I would be very interested to find out if you've been able to find any information on this subject. I've been having boils now for about a year and have been keeping track of when they occur. They have a direct correlation to "period" time. They always occur in the same general area and nothing so far has helped. So, let me know if any information is out there! Thanks!

These pesky little critters are quite common, and there is a medical name for them that escapes me at the moment! Some can be quite painful and last for a good while, and some not. Basically it is like a pimple that is created by an ingrown hair. Just put a hot compress on to help with the redness and pain, and when it comes to a head and the puss comes out, it will start to dry up, but be careful not to spread it around because it could cause another one! Most women get them on their breasts and legs. Nothing serious unless they get infected. Good luck!

I've suffered from this for a while now. I'v even had a number of surgeries to remove some of these boils. They are definately related to your hormonal cycle. They most often occur between ovulation and period. I have done much research on this disease and have seen many specialist. The bottom line is there is no cure. Some people try antibiotic cocktails, topical creams, sitz baths with salt, tea tree oil, manuka honey, cortizone shots, acutane. One thing I have read is sometimes it all goes away after menopause. I'm waiting.

I had the same problem, and these boils are all over my butt. Recently, I had surgery done on my nose, and was given lots of antiobiotics via iv drips. Somehow these boils stopped appearing. Btw I had these boils growing on my butt for about 4 years already... And it just went away

i am very concern about the scars left by them. I heard they can be permanent or take 1-2 years to heal... I think it depends on how deep it is in the skin.

Also, if you do have it in the butt, I would suggest not sitting as often because I think the boils will get much bigger if you sit for too long. Also I used to be overweight, and as soon as I slim down (50 lbs), the condition became less severe.

Does anyone know how long the scar will stay? Is there any way to make it go away faster? Are there surgery available to remove these scars?

I've been boils-free for about 2 months now, hopefully they'll stay away from me! I will keep it posted about my condition. Let's help each other on this humiliating issue, (especially if you have it in the butt... Like me =(((

badgirl
Thanks for bringing this health issue to everyones attention.
I too suffer from the boils on my breasts which are very painful and sometimes take weeks to heal. I know when one is starting up too. You can see a pore with a white core inside it or a small red painful bump. I have found that if you start treating them as soon as possible the less of a problem they become. They get worse between ovulation and the onset of my period. I am 45 and I have many symptoms of perimenopause with weight gain and water retention being the worst so far. The boils started appearing about this time with my other symptoms as well. There isn't much information out there about it I know. I think with all the water gain sebum collects in there as well and it has to find a way out usually in the most tender parts of our body. That explains why they mostly appear in the breasts, inner thighs and buttocks. Watch your iron as low levels of iron can contribute to the problem. Maybe take a supplement. Take long hot baths to sweat those pores open and avoid using powder and deodorants in the area so your pores can breathe. Hope this helps. It helped me.

I get a small red bump/boil, next thing I know it is cellulitis & my whole face is swollen up & covered. I have been having this for over a year & treated with antibiotics soooo many times. It looks horrible & is ruining my life. I wish someone had answers. I research constantly & try to find alternative ways to cure it. It normally happens when I am stressed aroumd the time of my period. definately not just a normal break out.
It is very serious.

I have been reading about Zinc Deficiency, and boils are one of the symptoms... with many more of course... I hope this helps... please read on the dificiency it has many other symptoms with it....

I've suffered from boils in the groin area since adolescence. In my thirties, the problem migrated to my armpits. I've read countless articles on this subject, and I’ve found that there’s no cure for chronic hidradenitis. However, there are things we can do to minimize and alleviate the problem. Here are some dos and don'ts:

1. Don't rely upon antibiotics UNLESS you come down with a large boil that is causing great pain or a cluster of boils that won’t seem to heal on their own. The effects of antibiotics don't last. If you take them frequently to address a chronic problem, you will develop immunity to the pills, and they won’t work when you come down with a severe infection. (Do try antibiotics if this is your first boil or if boil attacks are infrequent.)
2. Don't squeeze hard! This drives the infection deeper into the pore and creates a larger "channel" for your next infection to develop. When boils are good and READY to drain, puss will run out with GENTLE pressure. To help draw boils to a head faster, apply a warm compress or take a hot bath to open your pores.
3. Don't be afraid to lance boils yourself. (It's safe if done properly, and it results in immediate relief.) To lessen the possibility of creating a large hole that could become re-infected, use the smallest sewing needle you can find. Sterilize the needle by soaking it in alcohol for at least sixty seconds. Insert slowly and gently. Do not re-insert the needle without sterilizing it again. (Do not attempt to lance "solid" boils or hard lumps under the skin. Lance boils that are visibly plump with fluids.)
4. Do clean boil drainage from your skin with Bactene or peroxide. Drainage is loaded with bacteria that can infect open pores surrounding the original boil.)
5. Don’t shave areas that are prone to boils. Ingrown hairs from shaving are a leading cause of boils. Learn to live with hair under your arms and on your upper thighs. Hair is more attractive than puss filled bumps.
6. Do keep chronic areas CLEAN AND DRY. Keep a bottle of Bactine or Iodine in the shower. Dry armpits and inner thighs with a hair dryer to avoid that moist feeling that lingers after towel drying.
7. Alpha Hydrox (a brand name) makes a clear fruit acid gel that is much more concentrated than most lotions containing Alpha Hydroxys. The formula is meant to lift dead skin cells on your face, unclog pores and reduce the appearance of fine lines. On a whim, I used this product under my arms. I saw a dramatic improvement the very next day. The product won’t exactly cure a large boil overnight, but it does shrink pores and eliminate small bumps from infected hair folicles. When I use it religiously, my small bumps don’t grow into big boils.
7. I’ve also tried the Proactive Acne System under my arms. It didn’t work, and it left my skin so dry that it flaked for days.

Other Thing's I've Learned:

1. There’s a strong correlation between boils and menstrual cycles. The fluids running through your pores become thicker before a period, resulting in pore blockages. Yes, boils typically slow down after menopause, but not always.
2. There’s a correlation between obesity and boils. Losing a significant amount of weight may lessen the problem for several reasons. A) Healthy bodies have stronger immune systems that are more capable of attacking infections, including infections of the skin. B) Losing weight can reduce the severity of rubbing and chafing, especially in the thigh area.
3. No, losing weight won’t fix everything. Many thin people suffer from chronic boils and skin irritations.
4. There’s a strong correlation between boils and diabetes. For this reason, I have often wondered if a low carb diet could lessen the severity of chronic boils. Can anyone tell me?

I just recently sarted to get boils appearing on my skin in such places as my breast, my underarm pits, my stomach, and my virgina lips. The ones on my virgina lips were so severe that i had to go to the emergency room to have them lanced. I was given antibiotics and told I may have a form of MRSA. I don't think this is the case because they only appear around the time I start to ovulate and close to the time I would have gotten my period. I am pleased to read that I am not alone in this monthly battle, please understand I feel bad for anyone the has to endure this and I wish I had an instant cure ...I don't...if someone has found something that really works or give some fast releif from the pain of these boils ...let me know. I am 49 and never suffer a day with a boil until reasonly , I thing it is menopause that is causing it....give my some feed back as soon as possible

I'm shock to know that I'm not the only woman in the world with this chronich problem for the past four months. I don't know what to do. I believe I have been going through perimenopause for the past two years becasue I'm keeping a tight calendar of events, but now I'm suffering from boils. The first one was late summer on my vaginal lip; which I had to see a dermatologist to drain and pack. Antibiotics were prescribed. In October a reoccurence under my armpit. Once again I had to go to the doctor. Now, November I have a large one on my buttocks. It is so painful. I notice I get them around my period. I have been looking on the net, but the information terrifies me. Thank goodness I found the website with women with similar problems. Thank you for your support. I'm 40 years old and loosing my mind. Thanks

I am obese, 300 pounds. I get boils on my thighs, underarms, butt, pubic hair line. Im only 24. The docs keep saying I got MRSA, but I have done I dont know how many treatments. I can still smell the stuff you put in your nose. Ugh. It is very embarressing on top of being overweight. Mine get very big sometimes. Other times, they stay little and go away. I have numerous scars from them. I have about 15 scars so far. I wish there were treatments.

Do you get breathing problems before periods

No, I just have extreme cramping.

I finally found a doctor who told me my hormonal (symptoms including boils) problems were coming from insulin resistance. I've been following the Zone book and using Jan Marini face lotion on my boils and have seen HUGE improvement.

I suffered from boils all my young life, in my ears, on my knees, on my butt (in the ear is the worst) The ones on both knees had me bed ridden for a fortnight, my mother would have to carry me to the loo as I could not lower, or bend my legs from the pain. The Boil was lanced after a black square cube of something was heated and put on the boil, then cut. The boil has a core and until that is removed, the boil remains. (I remember when she lanced it the explosion hit the cieling but the relief was fast) Anyway 50 years on, and qualified in skin and skin diseases a client of mine told me about nutmeg. A student child suffered from boils so she administered (in Fiji) one teaspoon of nutmeg a day ( in milk... food....) and the child was cured.
I wish that mum knew about this. Cant hurt to give it a try! Good Luck