What Causes Boils on Private Areas
Folliculitis and mild boils may go away with no treatment. Warm cloths (compresses) may help ease symptoms and speed healing. Your healthcare provider may also prescribe topical antibiotics to apply to your skin.
Folliculitis, Boils and Carbuncles
Folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles are types of infections of one or more hair follicles. A hair follicle is the base or root of a hair. The infections can occur anywhere on the skin where there is hair. They happen most often where there may be rubbing and sweating. This includes the back of the neck, face, armpits, waist, groin, thighs, or buttocks.
There are 3 different kinds of infections:
- Folliculitis. This is the most superficial type of inflammation of the hair follicles. This can appear on the neck, breasts, buttocks, back, chest and face.
- Boil. This is an infection of the hair follicle that goes into the deeper layers of skin. A small pocket of pus (abscess) forms. It’s also known as a furuncle. They often occur in the waist area, groin, buttocks, and under the arms.
- Carbuncle. This is a group of infected hair follicles with pus. A carbuncle is larger and deeper than a boil. Carbuncles are often found on the back of the neck or thigh.
What causes folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles?
Bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus (staph) are the most common cause of these infections. But other kinds of bacteria can also cause them.
Who is at risk for folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles?
Anybody can develop folliculitis, boils, or carbuncles. A person is more at risk if they:
- Have diabetes or a weak immune system
- Have other skin infections
- Have close contact with someone with a skin abscess, boil, or carbuncle
- Have skin injuries, such as scrapes, cuts, or insect bites
- Are getting IV (intravenous) medicine
- Have been in hot tub or spa water that isn’t correctly treated
What are the symptoms of folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles?
Symptoms can occur a bit differently in each person.
Symptoms for folliculitis may include:
- Irritated and red follicles
- Pus in the hair follicle
- Damaged hair
Symptoms for a boil may include:
- A warm, painful lump in the skin
- Pus in the center of the lump
- Whitish, bloody fluid leaking from the boil
Symptoms for a carbuncle may include:
- Pus in the center of a group of boils
- Whitish, bloody fluid leaking from the boils
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Pain in the area
The symptoms of folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles can be like other health conditions. Make sure to see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
How are folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and health history. They will give you a physical exam. The physical exam will include a skin exam. A sample of the pus from the infection may be sent to a lab. This is called a culture. It’s done to see what type of bacteria caused the infection. It can help the healthcare provider decide the best antibiotic for treatment. You may need to see a specialist to treat a moderate to severe boil or carbuncle.
How are folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles treated?
Treatment will depend on your symptoms, your age, and your general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.
Folliculitis and mild boils may go away with no treatment. Warm cloths (compresses) may help ease symptoms and speed healing. Your healthcare provider may also prescribe topical antibiotics to apply to your skin.
Moderate to severe boils and carbuncles are often treated by draining. A healthcare provider cuts into the sore and drains the fluid (pus) inside. This is called incision and drainage. You may also need to take antibiotic medicine by mouth (oral) or by IV in a vein. You may also need to put antibiotic ointment or cream on the area.
- Keep your skin clean.
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds before and after touching the infected area.
- Don’t reuse or share washcloths or towels. Wash these in soap and hot water.
- Change the bandages often. Place them in a bag that can be closed and thrown out.
Talk with your healthcare providers about the risks, benefits, and possible side effects of all treatments.
What are possible complications of folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles?
Possible complications include:
- Infection spreading to other parts of the body
- Return of the infection
- Scarring
- The infection spreads into the blood
Can folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles be prevented?
To help prevent these infections:
- Clean and protect any skin injuries.
- Wash your hands often.
- Keep your nails cut short.
- Keep your face clean, use clean razors, and bathe often.
- Use only well-maintained spas or hot tubs.
- Don’t have contact with others who have active skin sores.
When should I call my healthcare provider?
Call the healthcare provider if you have:
- Symptoms that don’t get better, or get worse
- Fever
- Other new symptoms
- A sore nodule with pus that is getting bigger
Key points about folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles
- Folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles are types of infections of 1 or more hair follicles.
- The infections can occur anywhere on the skin where there is hair. They happen most often where there may be rubbing and sweating. This includes the back of the neck, face, armpits, waist, groin, thighs, or buttocks.
- Bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus (staph) are the most common cause of these infections.
- Symptoms may include redness, pus, pain, and fluid leaking from the sore.
- Folliculitis and mild boils may go away with no treatment or with topical treatments applied to your skin. Moderate to severe boils and carbuncles are often treated by draining. You may also need to take antibiotic medicine by mouth (oral) or by IV in a vein.
What Causes Boils on Private Areas?
Boils or furuncles on the private parts usually develop when the hair follicles get blocked and infected.
Boils or furuncles on the private parts usually develop when the hair follicles get blocked and infected.
Men get boils around the groin, thighs, buttocks, and testicles or penis. Women get it on their vagina, labia, and buttocks and around the groin or thighs. They commonly affect men more often than they affect women.
They usually appear due to various reasons such as:
- Tight clothing or undergarments
- Sitting at one spot for a long time
- Poor genital hygiene
- Sharing personal items such as towels
- Skin irritation caused by shaving or waxing of the pubic hair
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Excess hormones around puberty or after menopause
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs):
- Genital herpes (shingles)
- Genital warts caused due to human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Syphilis (claps)
- Staphylococcus aureas bacteria
- Candidiasis yeast or fungus
- Psoriasis (raised, red or white patches topped with silvery, scaling skin)
- Crohn’s disease (a long-term condition that inflames the digestive system lining)
- Folliculitis (skin diseases that are caused by infected hair shaft)
- Diabetes
- Pubic lice (small insects that live in the pubic hair)
- Tiny mites cause an itchy skin condition such as scabies
How do boils on the private parts appear?
A boil or furuncle /abscess is a pus-filled inflamed bump that forms under the skin and hair follicles in your private parts mostly due to Staphylococcus aureas bacterial infection.
- It looks like a very big red or yellow pimple .
- Often it starts with an itchy or a tender pimple around the thigh, groin, genitals, or buttock area that grows into a large firm red lump after a few days.
- It may appear as single or multiple and may have deep roots under the skin, which hurts a lot that may make you uncomfortable under tight clothing.
- It may feel hot to touch and give redness to the surrounding area.
- The bump near the vaginal opening in women appears larger.
As it rapidly grows, the center softens, and it looks like a yellow pus-filled bump. The pus bursts through the surface of the skin, or it may settle gradually without bursting open within 1-2 weeks. A healed boil may leave a scar or may slowly fade away.
Often the infection spreads into the surrounding tissues called cellulitis, which can give you fever or chills. When you get severe boils close together and they join, it is called a carbuncle. The boils may appear severe if the person has a low or suppressed immune system and may reappear if not cured completely.
QUESTION
What are the treatment options?
Most of the boils clear up on their own within 1-2 weeks. Sometimes, it may last for days or months.
Your dermatologist/gynecologist may suggest:
- To avoid unnecessary friction and less sweating by wearing loose, dry clothing, and undergarments.
- To apply a warm compression on the affected area to increase blood circulation and help heal the infection. Soak the towel in lukewarm water and compress the area for 10 minutes.
- To apply petroleum jelly to reduce the friction of the private areas against the fabric (use the one which is prescribed by your gynecologist/dermatologist).
- To use antibiotic creams and tablets such as erythromycin, doxycycline, and tetracycline, in case of a bacterial infection.
- To daily use antiseptic chlorhexidine washes that are often prescribed with treatment to wash the affected areas.
- To use combined contraceptives pills for flare-ups around menses.
- To use pain relievers if you have more discomfort and inflammation.
- To use immunosuppressive treatments such as infliximab and adalimumab injection at regular intervals if you have very severe boils due to a suppressed immune system.
- To use steroids such as prednisolone to reduce severely inflamed skin.
- To drain the abscess under local anesthesia at the hospital if it is widespread underneath or does not go away on its own.
How to prevent recurrence?
Here are ways to reduce the risk of recurrence:
- Wash your hands with a bar of antibacterial soap and lukewarm water before performing the boil treatment to stop the infection spread.
- Always use a prescribed antiseptic skin soap, solution, or wash.
- Losing weight may reduce the risk of boils repeatedly, as the bacteria may survive in the folds of skin.
- Avoid smoking and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
- Maintain good hygiene and always wear loose, dry clean clothes.
- Avoid shaving affected skin in the private area and change the razor frequently every 3-4 weeks.
- Refrain from using perfumes or deodorants in the affected areas.
- Avoid close contact activities such as sports (rugby and judo) and visiting swimming pools or a gym until the boils get cleared.
- Avoid popping or picking up any sores to avoid infection spread.
- Avoid sharing personal items such as towels and soap.
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Why do people get boils?
Boils are common skin conditions that may result from the following conditions.
Boils may affect anyone; however, certain conditions can make you more prone to get boils, such as:
- Diabetes
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Being in close contact with someone who has boils
- Getting skin cuts such as those while shaving
- Poor nutrition
- Poor hygiene
- Exposure to skin irritants
- Obesity
- Insect bites
Prolonged sitting, extreme sweating , and skin irritation may make you prone to boils on the buttocks. Boils are the most common on the face, neck, buttocks, thighs, and armpits. They may, however, occur in the hair follicles at any site on the body.
When should I consult a doctor for my boil?
Boils usually get better with home management.
You may consult your doctor if:
- The boil does not heal in two weeks.
- You get a fever.
- More boils appear.
- The boil comes back.
- The boil is on the spine or middle of your face (the dangerous area).
- The boil causes significant pain or discomfort.
- You have long-term health conditions such as diabetes , heart disease, or cancer.
Your doctor may drain the boil and prescribe antibiotics for faster healing. Never attempt to drain the boil yourself because it can spread infection.
References
Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Boils and carbuncles: Overview. 2018 Jun 14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513141/
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