Skin Abscess Facts and Treatment

Skin abscess is also known as boil disease. It is infected in the skin and filled by pus. It is caused by collection of pus in the skin. The lumps quickly fill with pus, growing larger and more painful until they rupture and drain. Most people with boils are otherwise healthy and have good personal hygiene. Although some boils disappear a few days after they occur, most take about two weeks to heal. In severe cases, boils may develop to form abscesses. These germs already exist on the skin and in the nose of some people without causing any problems.

Causes

Abscesses can be caused by minor breaks and punctures of the skin, obstruction of sweat glands and oil (sebaceous) glands, and inflammation of hair follicles. They contain dead cells, bacteria, and other debris, which causes inflammation and pain. Common bacteria, such as staphylococci, are the most common cause, although the bacillus responsible for tuberculosis is an important abscess-forming type.

Symptoms

* Skin lesion
o Open sore or closed, domed nodule
o Reddened
o May drain fluid
* Localized swelling, induration (hardening of tissue)
* Tender and warm affected area

Skin Abscess Treatment

The treatment of first choice is the surgical drainage of the abscess. It is important to note that antibiotic therapy alone without surgical drainage of the abscess is seldom effective. However, in critical areas where surgery presents a high risk (such as the brain), surgery may be delayed or used as a last resort. The drainage of the lung abscess may be performed by giving the patient a certain position that enables the contents to be discharged via the respiratory tract. After surgical drainage, antibiotics are usually used to control the infection. Warm compresses and elevation of the limb may be beneficial for skin abscess.

Perianal abscesses are seen in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, or diabetes. Often the abscess will start as an internal wound caused by ulceration or hard stool. This wound typically becomes infected as a result of the normal presence of feces in the rectal area, and then develops into an abscess.

Prevention tips

There are some measures that you can take to prevent boils from forming. The regular use of antibacterial soaps can help to prevent bacteria from building up on the skin. This can reduce the chance for the hair follicles to become infected and prevent the formation of boils. In some situations, your health-care practitioner may recommend special cleansers such as pHisoderm to even further reduce the bacteria on the skin.

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