Opportunistic microflora lives on the skin of each of us. A strong immune system maintains balance and prevents pathogenic bacteria from being activated. A decrease in protective forces provokes the development of purulent-inflammatory lesions of the skin. Staphyloderma is the most commonly diagnosed pathology. Ulcers and abscesses appear where hair grows. This explains why a boil may occur on the penis in men and on the genitals in women.
Reasons for appearance
A boil on the labia in women is a consequence of the penetration of staphylococci and streptococci into the internal environment of the skin. This happens when a woman neglects the rules of personal hygiene, for example, she removes hair with someone else’s machine and injures the skin during shaving.
Although activation of bacteria in the deep layers of the skin often occurs, even if a woman uses her accessories. In this case, the impetus for the appearance of boils on the skin of the labia is increased sweating in combination with weak immunity. Often a painful boil appears in an intimate place due to metabolic disorders in the skin, which leads to a breakdown of its functions, in particular, to a weakening of the protective barrier.
Since the infection tends to spread throughout the body with the flow of lymph and blood, the cause of boils in the intimate area can be a distant purulent focus, for example, located in the lungs.
A boil on the labia can develop against the background of another infectious and inflammatory skin disease. An abscess can be preceded by bartholinitis - a purulent inflammation of the glands located in the vestibule of the vagina, as well as genital herpes, which is manifested by itching and erosions on the labia. Pathological changes in the internal genital organs, urinary canal or rectum can also contribute to bacterial infection of hair follicles in the intimate area.
What to do if chiria constantly occurs
For some people, ulcers appear constantly, accompanying even a minor cold or deterioration in health. This disease is called chronic furunculosis. It is dangerous because there is a constant source of infection in the body, which can settle in different organs. Therefore, if chiriyas have become frequent guests, you need to undergo a more serious course of treatment.
Chronic furunculosis is accompanied by fever, headache, and enlarged lymph nodes. It is called:
- Insufficient hygiene;
- Reduced immunity:
- Chronic diseases of internal organs and metabolism;
- Frequent hypothermia;
- Lack of vitamins.
In case of furunculosis, the patient is prescribed antibiotics, taking into account the results of culture of discharge from boils. Immunity is raised with the help of immunostimulating drugs and the introduction of staphylococcal toxoid. A good result is achieved by autohemotherapy, in which blood taken from a vein is injected into the gluteal muscle. Blood irradiation with laser and ultraviolet light is effective, and vitamin therapy is useful.
What does an abscess look like at different stages?
A chiryak on the labia or clitoris can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- At the first stage of boil development, a painful lump (infiltrate) forms under the skin. The skin over it becomes tense, inflamed and takes on a red tint.
- After 1-2 days, a purulent-necrotic core begins to form in the center of the infiltrate, which can be seen by the purulent point. Inflammation around the skin lesion is accompanied by hyperemia. The skin turns purple and becomes hot to the touch.
- On the 3-4th day, the stage of maturation of the rod begins, and the body temperature can rise to 38°C. Weakness appears.
- About 5-6 days later, the abscess opens, the contents of the abscess flow out, but the core still remains inside the deep ulcer. It will come out as soon as the living tissue cells begin to reject it.
- On days 7-8, the wound heals and becomes bluish in color.
A boil on the labia majora is not difficult to treat, unless it has formed in the folds at the entrance to the vagina.
If a compaction remains at the site of the abscess, it means that the ulcer has not been completely cleared of purulent-necrotic masses. The wound is cleaned by light compression, but before and after this procedure it is treated with an antiseptic. An internal boil should not be treated this way. There is a risk of secondary infection, in which the inflammatory process can spread further to the vaginal walls.
Women's complaints
The peculiarity of ulcers on the labia majora and inside the vagina is that the stages of their development are accompanied by symptoms that cause discomfort in any position of the body, thereby severely limiting movement. Typically women complain about:
- tearing pain in the area where the boil is located;
- swelling of the mucous membrane of the labia;
- feeling of fullness inside the vagina;
- increase in body temperature.
If the boil on the labia does not break out for a long time, the woman may complain of loss of strength and nausea. This condition is explained by intoxication of the body, which means that toxins from the boil have been released into the blood and lymph. During this period, the level of leukocytes and neutrophils in the blood serum increases, which indicates a high probability of the transition of a purulent process to a septic one.
Will there be consequences for the child?
A single focus of inflammation is not dangerous for pregnancy, the baby is inside. With short-term therapy, further infection can be prevented. A boil in the upper layers of the skin does not affect the development of the child in any way. With a local location, it is impossible to infect the fetus with staphylococcus.
A dangerous scenario is when furunculosis begins with numerous abscesses. Against the background of inflammation, body temperature rises, the disease causes lymphadenitis. This condition in the early stages threatens termination of pregnancy. If it develops after 22 weeks, it can cause premature birth.
If genital or body staphylococcus penetrates the skin and causes sepsis, this threatens to infect the child and cause his death.
What is the danger
Inadequate treatment methods for boils on the labia lead to complications such as:
- furunculosis;
- abscess;
- phlegmon;
- carbuncle;
- sepsis.
Furunculosis of the vulva occurs if the inflammatory process spreads to adjacent areas of the skin, which include the vulva and which have hair follicles (pubic tubercle, labia). With this pathological process, several more boils appear near a single boil.
Each of the complications of a boil, in the absence of proper treatment, can lead to sepsis. The pathological condition develops as a result of toxins from a purulent focus entering the blood and lymph. A general infection of the body occurs, which can lead to death.
A boil on the labia can take on an abscess form, in which pus spreads to the subcutaneous fatty tissue (connective tissue). This happens if the boil is not treated correctly or the stem of an immature abscess is squeezed out. Although it is dangerous to carry out such an action, even if the boil is ripe.
Phlegmon as a complication of a boil is formed for the same reason as an abscess. But this pathological neoplasm, unlike an abscess lesion, does not have a restrictive capsule. As a result, an extensive purulent-necrotic cavity is formed.
A complication in the form of a carbuncle is a collection of boils. With this pathological condition, a purulent infectious process develops simultaneously in 2 or more hair follicles.
How does a boil affect pregnancy?
Boils on the genitals in pregnant women are a fairly common occurrence. During this period, disturbed hormonal levels and a weak immune system can provoke purulent foci in an intimate place. If you start treating boils on the vulva in a timely manner, this will not affect the general health of the expectant mother and her baby. But there is one important condition: only a doctor should prescribe treatment for a pregnant woman. The specialist, taking into account the woman’s situation, will prescribe her vitamins to strengthen the skin’s immunity and external remedies for the rapid maturation and release of the purulent-necrotic core.
How to treat purulent inflammation
Some women panic and don’t know what to do when a boil forms on the labia. The feeling of discomfort in an intimate place, and even in combination with a purulent formation, causes them a feeling of fear and forces them to urgently consult a doctor. Others, most likely those who have already encountered a similar problem, begin to treat boils on their own according to an already proven scheme.
But the methods used to treat a boil on the labia only turn out to be fast-acting if the woman takes care of strengthening her general and local immunity during the treatment period. As a rule, this factor is not taken into account when self-medicating, which causes prolonged healing of the purulent focus.
Treatment with medications
Treatment of a boil on the labia can be local, in which external solutions, ointments, gels are prescribed, or systemic, in which antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed in tablets or injections.
During the treatment of a boil on the labia, the patient is prescribed drugs that strengthen the immune system - Cycloferon, Immunal, Echinacea, aloe injections, B vitamins.
The doctor chooses a treatment regimen for a boil in an intimate place, taking into account the severity of the disease:
- To treat a boil that is at the stage of infiltration, when the boil is just maturing, a 2% solution of salicylic acid or 70% ethyl alcohol is used to cauterize and resolve the subcutaneous neoplasm. Dry heat, magnetic therapy sessions and oral antibiotics help to interrupt the inflammatory process.
- The purulent-necrotic stage is treated using novocaine and antibacterial blockade. The pathological focus is injected with an antibiotic and novocaine, which helps relieve pain and limit the spread of infection under the skin. Ichthyol ointment is applied to the abscess until it breaks through and its core comes out.
- An opened boil is treated with ointment with the antibiotic Levomekol or Levosin. If the wound is too deep, it is drained.
Surgical intervention
Opening an abscess on the labia is performed on an outpatient basis. The doctor resorts to surgical intervention if the boil does not break through for a long time or has taken on an abscess form. The operation consists of the following steps:
- Antiseptic treatment of infected skin is carried out.
- The doctor opens the abscess using a sharp scalpel.
- The contents of the boil cavity are removed, and the wound is treated with an antiseptic and covered with an antiseptic ointment bandage.
Opening a boil on the labia is done under local anesthesia.
How to treat at home
If a boil in an intimate place is just beginning to develop, then it can be cured at home by cauterizing the pathological focus with a 2% solution of salicylic acid or a 70% solution of ethyl alcohol. With strong immunity, the subcutaneous neoplasm resolves within 24 hours. Otherwise, a purulent point will form in the center of the infiltrate.
Ichthyol ointment will help speed up the process of boil ripening at home. It must be kept on the abscess until it opens. The ointment bandage is fixed to the skin with a patch and changed 2 times a day until all the pus comes out. To heal the resulting wound, use ointment with the antibiotic Levomekol and a bactericidal patch.
Complications
Complications can occur for three reasons:
- Breaking inside is rare, but requires prompt consultation with a doctor, as it causes diseases of a purulent-inflammatory nature.
- Ignoring genital inflammation and its causes - you should find out the cause and carefully handle the affected area.
- Injury to the boil and infection during self-medication - boils may itch and hurt, but it is not advisable to touch them or try to pierce them.
Attention! If the boil has broken through, then you need to remove the pus with clean hands, treat it with hydrogen peroxide, and then apply a bandage with Levomikol. After treatment, you need to treat your hands with an antibacterial agent.
What complications can there be:
- furunculosis of the labia - multiple chiria;
- phlegmon - diffuse purulent inflammation;
- sepsis - purulent inflammation that affects all organs;
- Erysipelas is an infectious disease.
Preventive measures
If furunculosis is a frequent disease of the skin of the labia, a woman should work on strengthening general and local immunity - for this purpose it is necessary to undergo examination by an immunologist. Visit a nutritionist who can help you adjust your diet. After all, sweet, spicy and fatty foods often cause weakening of the skin’s immune defenses.
To prevent the reappearance of boils in the intimate area, a woman must strictly follow the rules of personal hygiene. Hair removal with a razor in the bikini area and in the deeper area should be carried out only in the direction of hair growth. In this way, it will be possible to prevent infection from entering the follicles.
Infiltrates also tend to appear on injured skin. To avoid the development of a boil at the site of the cut, even small wounds must be carefully treated with an antiseptic.
Prevention
It is impossible to prevent the appearance of furunculous formations 100%, but there are chances to be as safe as possible from the development of an abscess. To do this, resort to the following measures:
- maintain intimate hygiene regularly;
- eat right;
- drink vitamin complexes;
- dress appropriately for the weather.
Doctors also advise choosing underwear and clothing made from natural fabrics, in a size that allows the skin to “breathe.” With strong protective properties of the body, proper nutrition and no frequent consumption of alcohol, fried and fatty foods, the risks of causing boils are minimal.
Treatment of boils in children
In adolescence, girls may develop a boil on the labia majora, which is associated with the formation of the menstrual cycle and weakened immunity. In this case, the doctor prescribes a treatment regimen the same as for adults, with Ichthyol and taking vitamins.
If a boil appears on the labia minora, then with this pathology it is necessary to urgently go to the doctor for an examination. The labia minora do not have hair follicles, which means that a wen most likely has appeared in the intimate area, which, as a result of injury from underwear, can turn into an abscess. You can get rid of it through surgery or using ointments prescribed by your doctor.
Home remedies for genital furunculosis
There are a number of home remedies that a woman can try before visiting a gynecologist:
- Warm compress . Soak a gauze pad in warm water and apply a warm compress to the area of inflammation for 10-15 minutes. This can lead to a breakthrough of the abscess; in this case, under no circumstances should it be squeezed, pierced, etc.
- Warm bath with chamomile infusion . You can take a bath for no more than 15 minutes.
- Treating the site of inflammation . Wash the affected area with warm water and antibacterial soap. Do not press on the abscess - avoid injury. Then you can apply any antibacterial ointment.
- Taking painkillers . If the boil hurts, you can take a mild pain reliever such as ibuprofen.
Before making compresses and baths, you need to make sure that the abscess is not associated with deep inflammation, otherwise heat will intensify the process and lead to extensive damage to the vaginal area.
Prohibitions during treatment and recovery
The boil is a source of infection. To exclude the uncontrolled development of the inflammatory process during its treatment, the patient should not:
- Self-prescribe medications, especially antibiotics.
- Squeeze out the pus from the abscess and pull out the necrotic core with tweezers.
- Touch the wound with dirty hands.
As a rule, the skin healing under an antiseptic bandage begins to itch very much; you cannot scratch it. The skin in the intimate area is very delicate, and scratching can cause damage and secondary infection.
