Wow... I expected this question to be answered already... Anyway, I don't have the magic answer but maybe some advice... I've had them at least 15 years, usually right before I get my period and twice while I was in later stages of pregnancy (huge ones under my arm).... In telling you all that, I feel mine are do to hormone changes... Course I prolly would never get a doctor to agree with that... Usually after mine came to a head and burst and drained, they would go away (some pea size ones just came and went without coming to a head) those aren't the ones I worry about... The ones that are about the size of a walnut (they call them abcesses) and hurt alot are the bad ones... I've gone and got one lanced (cut and drained) in the emergency room and altho that brought immediate relief, i'm not so sure i'll do it again... My mother used to have them in her private area until she had a total hysterectomy (hmmmm no periods and hormone changes = no boils?) (i'm by no means recommending that) and I remember she had one cut out and they packed it with gauze a mile long and snatched it out days later and repacked etc... Anyway, usually mine go away like I said, but I actually have one now and it's drained, went down a little, came back, drained, went down a little and came back again...Now draining... I learned in beauty school that it's an infection of a hair follicle (maybe explaining why they usually come in hairy places)....Makes me wanna go out and have all my hair permanently removed if that's the case...Haha anyway, now my 13 year old niece is getting them (funny she hasn't started her cycle yet...Maybe it means she's about to..) if you find anything that helps besides hot tubs and warmed up tomatos and bacon fat, let me know...

P.S. Boil ease helps bring to a head and numb the pain alot...