Heal Boils Naturally: Effective Home Remedies

Rubbing Alcohol

Posted by Michelle (New York, NY) on 07/16/2013
★★★★★

As soon as you feel a boil developing, it helps to swab the area with rubbing alcohol. Once it is already basically formed, soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and tape it to the boil using a bandaid. Do this until the boil is dried out. Also make sure to change the cotton ball at least twice a day. This has helped me several times. Good luck!

Raisins

Posted by M (Victoria, Bc, Canada) on 11/04/2012
★★★★★

FWIW, I had recurrent boils for much of my life, rarely being entirely free of them. When I was in my forties, someone told me about raisins. I tried them (eating perhaps a couple of tablespoons full in muesli/granola, since I dislike the taste of raisins by themselves), and that prevented further boils almost entirely.

After my hysterectomy, the boils pretty much went away on their own, so there is apparently a hormonal component too. That is supported also by the fact that the boils were usually worse around the time of my period.

Aloe Vera

Posted by Grace (London, Uk) on 05/28/2012
★★★★★

Fresh aloe vera works for drying out many things, spots, cold sores and also boils. I have posted about it in the cold sores section too.

Boils are nasty things and I do find linked to diet. A good probiotic helps to minimize them as does cutting out sugars and hard trans and saturated fats as I detail below.

I am sorry so many of us suffer from these nasty things but I have managed to minimize them by being careful with my diet and when they do come up, acting fast with fresh aloe vera from the plant only.

If a boil develops I do find taking turmeric helps to bring it to a head however once it is oozing you need something to dry it out as soon as possible.

I do find to avoid boils avoid sugar, avoid eating hard fats (eggs, lots of red meat or porc, I keep cheese consumption down and try to mostly eat soft cheeses).

I do find that despite the warning on this page that you want to pop the boil as soon as you can with a sterile needle or other implement and get all the gunk out. Until you have done this it just cannot heal properly.

Once you have gotten all the yucky stuff out I find Fresh Aloe Vera straight from the plant is the most amazing thing for drying it up. The yellow ick should start to dry out and form a brown coloured scab which gets darker and drier by the day. If it is still very swollen and painful after a day it may be because not all the gunk has been extracted in which case lightly press on either side of the boil either with Q-tips or fingers wrapped in tissue paper and see whether more thick white stuff comes out, usually it does if the boil is very swollen. Keep taking the turmeric in water as suggested in other posts here.

Once the thick white stuff is all out of the boil, the boil is usually gross and oozing with that see through pus so you want to dry it up as fast as possible, avoid wetting the sore or taking long showers and baths. Holding a tissue to it for about 30 mins to stop the flow of pus will help, then you start applying aloe vera like crazy!

You should apply fresh aloe vera- the juicy part- straight from the plant every half an hour or so until the boil gradually turns into a scab and then keep on applying as often as you can. Only fresh aloe vera from the plant works, I have tried the bottle stuff and it just does not work the same. I always have an aloe vera plant in the house for these needs and have been known when travelling to bring parts of leaves with me in a ziplock bag!

The best thing is to slice a small amount off the plant and keep it in the bathroom and just keep on applying the juicy liquid as often as you can. Eventually you'll need a fresh piece as the juicy part will dry out.

I have found I can 'cure' a boil in 3 days if I am lucky, with only a minor red mark at the end that is easy to cover with concealer. Usually on the 3rd or 4th day of applying the aloe vera the scab is so tight and dry it easily falls off or peels off, do NOT pull it off if it is still stuck on too tight or you will have a scar and the sore may not be healed properly underneath yet.

If you are sure the boil is really dead and dried out and all scabbed up, another thing that helps the healing is to apply -only when you are 100% sure it is all dried up! Or else you will reactive it- some neosporin. This will help humidify the skin underneath so it heals nicely without leaving a big scar.

Aloe vera, straight from mother nature, from the fresh plant is heaven sent and I thank beautiful nature and mother earth for giving us this wonderful miracle!

Bacon

Posted by Melissa (East Liverpool, Oh) on 02/13/2012
★★★★★

I have to say that for me Bacon really worked! I had a boil in a very sensitive area from shaving, it hurt to even walk. I was debating on going to the emergency room but I knew that it would be painful to have it lanced. I found this site yesterday afternoon and saw the post about bacon, I was willing to try anything at this point! I placed the raw back over the boil and left it there all night. I woke up this morning and it was still sore so I took a bath in epsom salt. A couple hours later I went to the restroom and low and behold the pus pocket came out on its own! If I ever get another I know I will use bacon!

Bacon

Posted by Da Mith (Brisbane, Qld, Australia) on 02/05/2012
★★★★★

Out of desperation tried a piece of bacon fat on my boil. Had trouble getting bandaid to hold because of location of boil. Did manage to have bacon in place for a couple of hours. Awoke next morning and boil had started to discharge small and scab began to form. Pain almost completely gone. Next day boil incredibily itchy. Put some betadine ointment on and this eased itching. Day 4 and boil is healing well. Still a little redness and swelling but definately... this boil has been defeated.

Colloidal Silver

Posted by Enchanting123 (Los Lunas, Nm) on 10/15/2011
★★★★★

First I have to say I love earthclinic website. So many natural cures to look up.

My husband had another boil on his behind. After one week he finally told me, he had put on rubbing alcohol. I immediately looked at the website to see what can be done. I had colloidal siver and I put it on a little cotton cloth and covered it with a bandage. Overnight it drew out the head and looked a lot better, redness and a lot of the swelling was gone. Put on some more and covered it. Thank you earthclinic and all the wonderful people who share their natural remedies.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Vivian (Cedar Rapids, Ia) on 08/19/2010
★★★★★

I soak a cotton ball in ACV and apply it to the boil with a bandaid. I replace it with a new one 2-3 times a day. It always brings the boil to a head and drains within a couple of days. It is a lifesaver! No more antibiotics and lancing!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by R (Denver, Co) on 04/08/2011

Why can you not take ACV or turmeric? I am breastfeeding also and take both....

Boil Treatment Warnings

Posted by Ma (Co, Usa) on 06/04/2010
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Please anyone that has recurring boils, go to your health professional and get checked out. I have had recurring boils and just found out I have MRSA. MRSA seems to be more and more common these days and can be harmful if left untreated.

The turmeric was an awesome temporary remedy for my boils, but when I began to have shortness of breath and chest pains, I knew I had to get checked out.

Listen to your bodies.

Salt Pork

Posted by Kathleen (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma , Usa) on 02/07/2010
★★★★★

For boils/staph, & I'm pretty sure it should work on spider bites, ect. PORK SALT!! Or bacon,which I have used personally on mild staph boils. Sliced & put against skin (boil)with bandage over it. Change out 3-4 times a day,& you should see an incredible improvement within 36 to 48hrs. The fat (or oils) sure seem to be the DRAWING ticket.The bandage thing was much easier for on the job working conditions, & on the kids, it's almost a must.

Boil Treatment Warnings

Posted by Dmalali (Ac, Nj) on 01/11/2012
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Be careful with substance that are high in iron. MRSA lives off of the iron levels in ones blood. It attaches onto the red blood cells and feeds off their iron. Also, be careful with oil based topical treatments such as neosporin vaseline etc.. oil traps the infection inside the skin and creates a breeding ground for the infection to grow.

Boil Triggers: Almonds

Posted by Brygivrob (Escondido, Ca) on 09/19/2009

i have read that the FDA required almonds to be pasteurized about a year ago, and one of the methods is to use a chemical that is an ingredient in jet fuel (yes, really); so i would do some internet research on almonds if u eat them a lot because maybe that chemical is giving you a reaction

Boil Tips: Prick the Boil

Posted by Beverly (Sarasota, Fl) on 01/30/2011

Thanks for informing me of the bible cure for boils. I will now buy some figs. :)

Raw Potato

Posted by Ryan (Palm Springs, CA) on 06/15/2009
★★★★★

POTATO!!! After getting a tattoo on my chest, I developed a rather painful pimple about 3 inches above my left nipple (probably from razor burn from shaving, ingrown hair, etc). I attempted to 'pop' it which was a bad idea. Over a few days...this horrid wretch grew into a furious monster of an infection...

I used antibiotic ointment and bandaids for a few days which did nothing, and the pimple seemed to grow in size and pain. I then tried toothpaste and a bandaid, which got solid and hurt bad taking off...revealing some gnarly green pasty pus. I squeezed some pus out of it and again that evening and also drenched it with peroxide every chance I got. I then read about the baking soda/peroxide mix paste...in which I applied several times over the next day and drained it every now and then (painful stuff). I also took baking soda baths.

After seeming to get nowhere, I read about the potato method. I purchased a single potato, cut off a slice, cleaned the infected area with peroxide and taped the potato slice to it for the night. Upon removing the potato in the morning, I noticed a big chunk of pus on it and the wound (almost the size of a dime) kept draining itself. Having to work, I cleaned it and put a bandaid on for the day.

Upon getting home and removing the bandaid, the 'head' of this abomination was right at the top and came out with some effort and Qtips and peroxide....what relief! Instead of a white hole, it is now a bloody red hole and its draining itself! Will update in a few days on healing.... THANK YOU!

Antibiotics

Posted by Kd5rcx (Northeast, Ar, Usa) on 04/17/2012
0 out of 5 stars

Just a note of caution: After my wife was treated for Mono and had a bad reaction, a second doctor complained that 3/4 (probably opinion and not fact) of all people are allergic to sulfa drugs! He wondered why they were even still in use. Unrelated to thread: Recently I found that megadosing with Vitamin C can cure Mono in a couple of days. I was furious! It's bad when you feel safer filtering through sites like this one than speaking to most medical professionals in your area. Thanks to all of you.

Boil Prevention Tips

Posted by Samantha (Lebanon, PA) on 09/30/2008
★★★★★

I "grew" a horrible boil 2 days ago and was trying many different tricks to rid myself of the absess. I eventually broke down and went to the Dr because of a MRSA outbreak in my office. Fortunately, I don't have MRSA but I do have a very helpful tip from my doc.... When you bathe wash your face last or with a completely separate wash cloth. He stated that the bacteria in your nose causes outbreaks of skin absesses. Dry the same way, face last or separate. He said the amount of Bacteria in your nostrils is a main cause to many issues. Make sure you wash your hands before and after you use the restroom as well. I hope this helps anyone prevent painful boils.

Boil Outbreak Theories

Posted by Ted (Exmore, VA) on 01/02/2009

Boils are caused by a small (very small) parasitic microbe called Collembola ...You cannot see them without 10x magnification ... They enter the skin through the hair pores and cause boils ...

Prevention is simple ...
1) Cleanliness ... soap and water ...
2)Natural skin care creams containing sulfur ...
3) Turmeric and cayenne internally ... (sources of sulfur)
4) Cover the boil with something (Bandaid, tape or cream) so they do not reinfect the area ...
5) also antiseptic oils like tea tree and peppermint help to keep the area clean and repels those critters ...

Boils are very difficult to cure, because these bugs re-infest the area over and over again ... stop the bugs from returning and the boils will then be able to heal ... otherwise they can take months or more...

Ted

Cream of Tartar

Posted by Healingmama (San Diego, Ca) on 06/10/2012
★★★★★

I had my first boil (CA-MRSA) in February of this year. Took doxycycline for 6 weeks. In May I developed another boil, this time in my nose... An undesirable location thanks to its close proximity to the brain. For another 6 weeks I used Bactroban (Mupirocin) cream 3x per day as per doctor's orders. No change in the boil. Finally in desparation I tried hot compresses in my nose combined with this cream of tartar remedy. I started with 1/2 tsp in a glass of warm water but that gave me a wicked headache for 24 hours on the second dose... So I backed off to 1/4 tsp 2x per day. Within 24 hours the boil suddenly came to a head and now, three days later, has opened on its own and is slowly draining away.

I am a true convert to the cream of tartar. I do believe it is at least in part responsible for the sudden and rapid healing from a boil that has plagued me for 6 weeks. Very impressed - plan to use cream of tartar in small doses from now on for maintenance and healing. Thank you!

Colloidal Silver

Posted by GABI (TORONTO, CANADA) on 02/04/2008
★★★★★

Hi. I didn't try turmeric when I was in boils. I use Colloidal Silver Water. Apply a drop or two on top of boil (acne too!). After 1-2 hr it stops hurting, stops "growing". Up to 3 days it subsides to red spot. You can use small hair spry bottle (with very fine mist like spry). If you have acne or boils more then one and you expect more to show up spray it on your skin just once and let it dry. Nothing will break out! I suffered for almost 30 years from something what doctor called "diaper rush" (!). The pic of my "diaper rush" was always during summer months. After using once single spray of Colloidal Silver Water I am free of this skin condition. I will get 1 tiny pimple time to time but who hasn't have it during hot summer days?

Comfrey -- Important Remedy for Staph Infections!

Posted by Lisa Allen (Chandler, AZ) on 12/10/2007
★★★★★

Just thought you might like to hear about another amazing property of comfrey, one that I was surprised to see not mentioned among your cures and treatments for staph infections. Comfrey has been shown to be able to burst the cell walls of varius types of staph bacteria. It only takes about 10 minutes of exposure to a comfrey infusion, used as a compress to start killing staph by causing the cell walls to weaken and fail. I had read about this in an article some 15 years ago, and had the opportunity to pass this on not long afterwards to a friend who's husband was near to losing his leg to a staphlococcus infection. He had diabetes, which made the situation worse. My friend, a lady by the name of Colleen who worked at the local health food store started immediately bathing and wrapping her husband's leg in comfrey tea compresses. The next time I saw her, she told me his leg had healed up in a matter of two weeks, much to their doctor's surprise. With all the drug resistant varieties of staph going around, your readers might want to know about this godsend property of comfrey! Please pass it on!

Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda

Posted by Dawn (Zachry, LA) on 12/06/2007
★★★★★

I found that baking soda and vinegar made into a paste applied to a boil helps draw the infection out

Tomato

Posted by DEBRA (OCALA, FLORIDA) on 09/20/2007
★★★★★

I went on your web site yesterday, i have had boils my whole life, like other people on this website, i was willing to try anything, i ran across using a tomatoe,the person who suggested it got them in the same area (thighs and around that area) i thought what the heck within 1 hour of completing the process with each half, i got a shower and it opened, i thought holy crap it really does work, so for 59 cents you can have relief, thanks again margarita form madrid spain.

Drawing Salve

Posted by Jennifer (Raleigh, NC) on 12/21/2006
★★★★★

The drawing salve was hard to find, but the pharmacist pointed me to it. Just put some on a gauze pad & tape it on the boil. It is pretty messy stuff, so don't wear anything light or use sheets that you love. Of course use new towels every time you wash, make sure you wash your hands after you change your dressings. Also dabbing some camphophenqiue was not only soothing but helped it drain as well. Hot compresses or a heating pad are most important. I also took a hot bath with Dead Sea Salts & Epsom salts (this last bout I had was pretty horrendous, hence all my remedies).