A skin abscess is a tender mass generally surrounded by a colored area from pink to deep red. Abscesses are often easy to feel by touching. The vast majority of them are caused by infections. Inside, they are full of pus, bacteria and debris.
Painful and warm to touch, abscesses can show up any place on your body. The most common sites on the skin in your armpits (axillae), areas around your anus and vagina (Bartholin gland abscess), the base of your spine (pilonidal abscess), around a tooth (dental abscess), and in your groin. Inflammation around a hair follicle can also lead to the formation of an abscess, which is called a boil (furuncle).
Unlike other infections, antibiotics alone will not usually cure an abscess. In general an abscess must open and drain in order for it to improve. Sometimes draining occurs on its own, but generally it must be opened with the help of a warm compress or by a doctor in a procedure called incision and drainage (I&D).
Abscess Causes
When our normal skin barrier is broken, even from minor trauma, or small tears, or inflammation, bacteria can enter the skin. An abscess can form as your body’s defenses try to kill these germs with your inflammatory response (white blood cells = pus). Obstruction in a sweat or oil (sabaceous) gland, or a hair follicle or a pre-existing cyst can also trigger an abscess.
The middle of the abscess liquefies and contains dead cells, bacteria, and other debris. This area begins to grow, creating tension under the skin and further inflammation of the surrounding tissues. Pressure and inflammation cause the pain.People with weakened immune systems get certain abscesses more often. Those with any of the following are all at risk for having more severe abscesses.
Blackheads are small, black bumps on the surface of your skin that occur when your hair follicles get clogged. They appear black due not to dirt but to oxidization, which happens when your clogged pores are exposed to air.
Using Home Remedies
aExfoliate your nose with baking soda. Exfoliation is important because it removes dead skin cells, which prevents these cells from clogging up your pores and creating blackheads. It also revives circulation on your skin and gives you a healthy glow.
Mix two teaspoons of baking soda in a bowl with mineral water to make a paste. Apply the paste on your nose, and massage it gently so you don’t harm the skin.
Allow the paste to dry for a few minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. Repeat this remedy once or twice a week.
Baking soda will help to dry up the blackheads and make your skin appear brighter and cleaner.
You can also add apple cider vinegar to the baking soda paste. Apple cider vinegar is a nature astringent and antibacterial.
Steam your face before you apply a scrub. Facial steam will help to reduce the appearance of your pores by softening them and make it easier to remove blackheads with a scrub.
Gather together a large bowl, water, and a clean towel.
Boil the water. Let it cool and then pour it into the bowl.
Lean over the bowl and cover your head with the towel to trap the steam over your face.
Steam your face for 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to get too close to the steam to prevent burning your skin.
Rinse your face with warm water and pat it dry.
Repeat the facial steam several times a week, before you apply a facial scrub.
Make an oatmeal scrub. The combination of oatmeal, lemon juice and yogurt works well to keep your skin free of blackheads.
Mix together two tablespoons of oatmeal, three tablespoons of plain yogurt and the juice of half a lemon.
Apply the paste to your nose, leave it on for a few minutes, and rinse it off with warm water.
You can also make an oatmeal scrub with honey and tomatoes. Mix one teaspoon honey with the juice of four tomatoes and several tablespoons of oatmeal.
Apply the paste to your nose and leave it on for 10 minutes. Wash it off with warm water.
Repeat this scrub regularly, at least once a week.
Apply a sugar scrub. If possible, use jojoba oil for this sugar scrub, as it is the oil that most closely mimics your skin’s sebum. The sebum is an oily substance produced by your body to prevent your skin from drying out. If you don’t have access to jojoba oil, use other oils like grapeseed, olive, and sweet almond as substitutes.
Mix 4 tablespoons of oil into 1 cup of brown or white sugar in an airtight glass jar. Stir until it is mixed well.
Wet your face and then scoop some of the scrub onto your fingertips. Massage it over your nose and face in a circular motion.
Do this for 1-2 minutes and then rinse your face with warm water.
Apply this scrub no more than 2-3 times a week, to avoid drying out or irritating your skin.
Store this scrub in an airtight jar in a cool dark place for up to 2 months.
Use a clay mask. For a good clay mask, use Bentonite clay, which can be purchased online and at many health food stores. Bentonite clay is a rich in minerals and has been used for centuries to treat a number of ailments, mainly skin related issues. When you apply a clay mask, your skin gets to drink in these minerals while the clay draws out the blackheads.
