, more immune cells that fight infection come to the site of inflammation.

It is not recommended to use wet compresses, this contributes to the spread of infection to neighboring hair follicles. If a boil has formed on an arm or leg, rest should be provided to the limbs. To relieve pain, you can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (analgin, ibuprofen, ketorol, etc.) or paracetamol according to the instructions.

If a purulent “head” has formed under the skin, it should not be opened and squeezed out. It is necessary to wait for the independent rejection of the purulent rod and the release of pus. After that, the skin is treated with an antiseptic and a sterile gauze bandage is applied.

Treatment of a boil with a doctor

If you seek help from a doctor, in most cases conservative therapy will be used. In addition to treating the skin with antiseptics, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy, which is aimed at fighting the infection and improving blood circulation in the boil area. If a mature boil does not break through on its own, and there is a risk of developing purulent complications, the doctor gently pry the purulent rod with tweezers or a special clamp, and then remove the pus. Sometimes, to create an outflow from the abscess, damaged hair is removed. These manipulations are practically painless, do not require anesthesia and suturing.

Surgical opening of the boil with the help of an incision is very rare, only with complications - the spread of pus into the subcutaneous fatty tissue. The operation is usually done under local anesthesia. Its course depends on the size of the purulent cavity and the location of the abscess.

If the boil is located on the face, the patient has diabetes mellitus or other immunodeficiency conditions, general well-being worsens, or antibiotics are prescribed at a high risk of complications. A weekly course of antibiotics from the penicillin group is usually recommended. If you are allergic to penicillin, other antibiotics, such as erythromycin and clarithromycin, may be used. It is necessary to finish the course of antibiotics, even if the boil has passed, as it may reappear.

Carbuncle treatment

Treatment of carbuncle should always be under the supervision of a physician. In most cases, the appearance of a carbuncle is a reason for hospitalization, since this is an extensive purulent tissue lesion, which is accompanied by severe intoxication of the body and often leads to deadly complications without medical treatment.

Treatment of carbuncle is surgical, often in several stages. It is performed under general anesthesia (under anesthesia). First, surgeons open a purulent cavity and remove all dead tissues, which sometimes reach a significant volume. After that, the wound is washed with antiseptics and daily dressings are prescribed.

When the wound is completely cleared and begins to heal, they proceed to the second stage of the operation - skin plastic surgery, in order to close the wound defect and avoid rough scars. If the carbuncle is very small, a one-stage operation is possible: the wound is cleaned, after which sutures are immediately applied, leaving drainage in the wound. A few days later, the drains are removed and the wound heals completely.

With carbuncles, antibiotics are required. In addition, the doctor can refer you to a physiotherapy room, where anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound healing and restorative manipulations are performed.

Complications

Complications of boils and carbuncles

After a large boil and, especially, a carbuncle, a scar remains on the skin. It will not completely disappear, but will fade over time and become less noticeable. To improve your cosmetic outcome, your doctor may prescribe:

• corticosteroid injections - helps smooth out a raised scar;
• pressure bandage - helps to smooth and soften the scar;
• Plastic surgery.

In addition, you can use cosmetics to hide the scar. There are special products for camouflage makeup that are sold in pharmacies without a prescription.

Infectious complications of boils and carbuncles

Sometimes bacteria from a boil or carbuncle can spread to other parts of the body, causing secondary inflammation. Most often, such a complication becomes phlegmon - diffuse purulent inflammation of the deep layers of the skin. The following complications occur less frequently:

• impetigo - an extremely contagious skin disease in which multiple pustules appear on the body;
• septic arthritis - infectious inflammation of the joints;
• osteomyelitis - inflammation and destruction of bone tissue;
• endocarditis - inflammation of the inner lining of the heart;
• septicemia - blood poisoning;
• brain abscess, meningitis - purulent diseases of the brain and its membranes.

Antibiotic therapy is used to treat these complications, and surgery is often required. Septicemia, meningitis, and brain abscess may require treatment in the intensive care unit.

Thrombosis of the cavernous sinus

Cavernous sinus thrombosis is a very rare but potentially life-threatening complication of boils and carbuncles located in the face, ear, and nose. Due to the peculiarities of the blood supply, from these zones the infection very easily enters the cavernous sinus - this is a formation from the dura mater, which is connected to the blood vessels. From the cavernous sinus, the infection spreads rapidly to the tissues of the orbit. Cavernous sinus thrombosis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• acute and severe headache;
• swelling and protrusion of the eye;
• intense pain in the eye.

Without prompt treatment, cavernous sinus thrombosis can be fatal, but such cases are rare.

Prevention

Prevention of boils and carbuncles

You can reduce the risk of purulent skin diseases by following simple recommendations:

• wash your skin regularly with antibacterial soap;
• always treat with antiseptics any cuts, abrasions and scratches, regardless of their size;
• apply a sterile bandage to cuts, abrasions and scratches until they heal;
• eat right and exercise regularly to strengthen the immune system - this will reduce the risk of skin diseases, including furunculosis.

If you have a boil or carbuncle, you must prevent infection of other parts of the body and other people. This can be done like this:

• wash your hands with antibacterial soap after touching a boil or carbuncle;
• wash underwear, towels and bed linen at a high temperature;
• use different towels for face and body;
• regularly change the bandage on the boil or carbuncle;
• put the used dressing in a plastic bag and immediately throw it in the trash;
• do not visit the sauna, gym or swimming pool until the skin is completely healed.

When to see a doctor for boils and carbuncles

In most cases, boils go away on their own in a few days or weeks. However, you should consult a doctor if:

• severe pain;
• symptoms of general malaise;
• spread of inflammation to surrounding tissues;
• enlargement of neighboring lymph nodes.

In addition, be sure to consult a doctor if you have diabetes, AIDS, have recently undergone chemotherapy, if the boil is located on the face or does not go away within 2 weeks. Carbuncle in any location should be the reason for going to the doctor.

With the help of the NaPopravku service, you can find a good surgeon for the treatment of purulent skin diseases.

Periodically, small pimples or rashes appear on the human body. Most often they disappear on their own or require minimal treatment. But a boil, like a carbuncle, poses a serious threat to health if they are not diagnosed in time and adequate therapy is not started. But are they equally dangerous and how can you tell them apart? Let's try to figure it out.

Differentiation criteria

An abscess that affects the sebaceous gland, hair follicle and fatty tissue under the skin next to the hair follicle is a boil. Similar inflammations occur on any part of the skin, with the exception of the palms and soles of the feet. Furunculosis is of two types:

• abscessing;
• infiltrative.

An infiltrative boil with a competent approach is quickly treated. The rod that forms inside the abscess breaks, the pus comes out, and the wound gradually heals. The abscess form is much more dangerous, since there is an accumulation of pus inside the skin due to the impenetrable crust covering the shaft. Such abscesses can only be treated in a hospital setting.

A carbuncle is considered a large abscess, which involves several hair follicles located close to each other in the inflammatory process. Unlike a boil, a carbuncle is a serious infectious disease that can result in sepsis.

Abscesses on the skin are united by the reason for their appearance. In 90% of cases, Staphylococcus aureus becomes the source of abscess development. There is a difference between inflammatory formations. What is the difference between carbuncle and furunculosis?

In addition, the general condition of the patient during the maturation of the carbuncle is much worse, intoxication is pronounced. There may be chills, fever up to 40 °. Often a furuncle, carbuncle, hydradenitis have a very similar course, but purulent rods do not form with hydradenitis. In this case, an infectious lesion of the sweat glands in the groin, armpits, and perineum occurs with the formation of soft pear-shaped nodules with purulent contents. A qualified experienced dermatologist can distinguish a boil from a carbuncle only by external symptoms.

Features of the development of neoplasms

Despite the differences in the structure of abscesses, the cause of their occurrence is the same: infection with white or Staphylococcus aureus. Bacteria penetrate into the tissues of the fatty layer through cracks, cuts, scratches. Furuncles and carbuncles of the face appear due to insufficient acne care.

But the disease can occur not only due to poor hygiene or skin injury. Predisposing factors for the development of purulent abscesses are:

The formation of a boil and carbuncle takes approximately the same number of days: 9-10 days. How does a boil appear:

1. In the place of active reproduction of staphylococcus, itching, gradual swelling of the skin is observed. Then the skin area becomes dense, reddens, the diameter of the inflammation increases to several centimeters: how does it differ from a normal pimple.
2. After 3 or 4 days, a purulent core is visible in the center of the abscess, which rises above the surface of the skin. The temperature in this place is elevated, there is a jerking pain.
3. The furuncle, with a favorable course, opens itself, after which relief comes. Be sure to come out and the rod itself.
4. After rejection of the purulent contents, the wound slowly heals, a scar is formed, which gradually turns pale.

The development of a carbuncle has similar signs, however, due to the large area of ​​​​infection, the seal has a size of up to 10 cm. Intoxication with carbuncles is always intense, the skin on the abscess is strongly stretched, with a “gloss” effect. The color of the contents may be greenish-gray, and the color of the inflamed tissues around is from dark red to black.

The rejection of pus occurs through small holes, similar to a sieve, and lasts about two weeks. The ulcer that remains after the carbuncle is huge, therefore, with such a diagnosis, the patient is shown bed rest and constant monitoring by doctors.

When dense purulent abscesses appear, especially in the face and neck, it is strictly forbidden to squeeze them out on your own.

Possible Complications

Treating carbuncles is much more difficult than a single boil. The likelihood of complications is also much higher, especially in ulcers that appear on the back (a tendency to form phlegmon) and on the face.

Large boils on the face and back of the head are difficult to tolerate by patients. Multiple boils or large abscesses located under the nose, above the upper lip, near the external auditory canal, provoke severe throbbing pain.

Abscesses in an intimate place in men, in the scrotum, cause severe swelling, which is explained by the structure of the tissues. The consequences of late treatment of boils and carbuncles include:

Special diagnostics to determine the type of abscess is usually not required. Furuncle and carbuncle have clear distinguishing features. Mandatory tests during examination by a dermatologist include:

• bacteriological analysis of the purulent contents of the abscess;
• blood test for infection;
• determination of glucose level.

The source of infection after bakposev becomes known after 3-5 days, but doctors prescribe treatment for boils and carbuncles, without waiting for the results, based on clinical experience.

During treatment, you must follow the rules:

With furunculosis, before opening the abscess, it is forbidden to use Vishnevsky ointment or any antibacterial ointment - the composition of the preparations contributes to the spread of infection deep into the skin.

Principles of treatment

The treatment of purulent abscesses is also slightly different. A small boil located on any part of the body, except for the face, is allowed to be treated at home. The treatment plan looks something like this:

Multiple boils, abscesses on the face must be opened in the surgeon's office to prevent complications. To heal the wound after removing the pus, a bandage is applied with Ichthyol ointment or Vishnevsky ointment. Carbuncle therapy is carried out only in a hospital setting. At an early stage, antibiotics are prescribed orally. An antibiotic is then injected into the skin around the carbuncle.

With abscesses of small size, surgical intervention is not required. After opening the abscess, a bandage with Synthomycin ointment is applied to the wound. Extensive abscesses with tissue necrosis are removed under local anesthesia. A tampon with a medicinal solution is placed in the wound cleared of purulent contents.

To restore tissues and prevent the recurrence of abscesses, physiotherapy procedures are prescribed, usually ultraviolet radiation is used. To prevent purulent inflammation on the skin, it is also necessary to adhere to the elementary rules of hygiene:

You should not rely on folk recipes - you can defeat a bacterial infection only with the help of antibiotics.

Treatment of boils, as well as carbuncles, is a long and laborious process, requiring strict adherence to the doctor's recommendations.

Unwanted pimples appear on the human body from time to time. These are carbuncles, and boils, and just pimples. But the furuncle and carbuncle of the face, for example, require serious treatment. There is also a common, as well as a difference, between these skin diseases. Let's consider this problem in more detail.

Carbuncle is the result of extensive skin inflammation of several boils (wen).

Differences between boils and carbuncles

What it is?

A furuncle is an inflammatory process that occurs in an acute form and affects the hair follicle and the fatty tissue closest to the follicle under the skin. There are two types of boils: infiltrative and abscessing. The first type is not dangerous, because it does not cause intoxication harm to a person. A rod is formed inside the boil, which breaks through on its own. At the site of the wound after the breakthrough, there will be a cone-shaped cavity, which will tighten over time.

The second type is more dangerous. There is a rod at the base. The head of the pimple is tightened with a dense skin crust. In this case, the contents of the abscess cannot come out. Purulent masses accumulate. An abscess of the skin begins at the site of the abscess. Such an education should cause concern, because the treatment of the disease is complex and often causes complications. You can not squeeze neoplasms at home. This leads to the fact that the extruded abscess does not get rid of the rod, which will remain there and will abscess. Purulent masses, getting into the tissues of the epidermis, provoke sepsis, and this is a direct threat to human life.

Carbuncle - an inflammatory process of two or more boils, which are connected into one large object. It is not excluded the expansion of the area affected by the carbuncle. Neighboring follicles are also drawn into the purulent process. There is necrosis of skin cells. Unlike boils, carbuncles will not burst on their own. This ailment is removed only by surgery. There are also rods in the abscess. In the affected area, blood flow is often disturbed. This disease is treated longer than furunculosis.

Both diseases occur in adolescents, children, and to a lesser extent in adults, most often as a reaction to an illness.

Why is it important to know the difference?

Human skin has sebaceous, sweat glands, hair follicles. Subcutaneous adipose tissue exists around the hair follicles. It happens that dust or other particles get into the wound on the skin. Due to infection of the skin, an inflammatory process begins on the surface of the skin. It can be long and painful for a person. Skin areas on the face, arms, abdomen, legs are affected. Only those areas where there are no hair follicles, such as the feet, are not affected by these ailments. It is important to know the difference between diseases, because often the treatment of furunculosis and carbuncles in the roots varies. Everyone is subject to it. In children, treatment takes place only in a hospital, under the supervision of doctors. After all, boils or carbuncles can break through, and purulent masses then migrate throughout the body.

Causes of sores

• lack of vitamins in the human body;
• diabetes;
• herpes;
• malnutrition;
• weakened immunity;
• frequent hypothermia or overheating;
• HIV infection;
• people with chronic diseases, pathologies are also susceptible;
• disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine, as well as the nervous system, anemia, cause acne;
• drug addiction and alcoholism;
• men face this problem more often than women and children.

Therapy for carbuncles and boils has minor differences.

Furuncle- this is an inflammatory process that occurs in an acute form, which affects the hair follicle and the fatty tissue closest to it under the skin. Carbuncles develop as a result of the merger of several boils into one. Furuncle appears in children and adolescents as a result of the development of various diseases.

Causes of boils and carbuncles

The skin has a lot of sebaceous, sweat glands, hair follicles. The hair follicles are surrounded by subcutaneous fat. If an infection enters the skin, then the development of an acute inflammatory process begins, which is expressed by a boil. If a boil appears not in one, but in many places, then this process is called furunculosis. A furuncle can occur in parallel with diseases such as hypovitaminosis, diseases of the digestive system, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, a weakened immune system, and frequent hypothermia.

Clinical manifestations of furuncle and carbuncle

Furuncle occurs in two forms: abscessing and infiltrative. With the development of an abscessing form of a boil, the symptoms are quite pronounced and are accompanied by fork pain. There is a massive purulent fusion of tissues. This is very dangerous, because if a boil appears on the face, then pus can break through to the base of the skull.

With an infiltrative form, signs of intoxication are not very pronounced. If a local examination is carried out, then a dense infiltrate can be detected. It can be surrounded by hyperemic skin, and get very sick. Then a rod is formed inside the boil, it appears as a purulent and destroyed tissue. The furuncle sometimes opens on its own, while the process is accompanied by the release of pus. After that, a cone-shaped recess is formed. After some time, it overgrows with granulation tissue.

With the development of boils in children, the temperature often rises, they become nervous and capricious. In the affected area, tissue infiltration is visible, the outflow of blood can be impaired.

Treatment of boils and carbuncles

Before contact with a boil, as well as after contact with it, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water. You can carefully apply an antibacterial substance to the affected area. The procedure should be repeated three times a day. In order to reduce pain and accelerate the maturation of the purulent head, you can put a warm compress for fifteen to twenty minutes. After that, the boil should be closed with dry gauze. It is strictly forbidden to pick and scratch the boil, do not try to open it yourself or squeeze it out. This is very dangerous, because in this way you can spread the infection further. If there was an independent opening of the boil, then you need to carefully remove the pus and treat this place with hydrogen peroxide. Then you need to apply a dry gauze bandage. The procedures should be repeated every day until the revenge is completely healed. In order to reduce the inflammatory process and pain, it is recommended to take an anesthetic. No need to turn to ointments and creams that contain antibiotics. They can only be prescribed by a doctor. Before preparing food, wash your hands thoroughly, because the bacteria in the boil can infect food. If a boil occurs in a diabetic, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed.

Treatment of boils and carbuncles should be carried out as quickly as possible. Very young children are treated in a hospital setting. The doctor opens the boil, making a small incision so that all the pus can come out. After that, the doctor applies a sterile dry bandage. If necessary, antibiotics are prescribed. If boils occur often enough, then they are prescribed to take tests. This is done in order to check if there is diabetes.

Prevention

It is necessary to adhere to hygienic requirements for skin care. It is necessary to regularly strengthen the immune system of the baby, make sure that he eats properly and balancedly so that hypothermia does not occur in the cold season. And most importantly, you need to remember that if a boil has already appeared, then in no case should you remove it yourself!