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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffBoils and carbuncles are painful, pus-filled bumps that form under your skin when bacteria infect and inflame one or more of your hair follicles.
Boils (furuncles) usually start as red, tender lumps. The lumps quickly fill with pus, growing larger and more painful until they rupture and drain. A carbuncle is a cluster of boils that form a connected area of infection under the skin.
You can usually care for a single boil at home, but don't attempt to lance or squeeze it — that may spread the infection. Call your doctor if a boil or carbuncle is extremely painful, lasts longer than two weeks or occurs with a fever.
Symptoms
References
- Habif, TP. Furuncles and carbuncles. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Inc; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/103911270-3/743722527/1195/55.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50011-X--cesec55_993. Accessed Aug. 27, 2008.
- Baddour LM, et al. Skin abscesses, furuncles and carbuncles. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 27, 2008.
- Wolf K, et al. Section 22. Bacterial infections involving the skin. In: Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas & Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology, 5th ed. McGraw-Hill Companies Inc; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/popup.aspx?aID=755117. Accessed Aug. 27, 2008.
- Tree tea oil. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com/(S(iyok1uyiw1fl112ek3ax2lu2))/nd/Search.aspx?cs=MAYO&s=ND&pt=100&id=113&fs=ND&searchid=11129198. Accessed Aug. 28, 2008.
- Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/pm/temp/mrsa/qa.html. Accessed Aug. 28, 2008.
