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If you’ve ever had a boil on your body, you know that the struggle is real–and painful. And while we know about the use of heat to help bring it down, there are actually quite a few natural remedies people swear by online, experts and everyday people alike. So when you don’t have the patience or the money (co-pay money that is) to get your boil situation figured out, here are seven natural treatments that are quirky, but just might be worth a try when that skin gets too tight and tender.
Salted Bacon
People swear by salted raw bacon on a boil. Sounds disgusting, but word on the street is, it works: “It really does work! My grandmother used to cover my brothers boils with a strip of bacon and change the bacon once a day. Within 3 days, the boil came to a head and relief was felt. Old home remedies can and do work.”
Onions
They won’t just make you tear up, but they’re sure to have that boil on your booty crying too. Onions might sound like a crazy thing to place on your boil, but according to PositiveMed.com, onions have some of the best antiseptic properties out there when it comes to veggies. One individual on the Internet vouched for it pretty hard: “I found out that taking a thick slice of onion and placing it on the boil will cause the boil to drain itself. I advise you do it before you go to sleep and place a towel under you when you do so.”
Replace the slice(s) every few hours!
Cornmeal
Cornmeal that I like to use for salmon croquettes is also recommended for boils–in paste form. If you apply the paste (water and cornmeal) on the boil and cover it with a clean cloth (bonus points for a warm one), puss is sure to come out. Until it does, apply your cornmeal mix several times a day. Blame the reported effectiveness of cornmeal on its absorptive properties.
Garlic
According to HomeRemedyShop.com, whether using it in a paste form, heating up cloves and putting them directly on the boil or ingesting a few each day, no matter which way you use garlic, it is great for fighting against your painful, puss-filled boil. One woman had this to say about the use of garlic for them:
“I have found that GARLIC helps get rid of boils. At any stage in the cycle of the boils if you get the 1000 mg GARLIC capsules and squeeze the gel onto the boil it will get it to come to a head and drain or the boil will disappear completely.It generally takes a few days but it does work to eleviate the swelling and pain and its effective in healing the boils.”
Parsley Leaves
There are quite a few medicinal purposes for parsley, and one of them is to help with your skin infection. Boiling them in water and then placing the leaves on the boil help it come to a head and reduce the discomfort thanks to parsley’s antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidantal properties.
Egg Whites
Using the egg whites from a cracked egg for a boil? Yes, you read that right. You can also boil an egg and use the whites that way, wetting it, putting it on the boil and placing a cloth over it. One woman said it’s the best remedy for her: “A way to treat and draw out boils is to crack an egg, take the egg white and put it on the boil. Put a bandage on it and leave overnight. When you wake up, you will see a big change. Do this as often as you like until the boil has gotten the core out.”
Tea Tree Oil
What doesn’t tea tree oil alleviate? The antiseptic oil can do wonders for boil relief if you place a drop (the scent is strong, so don’t use too much) on it. Or you can put the oil on a swab and apply it to your boil. If you repeat this a few times a day, the boil should be ready to drain soon enough.
