As i am a victim too of Scalp Boils - I found this exerpt from an online database:
hope this helps all:
Scalp Boils/Boils on Scalp
Boils can be categorized into various types. They are differentiated on the basis of their nature of formation and their location in the body. Scalp boils are mainly boils type furuncles that occur due the occurrence of infection in the hair follicles. Furuncles with several heads are known as carbuncles and are quite painful. Boils on scalp are exceptionally painful when you comb your hair. Sometimes the furuncles form pus which further worsen the condition of the infection.
If you are suffering from scalp boils recurrently you should visit a doctor. In several cases the boils on scalp are due to the presence of dandruff on the scalp. The doctor would probably prescribe you with an antibacterial soap which can help to get rid of the boils to a great extent. In spite of using shampoo, if you find yourself to be the victim of boils your doctor can carry out clinical tests and bacterial culture to detect the exact cause behind the repeated development of boils. For further accuracy he can even recommend you to go for a biopsy test.
In most cases scalp boils are in the form of furuncles. Actually, furuncles can occur in various parts of the body except the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet. Furuncles can occur in any place of the body wherever the skin contains hair follicles. Each hair follicle is attached to a muscle underneath the epidermal skin. Above the muscles lies an oil producing gland named as the sebaceous gland, the gland is so named as the oil produced is termed as sebum. The sebum is secreted to lubricate the hair follicle and the hair shaft.
Due to exposure to dirt and dust often the hair follicles get jammed or clogged with foreign particles. In the presence of moisture and incidence of germs the bacteria causing boils attack the hair follicle and cause the development of boils on scalp.
A furuncle on scalp at first develops as a reddened surface across a single hair follicle. With time as the infection spreads the redness spreads to the neighboring hair follicles. The furuncle then gradually grows in size and develops a substance called pus at its center. Sometimes with maturity of the boil the pus flows out as it comes in contact with the other hair follicles and causes formation of more number of boils.
Causes of Scalp Boils
You may take a note of the following causes behind the development of follicles on the hair scalp.
•Due to excessive perspiration. If you sweat and perspire to a great degree, the hair follicles get packed with the residue (salt and other minerals) that is left after the drying up of the sweat ultimately causing boils.
•Sometimes the damage of the skin texture may also be the cause behind the development of boils. The skin gets prone to the occurrence of boils if it is repeatedly attacked by acne and other skin diseases.
•Presence of abrasions or infliction of wound on the scalp and if not treated well may cause development of boils as the bacteria get the chance to get inside the skin of the wound and infect it.
•Excessive exposure of the scalp to friction may also give way to the formation of boils. Intense and vigorous combing of hair can often develop minute creases on the scalp which acts as a passage for the bacteria responsible for causing boils to get inside the skin.
Types of Folliculitis
Folliculitis is the process of the hair follicles getting infected with bacteria causing the development of boils. Folliculitis can be classified as superficial folliculitis and deep folliculitis.
Superficial Folliculitis
•Hot Tub Folliculitis – This type of infection is characterized by the formation of red bump within 10 to 12 hours of the attack of the bacteria called pseudomonas bacteria. Individuals who are in the habit of bathing in wooden hot tubs get infected with the bacteria commonly. The bacteria grow well in moist, humid and warm conditions. Persons who are often inflicted with cuts or suffer from immune damaging disease like diabetes are highly prone towards this skin disease.
•Barber’s itch - Barber’s itch is common in areas that are frequently shaved. They mainly occur in the facial regions of men. So, if the scalp of the head is exposed to shaving often may develop the skin disease. This boil infection is caused due to the incidence of bacteria named Staphylococcus aureus.
•Tinea barbae – This skin infection can occur in any part of the body. The infection is characterized by a red colored lump having a crusty appearance. It is pus filled infection and is not caused by interference of any bacteria but by fungus.
•Pityrosporum folliculitis – This skin infection is caused due to fungus named Malassezia furfur. It is characterized by a sensation of itching and can occur on any part of the body especially on face, neck, back and chest.
•Herpetic folliculitis - This form of folliculitis is formed when a blister developed due to the incidence of herpes simplex virus is broken. The pus then comes out of the blister and when in contact with the neighboring hair follicles cause the development of boils.
Deep Folliculitis
•Gram-negative folliculitis – This type of follicutilis occurs in individuals who consume large dosage of antibiotics in order to treat skin diseases like acne. The infection is the result of the counter reaction of antibacterial medicines. The medicines in order to balance the bacterial count produce large number of gram bacteria. The gram bacteria mainly stay in the regions like the nasal chamber from where they spread to the rest of the body parts.
•Carbuncles – Carbuncles are actually furuncles with several heads and are more severe in nature than the other. The carbuncles are deep rooted and generally involve unbearable pain and high fever.
Boils are to be treated carefully. In most cases boils heal in a natural way. Boils on scalp would be of great trouble while combing and tying your hair. You are advised to maintain a hygienic lifestyle. Usage of antibacterial soaps and shampoos may help you to get rid of the boils effectively.
hope this helps all:
Scalp Boils/Boils on Scalp
Boils can be categorized into various types. They are differentiated on the basis of their nature of formation and their location in the body. Scalp boils are mainly boils type furuncles that occur due the occurrence of infection in the hair follicles. Furuncles with several heads are known as carbuncles and are quite painful. Boils on scalp are exceptionally painful when you comb your hair. Sometimes the furuncles form pus which further worsen the condition of the infection.
If you are suffering from scalp boils recurrently you should visit a doctor. In several cases the boils on scalp are due to the presence of dandruff on the scalp. The doctor would probably prescribe you with an antibacterial soap which can help to get rid of the boils to a great extent. In spite of using shampoo, if you find yourself to be the victim of boils your doctor can carry out clinical tests and bacterial culture to detect the exact cause behind the repeated development of boils. For further accuracy he can even recommend you to go for a biopsy test.
In most cases scalp boils are in the form of furuncles. Actually, furuncles can occur in various parts of the body except the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet. Furuncles can occur in any place of the body wherever the skin contains hair follicles. Each hair follicle is attached to a muscle underneath the epidermal skin. Above the muscles lies an oil producing gland named as the sebaceous gland, the gland is so named as the oil produced is termed as sebum. The sebum is secreted to lubricate the hair follicle and the hair shaft.
Due to exposure to dirt and dust often the hair follicles get jammed or clogged with foreign particles. In the presence of moisture and incidence of germs the bacteria causing boils attack the hair follicle and cause the development of boils on scalp.
A furuncle on scalp at first develops as a reddened surface across a single hair follicle. With time as the infection spreads the redness spreads to the neighboring hair follicles. The furuncle then gradually grows in size and develops a substance called pus at its center. Sometimes with maturity of the boil the pus flows out as it comes in contact with the other hair follicles and causes formation of more number of boils.
Causes of Scalp Boils
You may take a note of the following causes behind the development of follicles on the hair scalp.
•Due to excessive perspiration. If you sweat and perspire to a great degree, the hair follicles get packed with the residue (salt and other minerals) that is left after the drying up of the sweat ultimately causing boils.
•Sometimes the damage of the skin texture may also be the cause behind the development of boils. The skin gets prone to the occurrence of boils if it is repeatedly attacked by acne and other skin diseases.
•Presence of abrasions or infliction of wound on the scalp and if not treated well may cause development of boils as the bacteria get the chance to get inside the skin of the wound and infect it.
•Excessive exposure of the scalp to friction may also give way to the formation of boils. Intense and vigorous combing of hair can often develop minute creases on the scalp which acts as a passage for the bacteria responsible for causing boils to get inside the skin.
Types of Folliculitis
Folliculitis is the process of the hair follicles getting infected with bacteria causing the development of boils. Folliculitis can be classified as superficial folliculitis and deep folliculitis.
Superficial Folliculitis
•Hot Tub Folliculitis – This type of infection is characterized by the formation of red bump within 10 to 12 hours of the attack of the bacteria called pseudomonas bacteria. Individuals who are in the habit of bathing in wooden hot tubs get infected with the bacteria commonly. The bacteria grow well in moist, humid and warm conditions. Persons who are often inflicted with cuts or suffer from immune damaging disease like diabetes are highly prone towards this skin disease.
•Barber’s itch - Barber’s itch is common in areas that are frequently shaved. They mainly occur in the facial regions of men. So, if the scalp of the head is exposed to shaving often may develop the skin disease. This boil infection is caused due to the incidence of bacteria named Staphylococcus aureus.
•Tinea barbae – This skin infection can occur in any part of the body. The infection is characterized by a red colored lump having a crusty appearance. It is pus filled infection and is not caused by interference of any bacteria but by fungus.
•Pityrosporum folliculitis – This skin infection is caused due to fungus named Malassezia furfur. It is characterized by a sensation of itching and can occur on any part of the body especially on face, neck, back and chest.
•Herpetic folliculitis - This form of folliculitis is formed when a blister developed due to the incidence of herpes simplex virus is broken. The pus then comes out of the blister and when in contact with the neighboring hair follicles cause the development of boils.
Deep Folliculitis
•Gram-negative folliculitis – This type of follicutilis occurs in individuals who consume large dosage of antibiotics in order to treat skin diseases like acne. The infection is the result of the counter reaction of antibacterial medicines. The medicines in order to balance the bacterial count produce large number of gram bacteria. The gram bacteria mainly stay in the regions like the nasal chamber from where they spread to the rest of the body parts.
•Carbuncles – Carbuncles are actually furuncles with several heads and are more severe in nature than the other. The carbuncles are deep rooted and generally involve unbearable pain and high fever.
Boils are to be treated carefully. In most cases boils heal in a natural way. Boils on scalp would be of great trouble while combing and tying your hair. You are advised to maintain a hygienic lifestyle. Usage of antibacterial soaps and shampoos may help you to get rid of the boils effectively.
please send details: Age ?????????? and weight ?????????? and how many months of boil head ???????
I'm 34 and i've had this problem since i was 19-20. For me the boils have concentrated in same area over & over again so i have a few bald spots. When i think it's done one will come back in a few months/years. Unbelievable. Honestly, being self conscience about this issue is the worst. I dread the day anything happens to my barber i'll probably look like I'm de-evolving. Lol
sad to say i have the same problem, but the good news is i'm almost cured of it now. the methods i took are very extreme, and i am gratful for all the replies to this post and many others i read. this is what i do. check with your doctor first. but they will usually only want you on antibiotics. i also find my head was worse after the med. the worst i had was over 20 on my head at one time. some big some small. all leaked the sticky bloody substance and it was often left on my pillow after a nights sleep. so this is why i got so intense with the treatment i do. i hate them, and now rarely get one, and when i do, it is usually because i stray from my diet.
1. take tumeric extract pills three times a day (got them at whole foods). take for one month then take off a week, and continue that way. on the weeks i don't take tumeric, i try to have no fat or oils at all.
2. no caffeine
3. no chocolate or cocoa products
4. no oils. including olive oil, canola, nuts, etc.
5. no processed sugar or flour, and i limit my natural sugar intake (honey, brown rice syrup, agave nectar.) and i also limit my whole grain intake. i do eat plenty of fruit.
6. speaking of which.... eat plenty of fruits and veggies. the more the better.
7. dramatically reduced my meat intake. only eat fish and white meat chicken and turkey. and very little of it.
8. drink plenty of water. i try to keep my urine clear at all times. and with the tumeric you need to drink lots of water.
9. yogurt treatment. i rub yogurt on my head once a week, and leave it there for one half hour then rinse it off. i just rinse with water no soap. after another hour i clean my head with astringent and cover it with neosporin.
10. i use the astringent and neosporin every day. in the morning and at night.
11. excersize regularly, at least 4x a week. i do about six. crazy person. lol
all i can say is, this works for ME. my boils are gone but i do have major scarring. any suggestions?
also my energy level is through the roof!!!! i thought i would suffer not having caffeine and not eating junk food, but i don't miss it at all. (i did the first coulple days though). stick with this and not only could you feel great but maybe the boils will leave you too. good luck all. let me know if any of this works
1. take tumeric extract pills three times a day (got them at whole foods). take for one month then take off a week, and continue that way. on the weeks i don't take tumeric, i try to have no fat or oils at all.
2. no caffeine
3. no chocolate or cocoa products
4. no oils. including olive oil, canola, nuts, etc.
5. no processed sugar or flour, and i limit my natural sugar intake (honey, brown rice syrup, agave nectar.) and i also limit my whole grain intake. i do eat plenty of fruit.
6. speaking of which.... eat plenty of fruits and veggies. the more the better.
7. dramatically reduced my meat intake. only eat fish and white meat chicken and turkey. and very little of it.
8. drink plenty of water. i try to keep my urine clear at all times. and with the tumeric you need to drink lots of water.
9. yogurt treatment. i rub yogurt on my head once a week, and leave it there for one half hour then rinse it off. i just rinse with water no soap. after another hour i clean my head with astringent and cover it with neosporin.
10. i use the astringent and neosporin every day. in the morning and at night.
11. excersize regularly, at least 4x a week. i do about six. crazy person. lol
all i can say is, this works for ME. my boils are gone but i do have major scarring. any suggestions?
also my energy level is through the roof!!!! i thought i would suffer not having caffeine and not eating junk food, but i don't miss it at all. (i did the first coulple days though). stick with this and not only could you feel great but maybe the boils will leave you too. good luck all. let me know if any of this works
i had the same problem. i been to all the doctors and specialists nothing worked permanently, i found a solution my self. what you need to do is use is get ISOTONIX,COMPLETE GREENS,ULTIMATE ALOE JUICE, AND NUTRICLEAN. AND FOLLOW THE STRICK DIET. no chicken or meat, not at all spices, no flour no rice no eggs no cream cakes, no milk, drink green tea, eat corn whole wheat bread sweet potato, and salads without dressings. follow this with above mentioned medicine for 1 month an you will be great. by doing all this you will cure yourself loose weight, what it does is cleans out you whole system and gets your iimmune system back up and cleans out your blood. it worked for me. try it.
Hidradenitis suppurativa. Use anti inflammatory . Like anti I for romatoid arthritis
I've had the problem with boil type pimples on my head for the last 4-5 years. I have had relief from these painful things with the use of anti-biotics, but as many of you have mentioned, they come back within weeks of stopping the meds. I've found that using the 2 part acne treatment from Natures Cure, the one for Men since I'm male, along with drinking at least 2 litres of water a day works well. If I do get them, they're much fewer and much smaller and less painful.
I've done some research and found that they can be a result of food allergies. Sometimes when you're a "little" allergic to some foods, your body can show it's displeasure with these types of infections. So modifying your diet can help. The less you're putting chemicals and preservatives in your body, the better, I guess. I'm pretty badly out of shape and would be considered obese, though because of the number of my weight, not how I look. So it's not a problem so much with sweating, I don't exercise regularly, but I do notice if I don't keep my hair cut short, I get them more often. SO I shave down my head to 1/4 inch every other week or so, and take the Natures Cure pills twice a day. Using the cream that comes with it, does help, but I don't always do it.
Good luck everyone, I share your pain. I also have spots on my head where hair won't grow anymore because of these darn things. I don't know if it matter, but I've also got what my doctor has called a "sluggish gallbladder" I don't process fats very well, so I try to limit my intake most of the time, but the fats are what make things taste good. Ever eat a fat free Oreo? YUCK! I don't know if that's a contributing factor, as the boils started popping up around the time I started having gallbladder problems, but thought I'd mention it for anyone else suffering from gallbladder problems.
Good luck and try the Natures Cure. You can get it at Walmart or Walgreens among other places and it's only about $10 for a months supply. I did notice it started helping after about 2 weeks.
Peace be with you all.
I've done some research and found that they can be a result of food allergies. Sometimes when you're a "little" allergic to some foods, your body can show it's displeasure with these types of infections. So modifying your diet can help. The less you're putting chemicals and preservatives in your body, the better, I guess. I'm pretty badly out of shape and would be considered obese, though because of the number of my weight, not how I look. So it's not a problem so much with sweating, I don't exercise regularly, but I do notice if I don't keep my hair cut short, I get them more often. SO I shave down my head to 1/4 inch every other week or so, and take the Natures Cure pills twice a day. Using the cream that comes with it, does help, but I don't always do it.
Good luck everyone, I share your pain. I also have spots on my head where hair won't grow anymore because of these darn things. I don't know if it matter, but I've also got what my doctor has called a "sluggish gallbladder" I don't process fats very well, so I try to limit my intake most of the time, but the fats are what make things taste good. Ever eat a fat free Oreo? YUCK! I don't know if that's a contributing factor, as the boils started popping up around the time I started having gallbladder problems, but thought I'd mention it for anyone else suffering from gallbladder problems.
Good luck and try the Natures Cure. You can get it at Walmart or Walgreens among other places and it's only about $10 for a months supply. I did notice it started helping after about 2 weeks.
Peace be with you all.
i too had suffered it for a long time. then went to one aayurvedacharya, she suggested me simple remedy of it.
The causes could be any of many like , not keeping proper hygiene , improper food which doesnt suits ur skin type.
In case if u get such boils on ur head. Get bitter neem(Azadirachta indica) leaves , make a paste of it. apply it on ur head twice a week. Take Karanj(Pongamia pinnata) oil mix it up with any ordinary hair oil 50-50%. Apply it on ur head.
U should see results in couple of weeks. If one wants to avoid such issues. take neem pills twice a day. Not just boils but many other infections should also stay away from u.
God bless.
The causes could be any of many like , not keeping proper hygiene , improper food which doesnt suits ur skin type.
In case if u get such boils on ur head. Get bitter neem(Azadirachta indica) leaves , make a paste of it. apply it on ur head twice a week. Take Karanj(Pongamia pinnata) oil mix it up with any ordinary hair oil 50-50%. Apply it on ur head.
U should see results in couple of weeks. If one wants to avoid such issues. take neem pills twice a day. Not just boils but many other infections should also stay away from u.
God bless.
did any 1 found permanent solution?
Try taking out dairy from your diet - might have to eliminate ALL dairy for about a week to notice results.
i am a doctor and also present with the same problems. If you present with boils/acne on your head, the most likely cause is simply the same cause that causes acne. Propiobacterium acne, not staph aureus. Staph aureus is a bacteria present throughout the body and part of the normal flora of anyone. If you are indeed contaminated wiht Stap Aureus, then most likely you have a weakened immune system that a short course of antibiotics and steroids will cure. For the rest of us, there is no real need to seek such medications. Most bumps presenting on the head are a result of ingrown hairs. This is mostly dealing wiht genetics. A child born to a parent with baldness in the family along wiht a parent that has abundant hair growth is prone to such problems. This arises from the fact that there is an inbalance between hair growth and hair stunting. But don't worry, as with all other problems, genetics might be the biggest governing factor but there are many enviromental factors that can control the problem. This is where the problem can be mastered and limited. Like other posters have alraedy stated, strenous exercise/labor can reduce this problem. This is because sweating opens the pores and allows oxygen into the pores that kill Propiobacterium which is an anaerobic organism that cannot survive in oxygen. A similar solution would be to cut the hair really short to allow more oxygen to reach the scalp. Please be advised that right after shaving the head there might be an increase in ingrown hairs and actually result in more bumps, however with time the problem should be decreased. Another solution would be to apply benzoly peroxide or siacylic acid, typically found over the counter in many drugstores. This drug acts by killing Propiobacterium directly. Please be advised again that this would lead to drying of the skin and perhaps even earlier balding than necessary. Stay away from products like hydrogen peroxide and alcohol as these products are definitely prone to drying of the scalp moreso than benzoyl-like products. additionally stay away from caffeine, taurine, and other food sources that would actually increase your cortisol level leading to stress. If your problem is real serious, go see a doctor and ask him if the antibiotic clindamycin would work for you. If its even more serious, ask about vitamin A (accutane). Nonetheless, the best solution is to sweat sweat sweat!!! Rids you of your problems and benefits other organs as well...
HI, am suffering form the same problem, doctor recommeded me minocycline tablets, it works good but once stopped boils comeup again ...donno wat to do, am fedup with it. Wish somebody can find a permanent solution for this ..
i am having the same problem from last 10 years,, and the infection has spread to neck also,,, have developed lump in neck............
m taking antibiotics.... but it acts only as long as i take it ..... any bdy have solution???
Can improving the immune system be the remedy ? if so, then how to improve the immune systems ?
i have this problem for more than 10 years now. boils keeps coming on the head. I once had my head shaven and I applied clinagel that is antifungal ointment for continuously for more than two month on my entire head. the boils for almost gone for 6 months or so. but they are back now. I think the only solution should be to keep the head dandruff free all the time and regular use of Clinagel on each and every occurance of boil may be a solution to this problem over next few years. But this is for sure that it brings relief and the boil formation gets reduced.
one more idea which I have been contemplating is to while washing the head I should mix small quantity of clinagel in the shampoo itself that will ensure that entire head is covered with the the preventive medication. and this is something, if works, is more doable as head gets washed every 3-4 days.
Wish everybody that it will go away.