# Disgusting question about treating a boil **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212 "2006-03-06T02:19:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/1 "2006-03-06T02:19:29Z")
I have a boil between my, ahem, _manhood_ and my inner leg- basically where the left leg joins the torso but on the underside. It’s “offense is rank and stinks to heaven”- not so bad when I’m fully clothed and mobile but when I take off my clothes and move my leg a bit------- YIMINY! If Hell has Renuzit then this is the scent they use where Child Molestor Blvd intersects with Mass Murderer Ave. I’ve used some Gold Bond (and previously some baby powder) to both make it less noisome and absorb some of the stench and hopefully give a bit of relief (it’s not super painful but it’s presence is known). I can’t tell if it’s getting ready to pop yet. I’m in a play on Thursday night and have dress rehearsals in the meantime. Any suggestions for anything to help with the smell/discomfort or bring it closer to the "boil"ing point? Thanks J ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/2 "2006-03-06T04:11:43Z")
Ya might could try Tea Tree Oil; very antiseptic and antibiotic. Available at most Health Food/alterna stores. The requisite “Not a Doctor” disclaimers, but tea trea is pretty well acknowledged as a good topical antibiotic if you do a websearch. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/3 "2006-03-06T04:14:00Z")
IANAD, but apply hot moist heat, bring it to a head, and pop or lance that sucker. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/4 "2006-03-06T05:53:20Z")
Tea Tree Oil, while a very good antisceptic, antibiotic, antifungal anti-everything, is also rather harsh and anti-mucus membrane and Little 'Piro will NOT appreciate an errant tea tree splash. My best friend’s boyfriend burned all the skin off his little friend that way, trying to treat a genital wart. He was an idiot. Warm, moist compresses are the first step, and if you’re very lucky, they will help bring it to a head and it will pop on its own. Lots of smelliness and infected puss and quite a bit of blood will ensue. Obviously, not a good thing if you’re in costume. It might be difficult to explain exactly why you’re having your monthly, being male and all. It’s probably a good idea in your case to go see a dermatologist who can get rid of it cleanly, quickly and hygenically. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/5 "2006-03-06T06:26:41Z")
in my experience really nasty smell is usually from gram negative bacteria such as are common in your bowel; you don’t even want to know what an impacted Bartholin gland smells like. Such bacteria are potentially BAD juju. If it was my boil I would be aggresive about getting medical treatment ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/6 "2006-03-06T07:43:20Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > in my experience really nasty smell is usually from gram negative bacteria such as are common in your bowel; you don’t even want to know what an impacted Bartholin gland smells like. Such bacteria are potentially BAD juju. If it was my boil I would be aggresive about getting medical treatment I once got a hole in my exhaust pipe which caused material from my bowel to get into my body which caused some amazingly large painful boils. Surgery was required to fix the problem once and for all. Get thee to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/7 "2006-03-06T12:57:23Z")
I’ve had boils in that general area. Not close to my manhood, as I don’t have such a thing, but in the groin area. I’ve had boils in other places, too. Step 1 is putting moist heat on the boil until you can execute Step 2, which is seeing a doctor, who will probably prescribe antibiotics and might also lance and drain the damn thing. Lancing HURTS when it’s done (infected tissue is notorious for not taking anesthesia well) but it only hurts for a couple of seconds, and then it’s blessed, blessed relief. If you have a handheld showerhead, spraying the boil with warm water might help bring it to a head, and after it’s lanced or it starts to drain, it’ll help clean the gunk away. I wouldn’t put any powder on it unless approved by a doctor. I would put an absorbent pad of some sort over it, to absorb any drainage. Gauze pads are good. I always use paper tape anyway, because my skin is sensitive, and in this area I’d use paper tape on anyone, because the skin tends to be rather delicate. I certainly hope you make your way to a doc soon. Antibiotics and/or lancing will help a boil heal up much faster, in my experience, though of course IANAD. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/8 "2006-03-07T06:32:33Z")
Oh, and after the deed is done, you must come back and describe the excretions in every little nasty detail. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/9 "2006-03-07T06:49:04Z")
I’ve got to admit I’ve always found this boil coddling (ie leave it alone to pop on it’s own) business something of a puzzlement. The instant a pimple on my body even thinks about getting infected if I can reach it with fingernails, pliers or a long handled screwdriver (back zit) it’s getting opened, squeezed out and blasted with 100% isopropyl alcohol and possibly antibiotic ointment. I can’t believe you’ve let yours get so putrescent it’s starting to smell! It’s mind boggling! ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/10 "2006-03-07T06:58:46Z")
Euuuuuu. I second the hot wet compress thing. IANAD, but if the pain is making you see stars, one thing I’ve done on painful zits for myself is rub in some liquid Anbesol. Doesn’t completely numb it, but it sure takes the edge off the pain. Might make lancing it a little easier. If you manage to break it, make sure to rub in some Polysporin and cover with a bandaid to avoid gooking up your man-unit with the drainage. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/11 "2006-03-07T07:10:20Z")
Get that thing to a Health Care Provider. Pronto. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/12 "2006-03-07T10:20:08Z")
Boils anywhere near the anus (“anywhere” covers quite a large area) may not be what they appear to be. Seek medical advice, because you don’t want to interfere with a pilonidal sinus or abcess or any kind of fistula. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/13 "2006-03-07T11:32:59Z")
I wouldn’t mess with it, I’d take it to a doctor. If not, warm compresses for a time and then do some exploratory pokes with a sterilized needle. Once the pus starts flowing, you squeeze that bugger for all its worth. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/14 "2006-03-07T13:21:27Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I’ve got to admit I’ve always found this boil coddling (ie leave it alone to pop on it’s own) business something of a puzzlement. The instant a pimple on my body even thinks about getting infected if I can reach it with fingernails, pliers or a long handled screwdriver (back zit) it’s getting opened, squeezed out and blasted with 100% isopropyl alcohol and possibly antibiotic ointment. > > I can’t believe you’ve let yours get so putrescent it’s starting to smell! It’s mind boggling! This might work for a simple zit, but a boil is a different animal. If you go squeezing on it you risk forcing the infected pus/gunk \*into \* your body rather than out. If it gets into your bloodstream you have a serious medical problem on your hands. Blood sepsis ==\> potential death. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/15 "2006-03-07T18:07:44Z")
> [@divemaster](#): > > This might work for a simple zit, but a boil is a different animal. If you go squeezing on it you risk forcing the infected pus/gunk \*into \* your body rather than out. If it gets into your bloodstream you have a serious medical problem on your hands. Blood sepsis ==\> potential death. I’ve seen some nasty infections in the ER that way ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/16 "2006-03-07T18:07:44Z")
I’m not sure that it is a boil. It doesn’t seem to have a head. It’s about a silver dollar sized really red area that is sometimes sore and other times not. Is there any “this is how you tell a boil” advice? In either case I’m making an appointment for tomorrow (the first time I’ve had the chance) to have it looked at. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/17 "2006-03-07T19:02:03Z")
Sounds to me more likely to be a sebaceous cyst aka epidermoid inclusion cyst. Athough that is not the most common place for them the size, smell, and intermittent pain make this sound most likely. If infected or inflamed they can be incised and drained, but will almost certainly come back unless the entire thing is removed, which is slightly more complicated, but still extremely minor surgery. They don’t like to remove them when they are inflammed however, they like to drain them and remove them at a later date. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/18 "2006-03-07T19:42:28Z")
Listen to **irishgirl** and get to a doctor. There are too many different things it could be to try to decide how to treat it from the very hit or miss advice of a message board. Guess wrong and you could be wearing a colostomy bag the rest of your life. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/19 "2006-03-07T20:00:22Z")
Listen to **irishgirl** and get to a doctor. There are too many different things it could be to try to decide how to treat it from the very hit or miss advice of a message board. Guess wrong and you could be wearing a colostomy bag the rest of your life. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212/20 "2006-03-07T20:01:52Z")
That was weird. I only hit “post” once. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disgusting-question-about-treating-a-boil/347212.md?page=2)