Have Recurring Boils On Stomach Area Below Navel. How To Remove This?

Posted on Tue, 5 Mar 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 5 Mar 2013 Answered on

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : For some years i've been observing some boil like things on my stomach area below navel. They are growing in size upto about 6-8mm. They are automatically getting vanished in 2-3 weeks. What could be the reason for this. Please advise me as soon as possible.

Answered by Dr. Kalpana Pathak (1 hour later)

Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing to us
From the images uploaded, these lesions are nothing but furuncles. Furuncles are bacterial infection of hair follicles and adjoining skin and are characterised by an area of redness pain and inflammation with a pus filled lesion in centre. These are common in hair bearing areas prone to friction and sweat. Nose, axilla, groins, umbilicus are common areas of bacterial carriage and hence recurrent lesions can be seen in adjacent areas.
To treat the condition
Bathe with antibacterial soap like cetrim soap
Do warm water compresses twice in a day over the lesions
Apply mupirocin cream over the lesions and in umbilicus / navel twice daily till lesions heal
Do not apply oil in affected area

If the condition still recurs its best to do a swab test and send the pus taken from lesion for culture sensitivity so that appropriate antibiotic can be started to treat and prevent further recurrence.

Hope that answers your query. Should there be any doubt, feel free to write back.
Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar