Vaginal boils are pus-filled lumps that form around your vagina.
These boils develop in the pubic area, Labia and on the outside of your vagina.
In some cases, people use the terms boil and abscess interchangeably to describe vaginal boils but abscesses always go deeper in the skin than boils.
Vaginal boils come as a result of the hair follicle becoming impacted and an infection developing in the follicle.
Boils usually start as small with a red bump and develop more in the cause of the days into a swollen painful spot with yellow or white pus-filled in.
Some boils look like pimples and if you are not sure of what you suffering from, Then make an appointment to see your gynecologist or doctor.
Boils in most cases cause less concern because it clears up on its own in 1 to 2 weeks.
If you experiencing a lot of pain, you may require treatment to ease and reduce the infection until the boil is gone.
If the situation is severe, then you will have to see your doctor who may lance or cut the boil to drain the infection.
Facts on Vaginal boils.
Boils begin as skin irritations that are infected with the bacteria that live inside the skin.
If the boil is filled up with pus and appears severely infected, the doctor may drain the boil using a special sterile needle.
You can always try several home remedies to treat vaginal boils at home.
Causes of Vaginal boils.
Vaginal boils are caused by different conditions and among the few are:
1.Skin condition.
One among the skin conditions that cause vaginal boils is folliculitis that occurs when the bacteria infect the hair follicle.
Folliculitis is a side effect of irritation that is caused by waxing or shaving hair from the public. The bump may start small and painful but can grow bigger into a boil.
2.Infectious Organisms.
Boils may also be caused by bacterias like Chlamydia trachomatis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
All the bacteria can lead to the growth of vaginal boils.
3.Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Sexually transmitted infections and genital piercings can also lead to the growth of vaginal boils.
Women who have thicker pubic hair growth and oily skins are at a high risk of vaginal abscesses according to the research carried out at The Royal Women’s Hospital.
4.Cysts
One of the most common causes of vaginal boils Bartholin gland cyst which is results as the Bartholin glands being infected.
The Bartholin glands are found under the skin near the vaginal opening.
When the glands become blocked, they cause the cyst and a hard bump to form around the vagina.
And when the cyst is infected, it becomes the boil.
Home remedies to treat Vaginal boils.
In most cases, boils go away on their own in a few days but you can use some home remedies to treat it.
Before you think of touching the boil or the area around it, Wash your hands so well and use antibacterial soap and warm water to prevent introducing more bacteria to the vaginal boil.
And after touching it, Do the cleaning of your hands so well to stop introducing more bacteria to other areas of your body.
1.Apply a warm Compress
Cook some water and soak a washcloth in it, Make sure the water is just warm and not hot.
Squeeze the water out of the cloth, place the compress on the boil and leave it for 8 to 10 minutes.
The compress softens the skin and helps in draining the pus out of the boil, The heat from the boil also helps by promoting more blood circulation helping the white blood cells to fight off the remaining infection.
You should repeat the process 3 to 4 times a day until the boil is finally gone.
2.Turmeric
Turmeric is a natural blood purifier with both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that help in treating the boil.
You should get ½ Tsp of turmeric powder, add some water and make a smooth paste.
Apply the paste to the infected area and do this 2 to 3 times a day until the boil is gone.
You can also add A half teaspoon full of turmeric powder to milk and drink it 2 times a day.
3.Garlic
Garlic has been used for a number of centuries to treat different health complication.
The antibacterial properties of garlic help in treating the vaginal boil since it also results from infections.
You should crush one clove of garlic and extract the juice.
Apply the juice to the infected areas 3 times a day.
4.Castor Oil
Castor oil has antiseptic properties and hence it can be used to treat vaginal boils.
Apply a drop of the oil to the infected area 2 to 3 times a day for a few days.
5.Cumin Seeds
You should grind some cumin seeds and make a paste.
Apply the paste to the infected area 3 to 4 times a day until the boil is gone.
There are other things you can do at home And these are:
6. Keep the area clean and dry.
It’s best you wash the infected area with anti-bacterial soap and clean water.
Dry the area with a soft washcloth so gently, avoid touching the boil and rubbing the boil.
And its best you clean the hands with antibacterial soaps before you start applying antibiotic ointments to the area.
7. Wear breathable and loose underwear.
Always wear clean cotton underwear that allows the skin to breathe.
Wearing a tight underwear will rub against the boil and will cause some irritation to the boil.
Actually wearing a tight underwear may cause you severe pain from the boil.
It’s recommended for you to wear loose bottoms until the boil is gone.
8.Takeover -the-counter pain relievers.
If the boil is causing severe pain, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen to ease the pain and inflammation the boil causes.
If you use home remedies and the boil isn’t gone within 2 weeks, it’s best you make an appointment with the gynecologist or your doctor because you might need some treatment from the doctor
9. Don’t prick or pop
Try to control the temptation of pricking the Vaginal boil because doing so will spread the bacterias to other areas of your vagina and hence spreading the infection.
You may also make the tenderness and pain worse when you prick the vaginal boil.
10. Use an ointment.
You can apply some petroleum jelly to help in protecting the boil against the friction from underwear and clothing.
If the boil bursts, use antibiotic ointments to protect against other infections while the spot heals.
How long it takes to heal
A boil always clears up on its own in 1 to 2 weeks.
Some boils shrink and others disappear on their own.
But others can burst and drain
If vaginal boil bursts, make sure you clean the spot so well but remember to wash your hands before you touch it.
Having a boil does not leave on the risk of having another but some risk factors can lead to the development of another boil and these include.
- Staph infection
- Ingrown hairs from shaving
- Friction or rubbing from tight clothes
When to see your doctor
Even when aboil can disappear on its own, In some cases you need to see the doctor when you have various symptoms an these include:
- A bump that grows so fast.
- Fever
- Cold sweats
- A boil on your face
- Pain from the bump
- If you develop multi boils
- If the boil doesn’t disappear in 2 weeks
- If the boil is 2 inches a wide.
Your doctor has two different types of treatment options if you can’t treat the boil at home with remedies.
1.Antibiotics
If you are having recurrent and severe infections, then you will need antibiotics to fight against future boils.
Your doctor can also prescribe some antibiotics when the boil is drained to fight against secondary infections.
2.Lance and Drain
If the boil is very large and causing severe pain, Your doctor may cut the bump to drain all the pus and fluids.
Do not do this at home because your doctor will use a sterile equipment that you don’t have.
If the vaginal boil is too big and severe, it may require to be drained more than on.
How to prevent future vaginal boils
Preventing against boils isn’t an easy thing but below are some of the tips to help you lower the risk of getting future vaginal boils :
- Do not share razors: The bacteria responsible for boil growth can easily be shared from one person to another, So it’s not good to share razors with someone else.
- Avoid using highly fragranced dyes, douches, powders, and soaps because they can easily irritate the skin leaving you at a high risk of getting the infection.
- Change your razor regularly: A dull razor increases the risk for ingrown hairs which increases the risk of you having an infection. It’s best to change the razors every 3 to 4 weeks.
- You should maintain a healthy weight to prevent additional skin folds from developing which can increase the risk of infection.
- Shave in the shower or bath and never dry shave your vaginal areas, it’s best you use a cream or lotion to reduce the friction when shaving.
- Take all antibiotics “when the doctor prescribes some antibiotics, it’s best you take all of them to stop reinfection.
- It’s best for you to clean your vaginal areas at least once a day.
- Regular washing of your hands helps in reducing bacterial exposure.
- You should change to clean underwear after sweating to prevent infections, if you are still having chronic vaginal boils, you will have to talk to your doctor about it for further preventive options.
Treat the staph
If you have recurring boils, your doctor will need to take some pus from the boil to carry out some tests which will help determine what bacteria are causing the infections.
Knowing the type of bacterias causing the infections will help your doctor to prevent future boils. Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacteria that causes recurring vaginal boils.