Boils. TMI.
 

Lovely topic title, huh?

I waited and waited forever to make this, because quite frankly, I find it gross, immaturely gross, even. It just makes me queasy thinking about it, but it's a fact of life, or rather, a fact of mine.

For the last few years, I've been prone to getting boils around my neather-region. Near the bikini line, on my bottom, my inner thighs, etc.

Now I know you're saying "see a doctor" but I never thought they were serious enough to warrant a (probably expensive since I have no medical insurance) trip to the doctors. Plus, I just thought it was one of those "weird things" I just have to deal with (along with idiopathic hives, allergies, etc)

But I was just wondering, did ANYONE ELSE have this problem, and did it vanish after they started losing weight? I can't think of what else might have changed. I always wear clean underwear and pants etc, and I wash frequently, so it couldn't be that. Maybe my diet, and exercise? I don't know, but I just realised I haven't had one in MONTHS.

And then I realised I do have one that I didn't know about, but it was so small I didn't even notice. I'm sort of confused. Why after all these months? I thought I was done with them for good. Guess it's back to hot compresses for a while. I think I caught it in time.

Yep, I get those too! They have definitely lessened as I've been losing weight though. I would get them from the wonderful phenomena of my thighs rubbing together. Hot, right?? There is a specific name of the condition, but I can't think of it, some people are just very prone. Do you have delicate skin? Overall losing weight does help, but it won't take it away completely. I also find that it's worse when I wear jeans for long periods of the day. Sometimes I do a mid-day clean to remove extra bacteria (take wipes with me when I'm out). I know it sucks, but they don't have to be too bad.

P.S. Gross thread, eh? The crap we have to deal with.....:-)

I used to at my heaviest weight. Under my breasts, too, right where the bra band sits. Since I have lost weight, I no longer get them. I don't know if it was the weight loss, but rather the daily exercise and clean eating, because I noticed a difference right after I adapted my new "lifestyle".

Thanks for replying! After I posted this I thought, "oh man, nobody else is going to speak up... great!"

And really, is there? I do have pretty sensitive/delicate skin, so that makes sense. It's a really embarrassing issue to discuss because of the obvious, but also because any other time I've brought it up, I get the standard "TRY BATHING!" response, and it's like, was that really necessary?

I have been working out a lot more lately, so maybe I just need to do like you do, and do a mid-day cleaning too. It really sucks- it's one of the reasons I've never been to a gyno yet, and I'm 21!

Same! I noticed I just stopped getting them almost immediately after adapting a new lifestyle. Healthier eating, exercise, etc. How strange.

I had a lot of these before I lost weight. Mine were from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidradenitis_suppurativa

If that sounds like what you're experiencing, it isn't a "boil" necessarily, and your doctor really may be able to help you manage flareups. It can be associated with androgen dysfunction (like you have with, say, PCOS), so weight loss can also help. Losing weight in general can help make it less severe.

If that IS the case with you, they're not caused by bacterial elements, so it isn't a cleanliness issue.

Even if they are true boils, caused by bacteria, it's not just a matter of bathing regularly and changing your undies. Unfortunately, a lot of recurring boils are caused by a pretty intense form of staph that's difficult to get rid of.

I used to get them about 3-4 times a year (including styes in my eyes, which are also from staph). The frequency has lessened as I've lost weight, but the bacteria are still present on my body, so if my immune system is compromised they'll come back. I think my healthier lifestyle has just made me less susceptible to infection.

If the bother you, go see a doctor! I know (trust me!) the plight of being uninsured, but if they can be cleared up with an antibiotic, it's so worth it!

I've had one before, so painful, I feel for you! If I think I am starting to get one now I actually drink water mixed with Turmeric (the spice) and it goes away. I have also heard of putting a paste of Turmeric and water on an existing one. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't but it is cheap and not dangerous so it's worth a try!

i get them, i even have scars. i hate it, because i occassionally get them in my groin area. most of the time they get hard and red and go away without irritating at all. other times (like after a long plane ride) i will get one that will puss. and it is so annoying and painful. i don't get them often, but yeah...it's one thing i can be self conscious about. but hubby gets them sometimes too, so it's not a big deal over here lol.
i don't remember getting them when i was at a smaller weight, so I am hoping they start to subside, but my mom gets them too-so i think it's our skin type and hormones. *shrug*
i'm sorry, they are no fun!

I get them too. And I have some scars as well. :(

I have always just thought that maybe they were pimples or ingrown hairs. I seem to get them every few months and they can get painfully large. It can be very uncomfortable for several days. And they seem to be worse when I'm sitting a lot - long car rides or after super long workshops/classes.

Unfortunately, after reading the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidradenitis_suppurativa


I think that is closer to what I have than pimples. :(