Furuncle in the groin in men: description with photos, causes and methods of treatment

Boils in the groin in men are a common disease. These neoplasms can appear at absolutely any age, but they are less common in older people. In the absence of adequate and timely treatment of a boil in the groin in men, this pathology can take a chronic form with further relapses. Such boils can act as either an independent disease or a secondary one if there is a focus of infection in the body. The appearance of a boil in the groin in men may also depend on the season. In most cases, their appearance is observed in the summer, when the weather is persistently hot outside. In this article, you can learn in more detail what a boil in the groin in men is, what are the reasons for its appearance, symptoms, and treatment features.

general description

Externally, a boil is a small abscess that appears due to the inflammatory process of the hair follicle. They can form in absolutely any part of the body and can be massive or single in nature. Very often, boils form in the groin of men, which can be treated at home without much difficulty.

However, in the groin, these formations require special attention, as they must be intensively treated. The sensitivity of this problem is not considered a reason to delay visiting a doctor. At the site of the formation of a boil in the groin of men, the photo of which is presented in this article, a deep pustule appears, that is, pustular inflammation.

A dense infiltrate with necrosis is visible, which is located in the middle of the neoplasm. As a rule, it does not exceed the diameter of an average pea, but sometimes it can grow to the size of a walnut. As it matures, the shaft becomes visible through the skin.

A boil in the groin area in men causes a lot of inconvenience and discomfort, but it is more unpleasant when this boil forms on the penis. Abscesses on this organ are a complex problem that requires consultation with a qualified dermatologist.

If a boil in the groin is treated incorrectly at home, a man may develop serious pathologies. This can cause boils to spread to healthy parts of the body. They must be treated immediately, since the penis contains a large number of vessels, and the skin is very thin, which makes it difficult to independently open abscesses in a more advanced stage.

When treating a boil in the groin in men, you should also pay attention to the fact that the scrotum is also considered a vulnerable spot of the skin for such a neoplasm. Boils in this area provoke swelling that affects the entire scrotal area.

If you do not know how to treat a boil in the groin in men, then improper therapy can provoke inflammation of the testicles, which contain a wide vascular network. This inflammatory process can provoke varicose veins. If a boil forms in the intimate area, do not hesitate to seek help from a doctor. It is he who should advise the patient on the correct treatment of a boil in the groin. Otherwise, self-medication can result in serious consequences for a man.

Furuncle during pregnancy

During pregnancy, etiological factors are identified, as in the normal state. But a woman’s immunity during this period is unstable, so any provoking factor can lead to the formation of an abscess. Also, the following changes are formed in her body, placing her at risk for the development of furunculosis:

hormone imbalance;
immunosuppression;
slowing down metabolism.

If an abscess forms in the groin area, it becomes dangerous not only for the woman, but also for the fetus, since bacterial microorganisms can penetrate the systemic bloodstream. From there they spread through the placenta into the amniotic fluid and the fetal body. Therefore, at the first symptoms of the development of a boil, you need to immediately consult a doctor to exclude complications.

The following recommendations for therapy are distinguished:

a ban on the use of systemic antibacterial drugs, most of them have a negative effect on the fetus;
local anesthetics in the form of Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, Furacilin are allowed;
local ointments are applicable - Ichthyol, Vishnevsky, Levomekol.

Surgical therapy is rarely performed during this period, only if there is a risk of serious complications.

Reasons for appearance

What are the causes of a boil in the groin in men? When staphylococci enter the hair follicle, they begin to cause an inflammatory process. This action is considered the main cause of the formation of boils. During this, an inflammatory process occurs in the surrounding tissues. The bulb begins to fill with pus, causing unpleasant painful sensations. But what are the reasons why staphylococci get into the hair follicle, after which a boil forms in the groin of guys? They are as follows:

Weakened immune system. The human body can no longer resist various harmful bacteria.
Unfavorable living conditions that do not meet sanitary standards. Lack of hygiene. All this can contribute to a weakened immune system in a man.
Skin contamination. This is considered a favorable environment for the formation of ulcers in the groin.
Hypothermia. The slightest draft can trigger the formation of boils on the body.
Wet skin. If a person has excessive sweating, then it is necessary to shower as often as possible.
Poor nutrition. The daily diet should be balanced and include the required amount of useful trace elements and minerals. However, an excess of carbohydrates should not be allowed, as this will disrupt the metabolism and reduce the man’s immunity.
Vitamin deficiency.
It happens that boils in the groin area indicate the development of infectious diseases. It is necessary to treat the underlying pathology.

Please note that the groin area is the most susceptible to these factors. The likelihood of a boil forming in the intimate area in men is quite high.

Prevention of furunculosis

If you do not want boils to appear on your body ever again, then even after they disappear, try to take measures that will help you avoid the reoccurrence of this problem. First of all, take care of your immunity. Try to ensure that your body receives the maximum amount of nutrients it needs all year round. To do this, eat plenty of vegetables and fruits every day. In addition, review your daily routine.

Try to go to bed not too late and get at least 8 hours of rest. Even such simple measures will ensure that the body’s defenses will be at a high level and can easily fight all pathological processes occurring in the body. And, of course, do not forget about everyday hygiene of the intimate area. Daily washing will ensure that pathogenic bacteria, which most often cause the development of furunculosis, will not linger on the skin.

In addition, try to depilate the groin area as correctly as possible. Before you start removing hairs, be sure to wash your skin with soap and treat with any antiseptic. After you complete the depilation procedure, repeat all the manipulations again.

Stages of development

It should be noted that the signs of a boil may change as this inflammatory process develops. At the initial stage, slight discomfort is felt in the area of the future localization of the growth. A slight change in the shade of the skin is also observed in this place.

After this, the pain intensifies, and a compaction can be felt directly inside the reddened spot that has formed. At this stage, tingling and itching may be felt.

At the next stage of development of the boil, pus, blood and lymph begin to form under the skin. In this case, the pain is more severe, and the compaction begins to increase in size.

A white dot forms in the center of the resulting tubercle. The acute course of this disease may be accompanied by an increase in body temperature. After this, the so-called purulent-necrotic stage begins, during which the inflammatory process reaches its critical point.

At the last stage, the boil opens on its own, and all the purulent contents come out. The swelling subsides, the pain goes away and the healing stage begins. The entire cycle usually takes no more than 10 days.

Drug treatment

The method for eliminating a boil will depend on the area of localization. When they have formed in the groin area, conservative treatment should be carried out, which consists of the following:

To prevent the growth from rubbing against clothing, the affected area should be sprinkled with talcum powder.
The abscess must be treated with a special antiseptic. To do this, you can use cucumber lotion, as well as propolis tincture.
To eliminate swelling and inflammation, an antihistamine is used.
Some experts recommend drinking beer for the fastest ripening, but brewer's yeast is considered more effective.
Levomekol ointment, as well as syntomycin emulsion, are quite effective. You can make a compress based on Vishnevsky ointment.
Some experts prescribe an antibacterial agent that can stop the development of the inflammatory process. When the boil has opened on its own, it must be lubricated with antibacterial ointment. Without this, Dermatix ointment is used, as well as Meliform.
To normalize blood supply to the affected area, heparin ointment is used.

Please note that if the boil is localized near the lymph node, then treatment with antibiotics should be resorted to. During treatment of growths in the groin area, sometimes the specialist recommends that the patient adhere to bed rest. Movement must be limited if the lymph nodes in the intimate area are enlarged. If this is not done, then the pathogenic microflora can spread through the lymph flow.

Ideas about the disease

A boil is a lesion of the epidermis of an infectious-inflammatory nature. It is localized next to the sebaceous gland and neighboring tissues. The pathology is caused by bacteria of opportunistic microflora, which quickly multiply, releasing purulent exudate. For deep formation of a boil, a favorable environment must be present, for example, accumulation of dirt, a large amount of sebum.

Pathogenic bacteria are always concentrated on the skin, but they begin to actively multiply and infect the epidermis only after exposure to unfavorable factors.

For example, if an excessive amount of cosmetics, dirt, and sebum accumulates on the skin. Under these conditions, the balance of opportunistic microflora is disrupted. Bacteria are activated, in response to which a large number of immune complexes are formed. This leads to an inflammatory response that extends all the way to the hair root and adjacent soft tissues. This disease is called furunculosis.

Surgery

When the boil has greatly increased in size, the inflammatory process begins to affect healthy areas of the tissue, becoming infectious. In this case, surgical intervention will be required for treatment. To do this, an operation is performed during which the abscess is opened. The specialist dissects the boil, after which it cleans its entire cavity from the purulent mass. After this, the wound is treated with special optical means. This area should be properly cared for after surgery. Over the course of several days, the wound should heal and the skin color should be restored. After opening a large boil, a scar may remain on the body.

Anti-inflammatory ointments and drugs

for treatment :

Vishnevsky ointment or ichthyol ointment - applied on top of the abscess, then the area is covered with a gauze swab and plaster (done overnight until the problem disappears);
Levomikol ointment - applied to the abscess twice a day, then the area is covered with a gauze swab and plaster;
hydrogen peroxide treatment or salicylic alcohol - several times a day.