Definition
A boil (Latin furunculus: “little thief”) is an inflammation of a hair follicle. This inflammation is usually deep in the skin and is accompanied by redness and pain. A furuncle can sometimes be very distressing for those affected and should therefore not be underestimated.
Pus often forms in the center of the inflammation. The hair follicle, also called hair follicle, is located on each hair in the skin. In this case the boil affects the hair follicle of a chest hair.
The cause of a boil
The cause of a boil on the chest is an infection caused by bacteria on the hair follicle. Each hair is connected to a hair follicle in the skin. The hair follicle anchors the hairs in the skin.
If bacteria now reach the hair follicle along the hair, an inflammation can occur, which is not noticed at first. Especially bacteria of the staphylococcus family (especially Staphylococcus aureus) are often blamed for an infection. The reason for the formation of a furuncle and the penetration of the bacteria is very different.
On the one hand, a lack of disinfection after shaving can cause a boil. When shaving the chest hair, bacteria can penetrate along the hair into the hair follicle. For this reason, a subsequent disinfection with aftershave lotion or similar products is advisable.
In addition, tight-fitting tops, which chafe against the skin, can lead to a boil on the chest. In addition, the formation of a furuncle can also be favored by other diseases such as diabetes mellitus or kidney disease. Other immunocompromised persons also have a higher tendency to furuncles, which is due to the lack of defence against the bacteria.
The diagnosis
The diagnosis of a furuncle is usually a gaze diagnosis. This means that the doctor can make the diagnosis by simply looking at the furuncle. Especially the leading symptoms of the inflammation often allow a diagnosis.
These inflammation symptoms are: redness, swelling and pain. In the course of the inflammation, pus develops in the boil, which can be seen through the skin in the late stage. In addition to the gaze diagnosis, it may be of interest whether chronic diseases exist.
For example, diabetes is said to lead to an increased development of boils. To determine which bacterium has caused the infection, the doctor can take a smear of the furuncle. This is then analyzed in the laboratory in order to initiate a targeted treatment.
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