How to Get Rid of a Boil: Treating Small and Large Boils

How to Get the Core Out of a Boil

When bacteria infect a hair follicle or an oil gland, a red, painful, pus-filled bump can form under the skin. This is known as a boil. A boil is usually very painful because of the pressure that develops as it grows bigger.

As a boil matures, it grows larger, and its center fills with pus. This pus-filled center is called the core. Eventually, the boil comes to a head, meaning a yellow-white tip develops on top of the core.

Don’t pick at, squeeze, or try to open a boil in any way. You may force the skin infection deeper and cause complications.

In about 1 week, your boil will most likely start to change. The following scenarios are possible:

• The pus in your boil will begin to drain on its own, and your boil will heal within a few weeks.
• Your boil may heal without the pus draining out, and your body will slowly absorb and break down the pus.
• Your boil doesn’t heal and either stays the same size or grows larger and more painful.

If it doesn’t seem to be healing on its own, you may need to see a doctor. They can open your boil so that the core of pus can drain. You should never open the boil yourself.

The recommended way to properly and safely get the core out of a boil is by having it opened by a medical professional.

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Your procedure will take place in a sterile environment. The doctor will perform an incision and drainage by following the steps below:

1. First, the doctor will treat the area around the boil with antiseptic.
2. Before they make a cut, they’ll typically numb the area around the boil as well.
3. Then they’ll open the boil by making a small cut with a sharp instrument, such as a needle, lancet, or scalpel. This technique is also known as lancing.
4. They’ll drain the pus through the surgical incision. Additional incisions may be necessary, on occasion.
5. They’ll clean the cavity by irrigating, or flushing, it with sterile saline solution.
6. They’ll dress and bandage the area.

If your boil is very deep and doesn’t completely drain right away, the doctor may pack the cavity with sterile gauze to absorb the leftover pus.

If you have any of the following conditions, the doctor might prescribe an antibiotic, such as sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim), following your procedure:

• several boils
• a fever
• skin that looks infected

Antibiotics are often prescribed for boils on the face. These boils are more likely to cause an infection in your body.

However, antibiotics may not always help clear up your boils. This is because boils are walled off from your blood supply, making it difficult for the antibiotics to get in to work.

Again, don’t attempt to pop the boil yourself. The risk of the infection spreading to your bloodstream is too high. You can, however, try these safe home treatments:

• Put a warm, wet cloth on your boil for about 20 minutes, three or four times a day. This will help bring the boil to a head. The boil may open on its own with about 1 week of this treatment. If it doesn’t, contact a doctor for possible incision and drainage in an office.
• If the boil opens, gently wash the area and dress it with a sterile bandage. This helps stop the infection from spreading. If pus from your boil gets on your washcloths or towels, don’t reuse them until they’ve been laundered. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly at all times.
• For the next few days, continue using the warm cloths to promote draining in the open wound. Gently wash the area and apply a fresh bandage two times a day or whenever pus leaks through.
• Once the boil is fully drained, clean and bandage the area daily until it’s healed.

Be patient during this process. Don’t try to squeeze the pus from the boil. Let it drain on its own.

Many people’s first instinct is to want to open and drain their boil at home.

Never try to cut or squeeze open a boil yourself. With time, the boil may open on its own naturally. Draining can often be safely accomplished using only hot compresses, sanitary techniques, and proper bandaging.

However, you should go to a doctor to have them take care of the boil if:

• your boil doesn’t naturally resolve
• it grows bigger
• it gets more painful
• you develop a fever

Last medically reviewed on May 21, 2021

How to Get Rid of a Boil: Treating Small and Large Boils

You can get rid of a small boil with the help of home treatments, like covering the boil in a wet washcloth. Larger or recurrent boils require medical attention and medical treatment.

Bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus can cause bumps on your skin, commonly known as boils. Boils are typically red or purplish, and they can be quite painful.

Boils are usually found on a hair follicle that’s become infected, but they can occur anywhere on the body.

They tend to appear in areas that are irritated and have more sweat around the hair follicles. This combination provides the perfect atmosphere for boils.

Read on to learn how to treat boils, whether small or large.

• Boils are also known as furuncles.
• When a boil starts out, it will be pea-sized. After a period of time, it will grow larger, fill with pus, and become more painful. The skin around the boil may also be swollen.
• The very top of the bump will eventually have a yellowish-white tip. This tip will eventually burst and begin leaking pus.
• Several boils together in a group are referred to as a carbuncle. If you have a carbuncle, you may also have a fever and not feel well in general.

You can usually treat small boils on your own at home. Small boils that can be treated at home can take anywhere from 2 days to 3 weeks to heal.

Here are a few tips for getting rid of a small boil:

• Avoid squeezing the boil or trying to drain it yourself. Doing so could lead the infection to spread or possibly cause a secondary infection of the boil.
• Place a warm, wet washcloth on the boil several times a day.
• Add some pressure by holding the washcloth in place without directly puncturing the boil.
• Once the boil ruptures naturally, keep it covered with a fresh, clean bandage or gauze. This will help keep the infection from spreading to other places.
• Wash your hands well after caring for your boil. This also helps prevent the infection from spreading.

If you have a large boil or a group of boils (carbunculosis), seek medical treatment. Only a healthcare professional can safely drain a large boil or carbuncle.

Sometimes a large boil becomes soft and won’t burst on its own. A healthcare professional can take care of this issue by carefully draining the boil.

In some cases, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help clear up the infection. This is especially true for face boils. They run a higher risk of complications like scarring or secondary infection.

If you have boils that keep returning more than three times in a year, you have recurrent furunculosis. Recurrent furunculosis usually spreads more easily, especially among members of the same household.

The boils of recurrent furunculosis often appear in areas where the skin folds. This includes:

• under the breasts
• under the stomach
• in the underarms
• in the groin area

Recurrent furunculosis must be treated by a doctor. Treatment options include antibiotics and surgical drainage.

Boils, even ones caused by recurrent furunculosis, usually have few complications.

The main complication is scarring.

Another complication is the possibility of recurrent furunculosis. See a doctor if you have recurrent boils in skin folds.

The development of a secondary infection isn’t as common. Secondary infection can lead to sepsis, which is the body’s reaction to bacteria in the blood. But sepsis is a very rare complication. You can avoid sepsis by getting proper treatment early.

Hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic condition that can resemble recurrent furunculosis. But it’s actually more serious.

Hidradenitis suppurativa can lead to scarring and worsening when it’s not recognized and treated appropriately. Possible treatment options include antibiotics and biologic drugs.

How to Pop a Boil: Should You Do It Yourself?

If you develop a boil, you may be tempted to pop it or lance it (open with a sharp instrument) at home.

Do not do this. Popping a boil may spread infection and make the boil worse.

Your boil may contain bacteria that could be dangerous if not properly treated. If your boil is painful or isn’t healing, have it checked by a healthcare professional. They may need to surgically open and drain the boil and prescribe antibiotics.

Boils are caused by inflammation of a hair follicle or sweat gland. Typically, the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus causes this inflammation.

A boil usually appears as a hard lump under the skin. It then develops into a firm balloon-like growth under the skin as it fills with pus.

A boil typically appears in crevices or places where sweat and oil can build up, such as:

• underarms
• waist area
• buttocks
• under breasts
• groin area

A boil commonly has a white or yellow center, which is caused by the pus inside it. The boil may spread to other areas of the skin. A cluster of boils connected to each other under the skin is called a carbuncle.

A boil can heal on its own. However, it may become more painful as pus continues to build in the lesion.

Instead of popping or picking at the boil, which can lead to infection, treat the boil with care. Follow these steps:

1. Use a clean, warm cloth to apply a compress to the boil. You can repeat this several times a day to encourage the boil to come to a head and drain.
2. Keep the area clean. Wash your hands after touching the affected area.
3. If the boil is painful, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
4. When open, the boil may weep or ooze liquid. Once the boil opens, cover it to prevent infection in the open wound. Use an absorbent gauze or pad to prevent the pus from spreading. Change the gauze or pad frequently.

If your boil doesn’t heal with home treatment, you may need to visit a doctor. Medical treatment may include:

• topical or oral antibiotics
• surgical incision
• tests to determine the cause of boil

Surgical treatment usually involves draining the boil. Your doctor will make a small incision in the face of the boil. They will use an absorbent material, such as gauze, to soak up pus inside the boil.

Do not attempt this at home. Your home isn’t a sterile environment like a hospital setting. You’re at risk of developing a more serious infection or scarring.

Call a doctor if your boil:

• worsens quickly
• is accompanied by fever
• hasn’t improved in 2 or more weeks
• is bigger than 2 inches across
• is accompanied by symptoms of infection

Resist the urge to pick at and pop your boil. Instead, apply warm compresses and keep the area clean.

If your boil doesn’t improve within 2 weeks or shows signs of serious infection, talk with a doctor or other healthcare professional. They may recommend lancing and draining the boil, and may prescribe antibiotics.

Last medically reviewed on June 15, 2022

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