[toc]Boils can make your face and body appear unsightly. These occur on account of bacterial infection of your hair follicles. A boil usually begins as a tiny, red painful bump that slowly increases in size.
After some days, the boil turns soft and gets filled with pus. Boils can be painfully irritating and sometimes maybe accompanied by fever. To tame these nasty little things is no big deal if you follow these home remedies whenever a boil makes its first appearance.
6 Effective Home Remedies For Boils
Turmeric
Make a paste of ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and some water. Apply this directly over the boil. Cover this with a piece of sterile gauze. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling and pain associated with the boil. Turmeric is also an antiseptic which means bacteria stand no chance of surviving in its presence.
Onion
An onion slice is very useful for draining a boil that has grown big. Simply cut a slice of onion and wrap it over your boil with a clean piece of cloth or sterile gauze. Onion generates heat which in turn causes the boil to drain by releasing the accumulated pus. Besides, onion also has a compound called allicin that is anti bacterial, which eliminates infection.
Cornmeal
Take a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of cornmeal to it and stir to make a paste. Allow to cool. Apply this paste on the boil and cover with a clean piece of gauze. Cornmeal helps absorb the pus from a boil and drains it completely. You can repeat this process three to four times a day till the boil drains entirely.
Warm Compress
Take a clean washcloth and dip it in warm water. Wring out excess water and place it on the boil gently. You can use warm salt water for better results. The warmth gives you instant relief from the pain caused by boils. It also helps to drain the boil easily by bringing it to head fast enough. Follow this procedure for 10 minutes, four to five times every day till your skin is cleared of boils.
Milk
Heat a cup of milk. Add 2 teaspoons of salt slowly to this milk followed by some flour. Allow this paste to cool down a bit. Take a little bit of this paste and apply directly over the boil. You may even use some milk cream mixed with a few drops of vinegar for treating boils. Milk helps the boil drain, thereby shrinking it.
Bacon
Simply roll a slice of bacon in salt and wrap it in a piece of gauze. Apply this gauze directly over the boil. Repeat application every 3-4 hours. The salt and fat content of bacon is believed to make boils come to head real fast. As a result, the boil drains fast and shrinks even faster. This helps in relieving pain as well.
Make sure you follow any of these home remedies consistently for a few days till you see positive results. Whatever remedy you follow, make sure you do not forcibly cause the boil to rupture as this may spread the infection further.
