Boils

A boil is a bacterial infection that begins deep in a hair follicle or a sebaceous gland, one of the skin's oil-producing glands, and gradually works its way up to the surface of the skin. Staphylococcus aureus is the bacteria most frequently responsible for boils.

Boils most often appear on the neck, face, underarms, or buttocks. If your child complains of a red, elevated, and painful bump, watch the area closely. Should a boil be developing, a pustule will form in the center of the affected area within two to four days.

It is possible, although unusual, for a boil to spread beyond the affected area and cause a more serious systemic infection. For example, nearby lymph glands may become swollen. A boil may also be a sign of an underlying infection in your child's body that is manifesting itself through the skin. In either case, your child would need medical attention.

To determine when to call the doctor, observe your child's demeanor. To get a clear, overall sense of how your child is feeling, step away from her until you can't see the boil any longer. Is your child playing and laughing, or sweaty, tired, and pale? A child with a boil who is overtired, running a fever, not eating well, or who is just not "up to par" needs to see a physician.

Supplements and herbs

See age-appropriate dosages of herbal remedies

• Burdock root is an excellent internal cleanser. Give your child one dose, three times daily, for five days.
• Echinacea and goldenseal stimulate the immune system and help to clear infection. Echinacea has antiviral properties; goldenseal is an antibacterial herb that also soothes the skin and mucous membranes. Give your child one dose of an Echinacea and goldenseal combination formula, three times daily, until the boil improves. Goldenseal can also be applied topically to a boil for its antiseptic properties.
  Note: You should not give your child Echinacea on a daily basis for more than ten days at a time, or it will lose its effectiveness.
• A ginger tea compress will help to draw out infection and bring a boil to a head. Prepare a strong ginger tea and soak a clean white cloth in it. Apply this warm, wet compress to your child's boil for ten to fifteen minutes, at least four times daily.
• Green clay paste helps draw out and dry up infection. Mix 1 teaspoon of green clay with a small amount of water, just enough to make a paste like consistency. After using a ginger tea compress, apply this paste to your child's boil.
• Use tea tree oil compresses. Tea tree oil is a strong antiseptic and helps to resolve infection. Add 8 to 10 drops of tea tree oil to 1 quart of warm water and soak a clean cotton cloth or cotton ball in the mixture. Apply the warm compress to the boil for ten to fifteen minutes, four times daily.
• Usnea moss is effective against staphylococcus bacteria. Make a strong usnea tea by boiling 3 tablespoons of the whole herb in 1 cup of water for three minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to steep for another ten minutes. Then soak a clean washcloth in the tea and apply it to the boil for ten to fifteen minutes. Repeat this procedure three or four times daily until the boil heals.
• Usnea is also available in ointment form. One excellent ointment for boils is a product called Super Salve, which contains chaparral, Echinacea, and hops, in addition to usnea. Apply the ointment to the affected area three times daily.
• Make an herbal poultice by adding 1 tablespoon each of plantain, marshmallow root, goldenseal, and/or Oregon grape root to 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for twenty minutes. Soak a cloth in the mixture, and apply the poultice to the affected area for twenty to thirty minutes. Do this three times a day, for two to three days.

Homeopathy

• Arsenicum
  Use Arsenicum when the boil is hot and burning yet you are able to ease the pain with hot compresses.
• Belladonna
  Use this remedy in the early stages, when the boil is red and throbs violently.
• Hepar sulph
  The pains are sharp and penetrating, and worse for cold. The boil is full of yellow-green pus, which may ooze out.
• Tarent
  This remedy is very helpful when a boil develops rapidly after a slow incubation. It feels very hard, is bluish in colour and the pain is agonizing and burning.

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