Here’s the behind the curtain view on what causes us to get boils.

There are lots of things that can cause boils. It could be as simple as an ingrown hair, it can be a splinter or foreign object that finds its way into the skin and becomes infected. Acne which is a form of boils is caused by bacteria infecting sweat glands in the body.  A hair follicle can get infected with a Staph bacterium which also causes a boil to take place and appear.

Our skin is our first line of defense when it comes to keeping microbes, small organisms, germs, and bacteria that is constantly running around outside out body. The skin is a big part of our immune system. So any cut or breaking of the skin can become infected and potentially form into an abscess. Sometimes the skin can become infected as explained above when a hair follicle or a sweat pour gets infected with bacteria and causes a boil.

Who is most likely to develop a boil?

So who are the people that get boils?

Well it can happen to anyone. That doesn’t mean there is nothing to be careful about. You want to be clean, you want all cuts to be disinfected or iodine or some anti-bacteria alternative. You need to be wary of Staph bacteria which can grow in the noses of other people who may have a strong immune system and do not suffer from any symptoms however they are a carrier of Staph and can infect others who may get an infection from the transfer of Staph bacteria which is known as a cause of boils when this bacteria infects hair follicles. Using ant-bacterial soap and strong sense of cleanliness can prevent outbreaks.

“However like I said before anyone can get a boil, it doesn’t make them weird or dirty or diseased. So don’t tease someone who gets one. And don’t be scared if you have one yourself.”

Sometimes boil infections can be caused by the lowering of the immune system which is how the body defends itself against infections. A weak immune system can be more susceptible to bacteria and hence be more likely to suffer from boil outbreaks.

Diabetes is well studied and known to be associated with weak immune system and can have a lower antibody count and are more likely to suffer from boils.

People fighting cancer are also more susceptible to bacteria as there immune system is heavily taxed by the decease and the treatment for it. Boils are naturally more common in all who have a weakened immune system.

Certain medications will also lower a person’s immune system and increase the likelihood of getting a skin abscess or boil. Medications like prednisolone and cortisone use in cancer treatments are know to lower immune function and may lead to the possibility of bacterial infection (Bacterial infections which cause boils). Best prevention in this case is to keep the body and all cuts or abrasions clean and bacteria free. Make sure all everyone coming into contact with a person of lowered immune function also practices good cleanliness and use anti-bacterial soap and anti-bacteria hand sanitizer.

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