Boils

A boil (also known as a furuncle) is a bacterial infection that develops around a hair follicle. The early stages of a boil include a tender bump that appears red and hot. Within 2 to 4 days, a yellowish point forms. Boils are also accompanied by pus, which can escape if the boil bursts open. The result is relief from the associated pain, yet the infection is highly contagious and can become more dangerous if the infection is allowed to spread.

Causes and Symptoms

Boils develop from an infection that develops when one or more hair follicles become compromised with staph bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). The bacteria, which are also linked to urinary tract infections and pneumonia, are no strangers to your body – it is normally found in your skin, throat, and nasal passages.

Staph bacteria are able to enter the body through a cut, scratch or other break in the skin. Once your body detects the intruder, specialized white blood cells (called neutrophils) come to the rescue and gather at the site of the infection. Inflammation usually follows, which leads to the formation of pus. A patient may also experience warm skin, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and additional boils that develop around an initial infection.