Best Way To Treat A Boil

A boil (also called a furuncle) is a deep skin infection that usually develops from an infected hair follicle, appearing as a red, warm, painful, pus-containing bump under the skin. Applying a hot compress for 10 minutes several times a day should make it rupture and drain. Don’t squeeze it.

Rather than draining, though, a boil will sometimes simply go away on its own in a week or two.

If it is on your face, or if you notice red streaking in the skin around it, or if you have a fever, you need medical attention.

A carbuncle is an oversized boil or cluster of boils that grows sideways in the tissue beneath the skin, usually in areas where the skin is thick and inelastic — for example, the back of the neck. It is less common than a boil. Carbuncles can be very painful and usually require medical attention — particularly if they have any of the danger signs listed above. Carbuncles may require a doctor or nurse to incise and drain them, and you may need to take antibiotics. You should never squeeze a carbuncle or try to drain it yourself. An infection on the face is particularly dangerous, because it can spread, even to your brain. You’ll be instructed to keep the area clean and to apply an antibacterial ointment and sterile gauze.

If you get recurrent boils or carbuncles, a doctor should check for diseases that can cause chronic infectious, especially diabeter. (From the Berkeley Wellness Letter)

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