Poultice for Boils – A Simple and Effective Home Remedy

Boils are the outcome of a bacterial infection in the skin. They result in the formation of pus-filled pockets beneath the human skin.

Most of the boils wither away naturally after completing their life-cycle. However, there are some boils which take quite long to ripen and form a head. Such boils get painful and also cause discomfort if they are located in places such as buttocks or under arms.

It is only after the boil ripens that the pus can get discharged from it, naturally or manually as in lancing.

Hence it is imperative that the boil gets matured quickly. This is where the poultice for boils plays an important role.

The poultices are a safe and simple home treatment. They consist of herbs and some other easily available substances. They can be warm or cold in nature. The warm ones help to bring the boil to a head by increasing the blood flow to the boil region. The cold ones soothe the boil and reduce inflammation of the skin. The warm poultices should be replaced as soon as they cool down. This process is repeated a few times daily till the boil ripens. The time taken by the boil to form a head or a pustule depends on the severity of the infection.

Some of best poultice boil treatments are mentioned below:

  • Bran poultice is made by mixing bran with hot water. The mixture is applied over the boil once it reaches a tolerable temperature. Besides helping the boil in coming to a head, this poultice is effective in reducing the inflammation in the boil.
  • Carrots poultice is prepared by making a pulp out of boiled carrots. This poultice is very good for acnes and boils.
  • Clay poultice is made by cleaning the clay of all the impurities and then mixing it with apple cider or water to form a paste.
  • Potato poultice is made by mixing grated potatoes to boiling water. It is effective in case of carbuncles.
  • Strawberry poultice is prepared by making a pulp out of wild strawberries. This is an effective poultice for reducing inflammation.
  • Kava is an ancient plant which has antiseptic properties. Its dry roots are used to prepare a poultice for boils.
  • Plantain poultice is made by making a paste out of fresh plantain leaves. This poultice draws out the pus quickly by ripening the boil.
  • Goldenseal poultice is made by mixing the powder of the goldenseal root with water. This poultice is not placed directly over the boil but on a linen cloth. This paste helps in healing the boils because of its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Lavender poultice is made by mixing lavender with tea tree oil. It should be wrapped with a net and a clean towel. This poultice should be applied for 24 hours for best results. Once it is removed the area should be gently wiped with an anti-bacterial solution.
  • Bread and milk poultice is prepared by mixing bread with hot milk and mashing it. This mixture is placed over the boil.
  • Milk cream can also serve the purpose of a poultice.
  • Betel leaf poultice can be made by warming the leaf slightly and smearing some castor oil on its surface.

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