Boil on the chest: treatment, causes, symptoms and prevention

When the boil is localized on the chest, the patient should immediately consult a doctor. Chiria appear in different places, and the chest area is no exception. It is very important to know for what reasons the disease appears in order to prevent it in the future, what symptoms a boil differs from an ordinary pimple, why its localization on the nipples, under the breasts and simply on the skin of the chest is dangerous.

The disease appears when the hair follicles and glands become inflamed. Pus accumulates in the boil, a rod forms, and then it breaks through. It is important to contact a specialist in time to take the necessary measures. In case of complications, surgery may be necessary.

Traditional medicine does not help in all cases. It may have no therapeutic effect at all, and in some cases complicate the situation. Medications and medical supervision will provide cure without consequences and risk of developing chronic furunculosis.

Causes of a boil on the chest

The follicle becomes inflamed when a pathological bacterium enters it. It may be Staphylococcus aureus (in most cases). It can get into the smallest microcrack in the skin, which is invisible to the patient. This happens due to the following cases:

When dust or sweat gets into the glands on the chest.
When using skincare products that are not suitable for your skin type or if you are allergic to its components.
Lack of hygiene is the main reason. The incidence rate increases with high sweating (for example, in summer). In this case, you should shower more often.
Mechanical damage to the skin, for example, cuts, scratches, microtraumas. Pathological bacteria enter open wounds and cause inflammation. Injuries can occur when the skin is scratched due to dermatological diseases accompanied by itching.
Hypothermia of the skin.

There are provoking factors that increase the risk of infection:

Low immune defense, diseases of the endocrine system, poor metabolism do not provide normal protection against pathology.
If the course of antibiotic treatment is not completed, residual bacteria provoke inflammation.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, abuse of bad habits.

What are the reasons

The development of furunculosis has clear reasons. In some cases, one negative factor is enough for an infectious process to occur; in others, a combination of several reasons has an influence.

Causal factors include:

weakened immunity;
violation of hygiene standards;
lack of vitamins/microelements;
disrupted metabolic process;
immunodeficiency diseases;
damage to the integrity of the dermis;
hormonal disorders.

The risk group for this disease includes women during pregnancy and lactation. The cause, as a rule, is infection, unstable hormonal levels and blockage of the milk ducts.

Types of boils on the chest

On the skin of the chest

If a boil forms on the skin of the chest, the disease is accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms for the patient, such as pain, fever, general poor condition, dizziness. When clothing touches the skin, pain occurs. This is especially unpleasant for women, in particular pregnant women, since their breasts are more sensitive. Breastfeeding women have difficulty feeding their baby.

The boil is localized in an area of high friction. For example, in the seams of a bra. Synthetic materials often lead to high friction. They cause irritation and redness of the skin, besides, synthetics do not allow the skin to breathe, sweat and dirt clog the pores, and the glands become clogged. An inflammatory process forms and a boil appears.

On the nipples

There are more receptor endings in human nipples. When a boil appears on them, the pain is most acute, especially in nursing women. It is also dangerous for them because liquid is released from the boil. A boil on the nipples is accompanied by inflammation of the lymph nodes and deformation of the nipples.

But the boil is localized not directly on the nipple, but near it, since the pathological cells enter only the hair follicles, which are absent on the nipples.

It has been noticed that in breastfeeding women, boils in this area are more common, since microtraumas appear on the skin due to feeding, infection gets into them and inflammation occurs. If pus from a boil gets into the glands, complications may arise.

Under the breast

The appearance of boils under the breasts is typical for women with large breasts, as increased sweating is observed in this area. If the patient does not sufficiently maintain personal hygiene in this area, then sweat and dirt clog the gland ducts and they become inflamed. Also, boils appear due to microtraumas on the skin due to scratching and friction of the bra.

It is problematic to cure a boil in this location. The area under the breasts should be treated with antiseptics more often.

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Variant of the norm

Some women - after a close examination of the mammary glands - begin to fear for their health. Examining the bumps, they suggest that this may be an inflammatory process or even a neoplasm.

However, every woman has glands in this area of her body that form the so-called Montgomery tubercles.

Signs of anatomical formations:

location strictly inside the areola;
dry spots on the chest;
lack of redness of the glands;
itchy chest;
matching the shade of the tubercles to the color of the nipple;
nipples itch;
nipples swell;
absence of painful syndrome.

The average woman has nipple bumps ranging from 10 to 12, but sometimes this number increases to 30 or decreases to 5. The peak for bumps is during pregnancy.

The number of tubercles depends on the area of the areola (in some women it reaches 10 cm in diameter). The larger it is, the more glands on its surface.

Mechanical irritation and other influences

Spontaneous scratching of the nipples during sleep leads to the appearance of wounds that cause the appearance of points similar to tubercles. Excessive friction, as well as exposure to synthetic substances, also increases the risk of developing Montgomery tubercles.

Powders, body creams, clothing, and tight bras are possible causes of allergic dermatitis. If dots appear near the nipples, then it is worth considering the option of insect bites, including bedbugs. Neglect of hygiene rules also leads to blockage of the ducts and swelling of the tubercles.

During puberty

In teenage girls, lumps appear suddenly, so they are also interested in the nuance associated with why pimples appear on the nipples at a young age. The phenomenon develops before the first menstruation, which indicates the girl’s emerging ability to bear children.

After the cycle normalizes, Montgomery's tubercles decrease, while the first menstruation sometimes causes them to become very swollen and red. Occasionally, nipple problems are observed throughout the entire period of hormonal changes.

Inflamed bumps that release white contents are often acne. It usually disappears after puberty ends. Acne also disappears on other parts of the body.

Changes during pregnancy

Fertilization is the initial stage of preparing the body to feed the unborn baby. An additional purpose of the glands is to increase the child’s appetite, which is caused by the secretion of a special secretion.

By acting on the tubercles, hormones lead to an increase in their number. After the end of the feeding period, the tubercles become noticeably smaller. In the presented photos you can see how the size of the tubercles changes during gestation.

The reason for the thickening of the pimples is a protective mechanism invented by nature. It prevents infection from entering the nipple and reduces damage during breastfeeding.

Herpes

The appearance of a skin area in which there is an area of small white rashes is a sign of herpetic infection. A common location of the lesion is the area near the nipple (usually under it).

The pimples have moist content inside, so they burst within a week after they appear. Damage to the capsule leads to micro-wounds, which increase the risk of infection.

A nipple affected by herpes comes into contact with the baby's mouth, which will certainly become infected during breastfeeding. It is recommended to express milk to reduce the risk of infection, or even switch to artificial feeding.

Symptoms of a boil on the chest

A boil forms in three stages:

The appearance of inflammation. Redness forms on the skin, characterized by mild pain when pressed.
Pus collects in the boil and a rod forms. The boil is itchy.
An autopsy occurs and pus comes out. Then the open wound heals.

Based on localization in the chest area, it is divided into groups:

On the skin of the chest.
In the area of the nipples, areola.
Under the bust in folds.

Boils can be single. If there are two or more of them, then a diagnosis of furunculosis is made. Furunculosis is characterized by the continuous formation of new boils.

Depending on the severity of the boil, treatment is prescribed. So, it can be acute, recurrent or chronic.

The symptoms of the disease are as follows:

Itching during the formation of a boil at the beginning of the disease.
Swelling and inflammation of the affected area.
Pain when pressed.
Formation of pus and chirium core inside.
Breakthrough some time after maturation.

Patients also notice the following:

Temperature increase.
Deterioration in health.
Dizziness.
Weakness.
Increased fatigue.

The pain with a boil on the nipples is stronger, and a discharge and change in the shape of the nipple are also formed.

With poor immunity there is a high risk of complications.

Possible complications:

The development of mastitis when infection penetrates deep into the skin. Surgery required.
If abnormal cells enter the blood, sepsis develops. Further development of necrosis, as well as the appearance of multiple boils and inflammations, is possible.
If measures are not taken to treat chiria, the bacteria enter the blood, from there to the brain and cause the development of meningitis.

Most often, boils on the chest appear in women, as immunity decreases and the number of microtraumas on the chest increases.

Look at the photos of the symptoms of a boil in women on the chest, mammary gland and get acquainted with the causes of the disease, consult a doctor for treatment.

How to prevent the disease?

Mothers with breastfeeding, when treating inflammation at home, should keep in mind that it is preferable to consult a doctor before using medications. It is possible that these medications should be limited in use during lactation or not used at all. Cosmetologists strongly recommend using the following methods:

To prevent rashes, you need to thoroughly cleanse your skin using scrubs and face masks.

Thorough cleansing of the skin from cosmetic residues and excess dermatological sebum.
The use of specialized medications to cure skin diseases.
Using scrubs and cleansing masks.

Squeezing pimples on the face is prohibited, since all kinds of attempts to get rid of them lead to inflammation and cause the condition to worsen.

Treatment of a boil on the chest

When the first symptoms of a boil on the chest appear, you should consult a doctor to prescribe a treatment regimen.

You can contact the following doctors:

Dermatologist.
Infectious disease specialist.
Therapist.
Otolaryngologist.
Surgeon.

First, the doctor conducts a visual examination of the patient and an oral interview. Finds out if there are diseases of the internal organs. The necessary tests are carried out (general blood and urine tests). The bacterium that caused the boil is being studied. Medicines and treatment regimen are prescribed. The doctor will tell you how to treat a boil (furuncle) on a woman’s chest, find out the cause of the disease, and prescribe treatment personally for the patient.

If you see a doctor on time and do not self-medicate, you can be confident in its effectiveness and safety. Folk remedies are not applicable in all cases. Even if you can use it according to all recipes, you need to consult a specialist to prevent complications.

Modern drugs and folk remedies are aimed at accelerating the maturation of the boil or its resorption.

Three different methods can be used during treatment:

Use of medicines. They are prescribed by a doctor, and various forms are used.
Home medicine. If you use traditional recipes without consulting a doctor, there is a risk of complications. This method is most effective when combined with the use of drugs.
Surgical intervention. The operation is performed by a surgeon under local anesthesia, so it is painless. This method is also safe and suitable for furunculosis; it is used if conventional medications are not suitable. After the operation, the affected area is treated with an antiseptic and ointment is applied.

Under no circumstances should you squeeze out a boil! You can use folk remedies only after consulting a doctor. You should pay attention to proper nutrition, exercise and hygiene.

A boil on the chest is treated depending on the severity of the lesion. If the boil is located deep in the skin, then the surgeon performs an operation. And if the focus of the disease is small, then it matures faster and is easier to cure.

If complications arise, consult your doctor.

If a pregnant or nursing woman falls ill, treatment is carried out under the supervision of a specialist.

Treatment of a boil on the chest with folk remedies

Folk remedies should be used as carefully as possible. It is better to use them in combination with medications.

Folk remedies are allowed only when the boil is small, no more than one centimeter. If more, you should contact a specialist.

In the treatment of boils, products based on plant extracts, honey, onion, and garlic are used. Honey is applied directly to boils, onions and garlic in the same way. Within a few days, the boil matures and opens.

Treatment of a boil on the chest with medications

To treat a boil on the mammary gland, the following forms of drugs are used:

Ointments, compresses for external use.
Antibiotics, antihistamines, antipyretics - for oral administration.

Antibiotics include penicillins, cephalosporins, and macrolides. Antibiotics contain ointments such as Levomekol, Akriderm.

The skin should be treated with antiseptic solutions that destroy bacteria, and ointments should be used to relieve inflammation. They are applied directly to the chest or used on a bandage.

The most common are Ichthyol and Vishnevsky ointment. They disinfect the surface and relieve inflammation.

Effective methods of treating the problem

Treatment of the disease largely depends on the condition and stage of its progression. Today, the following are used to treat boils:

Traditional medicine methods.
Folk remedies.

Good results are achieved using physiotherapeutic procedures:

Electrophoresis.
IR irradiation.

The patient should be under the supervision of a doctor until complete recovery.

Among the medications used to treat pathology are:

Ointments with a pulling effect (Vishnevsky, Ichthyol, Levomikol).
Disinfecting liquids (Fukortsin).
Antiseptics (Chlorhexidine).
Medicines that improve the output of the abscess core (Chymopsin).
Antibacterial ointments (Tetracycline).
Medicines that enhance tissue repair (Solcoseryl).
Antibiotics (Ceftriaxone, Amoxicillin).

They can be used at home before seeking medical help. However, experts emphasize that it is not necessary to treat abscesses on the mammary glands with topical medications if a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding. Such carelessness can harm the baby.

Antimicrobial drugs.
Immunostimulating agents.
Vitamins.
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications (for severe pain and fever).

Surgery

Surgical assistance is required in cases where the abscess has become alarmingly large and the abscess affects a large area.

The operation is performed on an outpatient basis and is almost painless using local anesthesia. The total procedure time is 30-40 minutes.

The doctor will make an entrance hole (a small incision in the tissue) and open the boil. Using a special sterile instrument, all pus will be cleaned out and the necrotic core in the form of a dead hair follicle will be removed.

Next, the specialist will treat the wound with an antiseptic solution (for example, furatsilin or hydrogen peroxide), inject an antibacterial drug and make a bandage. After surgery, local and general treatment is indicated.

Medicines have a number of side effects, so in some cases it is advisable to use alternative medicine recipes, this is especially important during pregnancy and lactation.

Onion

The onion is baked in the oven, cooled slightly, then cut into two parts and applied to the sore spot. The compress is changed 3 times a day.

If the boil is located on the nipple, you need to be careful. Before using the medicine, the skin around the abscess is treated with vegetable oil, then covered with a thin cotton cloth, and then onions are applied.

Potato

The root vegetable is thoroughly washed, peeled and grated on a fine grater. The resulting pulp is wrapped in gauze and applied to the affected area overnight.

Nail and honey

This folk method can help cure an abscess. They take a rusty nail, heat it red-hot and dip it in linden honey. After some time, a dark mass resembling tar appears around the nail, which is used to smear the boil.

Aloe

A small aloe leaf is cut in half and the cut side is applied to the affected area. A bandage or wide bandage is applied on top. The compress is changed every 2-3 hours, adding a fresh leaf of the plant.

Herbal compress

To draw out a boil, healing compresses based on ficus, plantain or tradescantia leaves are often used.

The selected plant is ground into a homogeneous paste, wrapped in one layer of gauze or bandage and applied to the affected area in the evening. The next morning the compress is removed.

Egg treatment

Boil a dozen or more eggs. The yolks are separated from the whites and transferred to a strainer and kept over the fire. After a while, liquid appears from them, which is carefully collected and lubricated with it on the affected area.

Complications

The localization of ulcers on the chest is associated, first of all, with the close location of the lymph nodes. Accordingly, inflammatory purulent processes can provoke diseases such as lymphangitis/lymphadenitis.

Patients with a history of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, as well as cancerous tumors should also be extremely careful. A severe course of the purulent process will only aggravate the clinical picture and provoke complications of an infectious nature, sepsis, and death.

What to do

If you notice the discharge of pus from the mammary gland, then this is clearly an alarming sign that requires immediate consultation with a doctor. A specialist mammologist will conduct a thorough examination and prescribe a number of diagnostic procedures: ductography, x-rays, mammography, ultrasound, blood tests. Based on the results obtained, a diagnosis will be made.

Treatment depends on the reasons that caused the suppuration. To relieve inflammation, antiseptics and anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended. For bacterial infections, antibiotics are prescribed. Sometimes taking hormonal medications is required. And to open the abscesses and remove tumors localized in the chest, surgical intervention will be required.

Pus discharged from the nipples is an unpleasant symptom that should alert any woman who cares about her health and force her to visit a doctor.

Therapy

There is an opinion that it is quite possible to deal with single boils at home. However, traditional medicine alone may not be enough, and using medications without a doctor’s prescription is fraught with side effects.

Conservative treatment

Local therapy turned out to be the most effective in terms of impact on boils:

Ointments with pulling properties (Ichthyol, Levomekol).
Antiseptics.
Disinfecting solutions (zelenka, Fukortsin).
Antibiotics.
Wound healing agents (Solcoseryl).

Given the special situation of pregnant and lactating women, many of these drugs are contraindicated for them. In this case, anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed in pediatric dosages, vitamin complexes, immunostimulants, antibiotics (Ceftriaxone), anesthetics, and antipyretic drugs. Treatment is carried out under close medical supervision.

Operational

Surgical intervention is required in cases where the necrotic rod cannot come out on its own or its dimensions do not fit into generally accepted standards. In this case, the surgeon makes an incision (in a sterile operating room) and removes the rod. The operation is not complicated and the patient, if no complications are found, can go home immediately.

ethnoscience

Treatment of a boil in any case should consist of local therapy. Traditional methods of treatment can only be of an accompanying nature and consist mainly of heat compresses (to draw out pus), boosting immunity with the help of special vitamin nutrition, as well as temporary stay near the sea/mountainous area.

Although, as practice shows, some traditional medicine recipes are no less effective than drug therapy:

Moist heat (a warm compress from a regular napkin and water will significantly improve blood circulation, anesthetize the location of the boil, and speed up the exit of the necrotic core).
Turmeric/ground ginger/honey. All ingredients are mixed in a 2:1:3 ratio, a pinch of salt is added and applied to the boil on the chest. The compress should be well insulated with gauze, cling film and left overnight.
Plantain. Fresh leaves should only be washed well, applied to the abscess, and secured with a sterile bandage.
Aloe juice. Apply the cut leaf of the plant to the boil. The more often you change the leaves, the more effective the antimicrobial effect of fresh juice will be.
Chewed salty rye bread. Apply the mixture to the formation and secure with a gauze bandage.

Abscess on the papilla in women

No matter what part of the body a boil appears on, including the chest, its “ripening” will be accompanied by severe pain, weakness and, at a minimum, irritation.
After all, even specialists are often unable to alleviate a difficult condition.

All that remains is to wait for the rod to come out, take care of the location of the boil and prevent the appearance of new foci of the disease.

What does a boil look like?

At the first stage of the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria, a slight redness appears on the skin, reminiscent of a regular pimple.

However, after a short time, the diameter of the formation increases (the surrounding connective tissue also turns red) and becomes denser, as a result of which a white dot forms in the middle of the “bump”.

This point is the very necrotic core, inside of which there is purulent content.

The photo shows what a boil on the chest looks like:

Where is the boil on the chest located?

Theoretically, a boil can appear anywhere where there is hair or a sebaceous gland. The breast falls under both risk factors.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should be especially careful. Their immunity is somewhat weakened by the special condition of the body, and its defenses cannot cope with staphylococcus. As a result: a boil is formed, the development of which is accompanied by pain and characteristic itching.

Following the localization of the inflammatory process, boils are diagnosed:

on the nipple;
on the skin of the breast;
on the areola;
under the mammary gland.

Ulcers on the breast

Even a single boil can provoke a whole range of unpleasant sensations (pain, general malaise, dizziness, increased temperature) if it is located on the skin of the mammary gland. There are many reasons for this:

the boil comes into contact with clothing;
the skin in this part of the body is very delicate;
Pregnant women's breasts are incredibly sensitive;
The nursing mother is also forced to latch on to the baby/express milk.

On the nipples

Considering the fact that nipples have many nerve receptors and are often injured during breastfeeding, boils on them are accompanied by slightly different patient complaints:

the pain is shooting in nature (due to abundant innervation);
pathological fluid is released from the breast, which is especially dangerous during lactation;
axillary lymph nodes enlarge;
the nipple may become deformed.

Reasons for appearance

Medical sources say that the main reason for the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus/white is a decrease in immunity. This category includes:

diseases of various types (diabetes mellitus, colds, thyroid diseases, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis);
metabolic failures;
obesity;
chronic fatigue, sleep deficiency;
lack of vitamins/nutrients;
poor nutrition;
bad habits (addiction to alcohol, smoking history, taking narcotic drugs);
being under stress, nervous exhaustion, emotional instability.

However, a weak defense system of the body is not the only reason why boils appear. Their causative agent is a pathogenic bacterium that needs to penetrate the skin. This happens by infecting the body through injury/damage. It could even be a microscopic scratch that the patient simply will not notice.

The lack of basic hygiene also plays an important role. Especially when in the hot season a person sweats, but does not shower often.

Symptoms

The main symptom of the disease is a painful cone-shaped lump, which goes through several stages of development:

Stage of development of soft tissue infiltrate

There is a slight swelling, the skin turns red, and a formation resembling a pimple appears.

Stage of suppuration of the hair follicle/tissue necrosis

The boil thickens, the skin on it shines, and a white dot appears in the middle.
This is the necrotic core, which indicates suppuration of the hair follicle and necrosis of surrounding tissues. The body suffers from general intoxication. Exit of the necrotic core/healing
Pus presses on the walls of the boil, as a result of which it “opens”, releasing the purulent core. If the wound is well cleaned, the breakthrough site will heal quickly enough, filling with granulation tissue.

Every patient can tell about the accompanying symptoms of the “ripening” of a boil, since they are often individual in nature:

moderate/severe pain (depending on the location of the boil);
decreased ability to work;
temperature increase;
weakness/malaise;
headache.

Complications

Source: https://sculpturica.ru/info/naryv-na-sosochke-u-zhenshhin/