Boils and skin abscess: symptoms, causes and which doctor to see

For boils and skin abscess you can first see: Dermatology or General Surgery or Family Medicine. If you are not sure, a family doctor (general practitioner) can assess you first and refer you to the right specialist.

Common symptoms: a red, warm and painful lump; a yellow-white head of pus forming in the middle within a few days; bursting and draining on its own; fever and weakness with large abscesses; common places: neck, face, armpit, buttocks, thighs. Symptoms vary from person to person; a doctor’s examination is needed for a diagnosis.

Do not squeeze a boil or pierce it with a needle; squeezing on the face in particular can spread infection deeper.

The most common causes: staphylococcus bacteria; friction, sweating and small skin wounds; diabetes and weak immunity; carrying staphylococcus in the nose (in recurrent boils). Only a doctor’s examination can determine the exact cause.

Small boils drain on their own and heal in 1–2 weeks. Large abscesses are drained through a small cut by a doctor. The doctor starts antibiotics if needed.

It is more common in: people with diabetes; people with weak immunity; people with boils in the family; athletes and people living in crowded settings.

The diagnosis is made on examination. For recurrent boils, a culture and a blood test for diabetes may be done.

Hand hygiene, not sharing personal items, keeping skin wounds clean and keeping diabetes under control reduce the risk of boils.

You can see a family doctor or dermatology; general surgery assesses large abscesses for draining.

The bacteria inside can spread to other people or other parts of the body through the discharge. That is why hand washing and keeping items separate matter.

It may be due to carrying staphylococcus in the nose, diabetes, iron deficiency or immune problems; the doctor looks for the cause.

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, call 112 without delay: “Is a growing boil in the centre of the face (around the nose and lips) accompanied by fever or swelling around the eye?” “Is redness spreading quickly, with red streaks or high fever?” “Is there confusion, fainting or difficulty waking up?” “Is there facial drooping, slurred speech or sudden weakness in an arm or leg?” “Are you struggling to breathe even at rest?”

See a doctor: if the boil is larger than 5 cm or has not healed in a week; for a boil on the face; if there is fever, or you have diabetes or a weak immune system; for boils that keep coming back.