Q what are the causes and treatment of the boil?
Boils are caused due to infection with staphylococcus aureus bacteria. A few factors increase the risk of developing boils: male sex, being in close personal contact with someone who has a boil, taking part in sports that involve a combination of sweating, close personal contact and frequent friction of the skin such as rugby and wrestling. Living in conditions that are overcrowded and have poor standards of personal hygiene, having a pre-existing skin condition, such as atopic eczema or scabies and obesity also increase ones chances of developing boils. However, it is also common for healthy people with good levels of hygiene to develop boils at some point. Simple cases of boils can be easily managed at home. To speed up the healing process, apply a warm facecloth to the boil for 10 minutes three or four times a day. When the boil bursts, cover it with sterile gauze or dressing to prevent the spread of infection. Some boils may require to be drained by a physician. A course of antibiotics may be necessary especially in case of large or recurrent boils.