Overview
A boil is a painful, pus-filled lump caused by bacterial infection of a hair follicle; an abscess is a larger, deeper collection of pus. Heat, friction and shaving bumps make them common. Small boils settle with warm compresses, but squeezing them — especially on the face — pushes infection deeper.
Symptoms
- Painful, firm red or dark lump
- Lump enlarging and softening with a pus head
- Surrounding warmth and swelling
- Throbbing pain
- Fever with larger abscesses
- Boils appearing repeatedly
Causes & risk factors
- Bacteria (commonly staph) entering hair follicles or small cuts
- Friction, sweat and tight clothing
- Shaving injuries
- Diabetes and weakened immunity making boils recurrent
Treatment & self-care
Apply warm, moist compresses several times daily — most small boils point and drain by themselves; keep the area clean and covered afterwards. Larger or deeper abscesses need professional incision and drainage, sometimes with antibiotics — do not squeeze or cut them at home. Recurrent boils warrant a diabetes test.
See a doctor urgently if
- A boil on the face, spine or groin
- Fever or red streaks spreading from the lump
- An abscess larger than a grape or extremely painful
- Boils that keep coming back
- Diabetes with any skin abscess