A boil means you have a deep infection of a hair follicle. This infection is caused by bacteria which remain in the hair follicle. The skin around the hair follicle becomes red and swollen. A pus-filled head will often appear. It’s also possible for several boils to develop next to each other. This is also known as a carbuncle. You can also be a carrier of the staphylococcus bacteria. This bacteria can cause you to suffer from boils more often.
The places where boils are most common are:
It will start with a red spot appearing on your skin. This will swell up and become increasingly more painful. A pus-filled head will form in the centre of that spot. This can be yellow or black. In most cases, the spot will break open on its own. This will drain the pus and allow the infection to heal. The spot can sometimes be more stubborn and you’ll need to see a doctor for this.
You can treat the boil yourself by:
It’s also important for you to think about hygiene. This will ensure you don’t spread the bacteria in the boil to others. For example, you should:
You should contact your GP if: