Boils Health Video

Boils begin as infected hair follicles, becoming inflamed and tender. Learn common treatments for boils in this free skin disease video.

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Apply heat compress soaked in warm saltwater
Apply over the counter antibiotic & cover with bandage
Contact a doctor for boils on face or spine
Contact a doctor for fever

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

DR. SUE MCGLADDERY: Hello, my name is Dr. Sue McGladdery. I'm the medical director from First Med Centers in Budapest Hungary and I'd like to give you some information about boils. These are painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin. They're caused when bacteria, usually staphylococcus, infect and inflame one or more hair follicles. These boils usually start as tender red lumps that quickly fill with pus getting larger and more painful until they rupture and drain. Although some boils disappear a few days after they occur, most will take up to 2 weeks to heal up. They can occur anywhere on the skin especially on the face and the neck, in the armpits, on the buttocks or thighs, in hair-bearing areas where you're more likely to sweat or have friction. Sometimes, these boils occur in clusters that we call carbuncles. Anyone can develop these but people who have poor general health, diabetes, a suppressed immune system, or acne or other skin problems are at increased risk. You're more likely to suffer complications of spreading infection including blood poisoning and even MRSA. Usually, you can care for a single small boil yourself. All you need to do is to apply a warm washcloth or compress after soaking in warm salt water. It's very effective. You can do this for at least 10 minutes every few hours and gently wash the boil 2 or 3 times a day. After washing, you can apply an over-the-counter antibiotic and cover with a bandage. Never squeeze or lance the boil because this can spread infection. You need to wash your hands thoroughly after you've treated the boil to prevent spread to other areas of the body. But, you do need to see your doctor if you have a boil that's on the face on the spine, if you have a boils that worsens rapidly or is very painful. Boils that are very large or haven't healed in 2 weeks or accompanied by fever, also need to be examined by a doctor. If you get frequent boils, that's another reason you do need to talk to your doctor about that. If you have a problem where your immune system has been suppressed because of organ transplant or HIV infection, again, you're at much higher risk should you develop any kind of skin infection or boil. In that case, you'll probably need oral antibiotics or even surgical drainage to clear the boil infection.