Boil - Symptoms - Better Medicine

What are the symptoms of a boil?

Boils exhibit multiple symptoms, including the formation of rigid, sensitive, swollen, bright red areas in the skin. Boils become more painful and less rigid as they develop. Typically, a boil should clear up in two weeks or less. If you have a boil that lasts for more than two weeks, contact your health care professional.

Common symptoms of boils

You may notice symptoms of boils daily or just once in a while. At times, any of these symptoms can be severe:

Fatigue

Fever not associated with flu symptoms

Fluid leakage from the boil, which may crust over

Itching feeling

Rigid, sensitive reddened area of skin ranging in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters

White or yellow centers in the boil (pustule)

Symptoms that might indicate a serious condition

In some cases, boils can be a serious condition that should be evaluated by a health care professional. Seek prompt medical care if you, or someone you are with, have any of these serious symptoms including:

Boils located in the middle of the face or on the spine

Boils that last longer than two weeks

Fever not associated with flu symptoms

Recurrent boils

INTRODUCTION

What is a boil?

A boil, sometimes also referred to as a furuncle, is an infection involving a hair follicle on the skin. Boils are typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, although they may be caused by other bacteria or fungi present on the skin surface. In addition to affecting the hair follicle, infections that cause boils will also typically involve the surrounding skin.... Read more about boil introduction

CAUSES

What causes a boil?

A boil develops when a hair follicle becomes infected by bacteria or fungus from the skin. The presence of infection draws in white blood cells from the body’s immune system to combat the infection. However, if the infection does not resolve quickly enough, pockets of bacteria, dead cells, and fluids can develop, resulting in the formation of a boil. Boils are very common and may be caused, in part, by conditions that weaken the immune system, thus increasing an individual’s susceptibility to infection, or by poor hygiene.... Read more about boil causes

TREATMENTS

How is a boil treated?

Boils should heal on their own after several weeks, but will only do so after they are opened and drained. You should never attempt to force a boil to open or drain, since doing so could spread the infection. A boil that is especially deep or large may need to be treated by a health care professional.... Read more about boil treatments