Ichthyol ointment for boils: instructions and recommendations for use, secrets and effectiveness of treatment (reviews)

Anyone who has encountered a problem such as furunculosis knows firsthand how painful and unpleasant this disease is. It all starts with the accumulation of an infiltrate consisting of blood and lymph in the sebaceous gland. Next comes inflammation and suppuration. This process is accompanied by pain in the area of ​​the boil.

Ichthyol ointment, an effective remedy for boils

General symptoms of furunculosis

Depending on the degree of furunculosis, the patient’s body temperature may rise, nearby lymph nodes may become inflamed, and their general condition may worsen. The last stage is the maturation of the boil, its breakthrough and the healing itself. Scars remain on the skin, sometimes quite deep. A boil can appear on any part of the body. With furunculosis, boils “jump up” one after another after a short period of time. The more often, the more severe the degree of the disease. It can and should be treated. Fortunately, the pharmaceutical market offers a wide range of medications to combat boils.

You can resort to the help of advertised expensive ointments, or you can use ordinary ichthyol, which our mothers and grandmothers have effectively used for decades.

Causes of boils

The causative agent of furunculosis is pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus, and sometimes streptococcus. They penetrate through the injured epithelium. This could be mechanical damage to the skin, diaper rash, or wounds. The causes of boils include:

• non-compliance with body hygiene standards,
• hypovitaminosis,
• decreased protective functions of the body - immunity,
• diabetes,
• intoxication of the body,
• chronic infectious diseases,
• overweight,
• taking medications,
• puberty in adolescents,
• stress,
• chronic fatigue,
• skin cancer.

Excess weight increases the risk of boils

Boils most often appear on the neck, chin, T-zone and buttocks. A single boil on the face may not be a symptom of furunculosis at all. If inflammation appears periodically in the same place, you need to contact a dermatologist for consultation and treatment. To prevent such an unpleasant disease, it is necessary to keep the body clean, especially skin prone to oiliness. It would be useful to take vitamin and mineral complexes in the autumn-spring period. The appearance of boils can be a signal of serious problems in the body - chronic inflammation or untreated infectious diseases. You should pay special attention to furunculosis, because at the initial stage it is quite easy to treat; if it is neglected, it will require long-term and expensive treatment. You cannot squeeze out boils yourself. This can lead to such serious consequences as blood poisoning or inflammation of the deep layers of the epidermis.

Local symptoms of a boil

First of all, redness appears on the skin area, then it develops into a compacted tubercle. Over time, the swelling increases and the skin around the boil swells. An increase in temperature is felt in this area of ​​the skin. An increase in overall body temperature may also be observed. The sensations from the touch are painful, and facial movements also cause discomfort (if boils are on the face). Afterwards, a pustule with pus forms in the center of the tubercle. It looks like a white or yellowish dot at the top of the boil. The tubercle increases in size until it matures and opens. Then the inflammation subsides, the pain subsides and long-awaited relief occurs.

But along with the breakthrough of the abscess into the body, a new path opens for infections to penetrate through damaged skin. You need to monitor the boil until it is completely healed.

Furuncle, a red bump with a white shaft

Contraindications for use

Despite its safety, you should not use ichthyol if you have allergic reactions. The drug is contraindicated for use in combination with other medicinal ointments, creams, gels or balms. They can enter into a chemical reaction and cause side effects, including chemical burns to the skin.

In the presence of:

• multiple suppurations;
• deterioration of general physical condition;
• the presence of a disease that suppresses the immune system.

Before using the ointment, you should visit a doctor to determine the cause of furunculosis and get rid of it. Ichthyol accelerates the healing of the boil, cures the abscess itself, but does not eliminate the disease that caused the immune system to fail. Therapy for a disease that has caused multiple boils helps to get rid of many other unpleasant consequences caused by disturbances in the functioning of the human immune system.

Correctly administered ointment therapy will help get rid of boils and acne quickly. You can use the product as much as needed. There is no addiction, the beneficial properties do not disappear.

The article has been verified by the editors

Getting rid of a boil with ichthyol ointment

Ichthyol ointment can be considered one of the most effective drugs for getting rid of boils. The main active ingredient is ichthyol; it also contains petroleum jelly. 10 and 20% ointment is available. Ichthyol is a product of the processing of shale resins. Despite its effectiveness, the ointment repels with its sharp, unpleasant odor, which it owes to the sulfur that is part of its composition. In addition to treating boils, ichthyola is successfully used in gynecology and urology. In addition to the antiseptic properties, ichthyol also has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. The use of ointment helps to cope with skin itching and softens keratinized areas of the skin. The result becomes noticeable just a few hours after application:

• the inflammatory process is reduced,
• pain and itching are reduced,
• the burning sensation in the area of ​​suppuration goes away,
• the skin on the head of the abscess softens,
• purulent masses come to the surface,
• The abscess matures faster and opens on its own.

In addition to all of the above, the ichthyol draws pus from the boil, thereby accelerating its breakthrough. The active ingredient of the drug increases blood circulation in the damaged area of ​​the skin, which is important for the speedy healing of the boil. There are practically no contraindications to the use of the drug. The exception is individual intolerance to ichthyol.

Ichthyol intolerance, the only contraindication to the ointment

Side effects

Ichthyol ointment is well tolerated by most patients, regardless of their age category. The drug has a simple chemical composition that causes minimal side effects. The development of a negative reaction of the body is possible only in people whose body has individual sensitivity to the active components of the drug.

In this case, the following side effects may occur:

• severe itching and the appearance of a rash around the skin where the diseased area of ​​the epidermis is present;
• the development of edema, an increase in local body temperature, which may be mistakenly perceived as a worsening of the inflammatory process;
• the spread of red spots on other parts of the body, which are localized near the area where the ointment was applied.

Much less frequently, the side effects of the drug manifest themselves in the form of an acute allergic reaction, which is accompanied by itching of the oral mucosa, shortness of breath and bronchial spasm.

The patient's actions must be immediate. Stop using the drug, and the patient with such reactions should take an antihistamine (Suprastin, Loratadine, L-cet, Aleron) and seek advice from a dermatologist or allergist.

Method of using ichthyol ointment

Ichthyol ointment is applied directly to the boil.

Stages of application

1. Before this procedure, the boils and the area around them are disinfected. It is necessary to distribute it evenly at the site of inflammation and rub until a feeling of warmth appears.
2. The ointment is fixed on top with a gauze bandage or plaster.
3. Once every 10–12 hours, the bandage must be changed by applying a new portion of ointment.
4. You can make lotions by mixing the ointment with glycerin in equal proportions.
5. After about a day there is improvement.
6. After the abscess breaks through, it is treated with hydrogen peroxide and the ointment continues to be applied for another 1-2 days.

Contraindications and features for the use of ichthyolka

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, ichthyol ointment should be used with caution, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Contraindication for use is children under 6 years of age. One of the main advantages of treating boils is its low cost and the availability of the drug without a prescription. It is worth remembering that opened ointment must be stored in the refrigerator. Another important point is its incompatibility with drugs containing alkaloids and salts of heavy metals. You should not apply the ointment together with iodine, because in this case the skin will burn. In the early stages of boil maturation, the ointment is more effective than in its advanced stages.

Sometimes you cannot do without surgical intervention, so even if you apply ointment to a boil, you need to see a doctor and get detailed recommendations for treating the disease.

Ichthyol ointment for boils is the most common way to combat them.

It is recommended to apply the ointment under the bandage

In gynecology

The use of an anti-putrefactive drug based on ammonium bituminous sulfonate for painful conditions of the female genital area gives positive results. The pharmacological agent has a pronounced anti-inflammatory, analgesic and absorbable effect.

Before using an antiseptic ointment, you should do a drug tolerance test. A small amount of the substance should be applied to the labia and left for 10-15 minutes. If during this time there are no negative manifestations, the product can be used intravaginally.

Treatment of boils during pregnancy

As already mentioned, ichthyol ointment should not be used during pregnancy. Fortunately, there are now a lot of other pharmaceutical products to combat furunculosis. An excellent option would be levomekol. It is also recommended for children. You can also resort to traditional medicine. You can chew the crumb of black bread and roll it into a small ball. Sprinkle salt on one side. This side of the crumb is applied to the abscess and a gauze bandage is made. Another quite effective method is lotions made from mumiyom laundry soap. Dilute the components in equal parts with warm water. If after a day there is no improvement, you should consult a doctor. Timely treatment of any disease increases the chance of a favorable outcome.