skin boils?

[DrSally]

So, several says ago, I got this dime size red, tender spot on my back that had a white head. Looked more inflamed than a pimple and I never get pimples on my back. Recently, I did get Keratosis Pilaris on my back/back of upper arms though. Go figure, I thought it was supposed to disappear in your 30's, not appear!

Anyway, I rubbed off the whitehead with some rubbing alcohol, some clear fluid came out, I cleaned it up and put antibiotic ointment on and covered it. It became flat and is just a red mark now. I figure it was a boil, although I've never had one, this is what I heard they look like. Now, tonight I noticed one on my arm. I put a warm cloth on it and it didn't drain.

So, why would I be getting boils? Does it indicate some sort of underlying immune system problem? Does it mean I'm colonized with staph? Should I go to the doctor? Should I start using an antibacterial wash in the shower? I do change my towel everyday. Could this have anything to do with the keratosis pilaris? Any BTDT advice would be appreciated.

[Happy 2B mommy]

The boils sound like the staph infection DD had this summer. Get 'em cultured!

ETA I also have KP - this is nothing that would be related to KP

[ha98ed14]

When I had one, my doctor told me to wash with PhysoDerm (Sp?).

[Tondi G]

I would go in and let your doctor take a look. My neighbor had something like this on his upper thigh and left it... it got worse and started to spread. He finally went to the doctor and had to use antibiotic cream as well as take an oral antibiotic. That didn't stop it completely so they switched to a different antibiotic and something stronger topically.

Hope yours clears up quickly!

[elephantmeg]

boils that pop up in strange places can be MRSA. I'd have one cultured. And don't share towels (or re-use) and keep them covered...

[ThreeofUs]

Go to your doc; one is bad enough - more can signal a larger problem.

And hugs! So sorry you're going through this.

[DrSally]

Thank you. I'll make an appt today. I was so bummed to see the 2nd one, that it wasn't an isolated incident. I have been covering it and not reusing towels. I don't want to transmit anything to the kids. I am overweight, and I sure hope this isn't a sign that I have diabetes or something. It seems like if it isn't one it's another....

[ThreeofUs]

It seems like if it isn't one it's another....

Exactly my thoughts, lately (though not about skin problems....) But don't let it get to you - these skin things issues can kind of swarm in. The nice thing is that if you get them early, and can keep yourself from becoming too stressed, they're fairly easy to get rid of.

:hug:

[DrSally]

OK, so let me preface this by saying that this doc is fairly hands-off, low intervention type. I went in and told her about the 2 boils and she basically said that there's nothing that can be done for them, they're not contagious unless they're weaping, and to shower with antibacterial soap. I told her I had never had a boil before and was worried it meant there was some underlying issue and that I didn't want to give the MRSA, it would be more severe.

I am the type that would've liked a nasal swab, and antibiotic prescription, diabetes test, etc.

She said that some people are just colonized with certain staph bacteria, and some manifest as boils and some never get them.

ETA: I bought some dial body wash. I looked for phisoderm at both CVS and Target, but neither carried it. Does it have a different ingred. other than triclosan?

[Happy 2B mommy]

With all respect to your Dr., I'd get a 2nd opinion. Yes, staph is on everyone's skin, but once it manifests into boils, it means the staph has gotten into the lower layers/tissues of the skin. This, if left untreated, can cause infection throughout your body and then lead to serious complications. You need to find out if it is staph or MRSA and if it is, get antibiotics.

It is true that unless the sores/boils are weeping or you are sharing towels or have skin to skin contact, it's not likely to infect others. BUT it can get worse on you.

A nasal swab will show staph -it lives there and on skin. You probably need the boil abscessed and cultured. Go to a Derm. if you have to.

[DrSally]

With all respect to your Dr., I'd get a 2nd opinion. Yes, staph is on everyone's skin, but once it manifests into boils, it means the staph has gotten into the lower layers/tissues of the skin. This, if left untreated, can cause infection throughout your body and then lead to serious complications. You need to find out if it is staph or MRSA and if it is, get antibiotics.

It is true that unless the sores/boils are weeping or you are sharing towels or have skin to skin contact, it's not likely to infect others. BUT it can get worse on you.

A nasal swab will show staph -it lives there and on skin. You probably need the boil abscessed and cultured. Go to a Derm. if you have to.

Kerri, thank you for your input. I had read about it getting into your system and causing damage as well. It's scary. Are you saying that you need antibiotics just if it's MRSA or if it's staph as well? Too bad, I was literally just at the derm for DD yesterday. Maybe I should just call her and ask if she wants me to come in.

[swrc00]

I got a boil about a year ago. I went to the doctor and they cultured it for both Staph and MRSA. I would get a second opinion, especially since you have gotten two.

[Happy 2B mommy]

Kerri, thank you for your input. I had read about it getting into your system and causing damage as well. It's scary. Are you saying that you need antibiotics just if it's MRSA or if it's staph as well? Too bad, I was literally just at the derm for DD yesterday. Maybe I should just call her and ask if she wants me to come in.

Sally,
Both staph and MRSA need to be treated with antibiotics - the biggest concern with MRSA is that it is resistant to most antibiotics and is the worse/more dangerous of the two. Regular staph is much more treatable (at times may be left untreated) BUT you need to know which you have.

DD had a staph/possible MRSA this summer. her Ped treated it as MRSA because he didn't want to mess around with waiting for a culture and trying the lesser antibiotics -this is a ped who is pretty hands-off and concerned about overuse of antibiotics.

[DrSally]

Thank you. I'm going to call the derm on Monday. The one on my arm is still there, although they would have to lance it to get anything out. Keri, did your daughter have boils and that's why her ped suspected MRSA/Staph? I was surprised that the doctor didn't want to do *anything* not even a culture. I think I should just stop going to this particular doctor. She is so hands off. I had my first physical in 10 years, and she didn't even want to do a cholesterol test (I had to ask), and she didn't even do any other bloodwork. It's just such a pain to find a new doctor.

[Happy 2B mommy]

Yup, she had boils. The first was smaller, which I just treated with neosporin (sp?). About a week later the second one appeared - it was a red area about the size of a dime and a whitehead and I noticed another red area. Our ped was a bit upset that I didn't bring her in sooner when I saw the first boil.
Honestly, I know it's a pain to look for a new doctor, but yours just sounds too hands-off. You deserve better care.

[SammyeGail]

Thank you. I'm going to call the derm on Monday. The one on my arm is still there, although they would have to lance it to get anything out. Keri, did your daughter have boils and that's why her ped suspected MRSA/Staph? I was surprised that the doctor didn't want to do *anything* not even a culture. I think I should just stop going to this particular doctor. She is so hands off. I had my first physical in 10 years, and she didn't even want to do a cholesterol test (I had to ask), and she didn't even do any other bloodwork. It's just such a pain to find a new doctor.

I just saw this and am glad you are going to call the derm Mon, try to get in their asap! I just read on it and it said to seek medical attention if you get a second one.

So sorry your doctor didn't do a good job! It is hard to find a good doctor, I go really lucky with one in our small town, but everyone else likes him too now so sometimes he's booked up 2-3 days ahead, lol!

I don't know if you are able to do it, or have tried and have seen no progress, but try to keep warmth/heat on it. (I know you probably know this) A water bottle (?) a washcloth you keep re-running under hot water, etc, that will help make the yucky stuff rise up.

I had one on my eyebrow, lower area, noticed it Fri AM, was swollen by Fri afternoon, called derm and made appt for Tue. went to a doc-in-a-box Sat AM, he gave me antibiotics and said it was not a boil or an absess, hello? I have this hard ball thing under my skin the size of a sweet pea. It just got bigger and terrible painful. The pressure went under the bone and was on my eye. Sun AM, my first Mothers Day, lol, my eye was swollen shut, we lived in a different city then that actually had an emergency eye clinic, I went there, the only patient, he drained it and gave me a different antibiotic. (it had spread to different follicles, like a quarter size marble!). DS had a very important appt with a specialist in Atlanta it took us 6 weeks to wait on, I refused to cancel it. They couldn't stop looking at my huge swollen eye, LOL!! The swelling had wen across the bridge of my nose, the other side of my eye into my hairline. He had drained it but it just kept filling back up with fluid, I would have to drain it again and put cold compressess on it to try to stop it from filling back up. So I went to my Derm on Tue, she drained it again, not much puss in there, said she would have liked different anitb. than what I had, but take them anyway. Oh yeah, the eye dr had given me pain killers, I sure needed them! I had to continue to 'drain' it until it was smaller, enough that the pressure was tolerable.

Moral of the story is, don't keep trying to pluck an eyebrow thats too short and keep your tweasers very clean, lol! I have a nice scar on my eyebrow, too low to grow them out and cover up, to remind me of this!!

Take care Sally!! Hope your visit with your Derm goes great!

Samantha

[DrSally]

Wow, Samantha, that sounds like such a pain (literally!). What did your reading tell you about having 1 vs. 2? Does having a 2nd mean it's more likely systemic thing? I'm pretty sure the one on my arm cropped up b/c I was cleaning the one on my back and then picking something on my arm in that spot.


Anway, the other night, I put a slice of garlic on it under a bandaid (it hadn't grown, but also hadn't come to a head again). It stunk all night. It was the same the next day, but then today it was pretty flat and basically gone. It was only the size of a pea to begin with. So, I can't really go to the doc on Monday at this point b/c there would be nothing to culture. BUT, I'm going to call see if I can talk to someone about it, tell them I got 2 and get their advice on what to do if another comes (see what they would do about it, etc.).

[elephantmeg]

just to clarify: MRSA is methacillin resistant staph aureous so a form of staph

[DrSally]

just to clarify: MRSA is methacillin resistant staph aureous so a form of staph

I know. I prob was differentiating btwn "regular" staph and MRSA.

[ThreeofUs]

Glad to hear at least 1 went away! I wonder if it was the garlic or not?? ;)

[DrSally]

Glad to hear at least 1 went away! I wonder if it was the garlic or not?? ;)

Yeah, I don't know if it was the garlic or not. It burned when I first put it on for about 15 min. The next morning it was still the same, so I didn't put it on again that night, but the next day then it was pretty much gone. I've also been reading that some people buy "draw out salve" at the drugstore and that brings it to a head.