Diagnose Pus
Pus is a combination of dead skin cells, white blood cells and bacteria. It is usually white, yellow or green and is fairly thick. Pus results from white blood cells fighting infection that is present in or on the body.
Instructions
1. Drain pus from small pimples by opening them with a hot compress treatment once daily. Follow hot compress treatments with an antiseptic application. Also known as whiteheads, pimples present themselves at the site of an infection most often caused by staphylococcus, or staph, already present on the skin. Most small pimples are harmless and disappear without treatment.
2. Suspect conjunctivitis, or pink eye, if the eye has a greenish or yellowish discharge. Infection along with a cold in the eye is the cause of conjunctivitis. Often, eyelashes mat together after sleep with this ailment. Apply a warm, wet washcloth to remove this dried pus. Also look for puffy eyelids and whites of the eyes that appear red and irritated. Pink eye presents most commonly in children.
3. See a hair growing from the center of pus-filled pimples to determine folliculitis. These infected hair follicles show up primarily on the face and scalp but also happen in places where tighter clothing rubs the skin, such as the groin and thigh area. Staph, yeast or other fungus is responsible for folliculitis. Hot compresses help cure these pimples. Antiseptic shampoos treat folliculitis on the scalp, while mild cleansers work for other parts of the body.
4. Determine a burn infection when pus drains from skin that is overexposed to heat, steam, sun or chemicals. Keep these wounds clean and dry to facilitate healing. Avoid further infection with a bandage application following gentle cleansing.
5. Avoid serious complications when you notice pus drainage from a postoperative wound. Infection of these wounds manifests itself with a cloudy discharge, red streaks that lead toward the heart or heat or a hard texture at the wound site. Seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of these things.
Tags: blood cells, small pimples, these wounds, white blood, white blood cells
