A painful “pimple” on the bottom could be hiding a boil. Then a hair follicle becomes inflamed and purulent. What to do now.
The most important things at a glance
Many people have small pimples in the buttock area from time to time. If a supposed pimple on the bottom is very large and painful, it could also be a boil.
Unlike a pimple, which only affects the top layer of skin, a boil on the butt is larger and involves deeper layers of skin.
What is a boil?
A boil is a deep inflammation in the area of a hair follicle – i.e. where a hair is anchored in the skin. As a result of the inflammation, a cavity filled with pus (abscess) forms.
The cause is an infection of the bacteria that enter the skin through the smallest injuries. Usually these are pathogens of the type Staphylococcus aureus. Boils often appear on the face. But the buttocks, back, armpits, groin, thighs and intimate areas are also more often affected.
Boils on the bottom: who is at risk?
People with weakened immune systems in particular are more likely to have boils on their buttocks or other areas of the skin. Diabetes mellitus, chronic infections, cancer, eczema or certain allergies also increase the risk. Anyone who keeps having boils should have the cause clarified by a doctor.
Symptoms: Boils on the buttocks are often painful
Boils usually develop within a few hours to days. They are sensitive to pressure and can hurt. A boil on the bottom can be very uncomfortable when sitting.
Those affected notice a hard, knot-like swelling on their buttocks that looks similar to a huge pimple. The swelling is about the size of a cherry stone or walnut, feels warm and is red. Inside the boil there is pus, which can be seen from the outside as a white-yellowish color.
After a few days of “ripening”, a boil on the buttocks often opens spontaneously. The pus and dead tissue contained in it then drain away. As this reduces the pressure inside, the pain stops abruptly. After a few weeks, the area on the buttocks has healed. A scar may remain.
Sometimes a boil on the buttocks (or somewhere else) remains closed and does not open spontaneously. The body often breaks down the pus it contains on its own.
More rarely, a boil on the buttocks spreads to neighboring hair follicles. Experts refer to several boils lying together as carbuncles. This severe inflammation can be accompanied by fever and a feeling of illness and requires medical treatment.
Boils on the bottom: when to see a doctor?
A boil on the butt often goes away on its own. In any case, it is important to maintain good hygiene so as not to make the inflammation worse.
If in doubt, it is always advisable to see a doctor if you have a (supposed) boil on your bottom. This is because people without specialist knowledge cannot judge for sure whether it is actually a boil or whether another illness is behind it.
On the other hand, a boil can sometimes lead to complications. Under no circumstances should those affected squeeze a boil themselves – neither on the bottom nor anywhere else. This can allow other pathogens to enter the skin area.
The inflammation can also spread to the blood or lymphatic system. If it spreads through the lymphatic system – experts call it lymphangitis – this can be recognized by a red streak. The surrounding lymph nodes are also often painful. In the worst case, the bacteria spread through the body via the blood, which can lead to sepsis (“blood poisoning”). However, this is very rare.
A visit to the doctor is especially important if: