Home page Boils Boils, referred to as furuncles by medical professionals, are round pus filled bumps on the skin that result from infection with the bacteria staphylococcus aureus . The infection begins in the deepest portion of a hair follicle, and then the bacteria bore into the skin's deeper layers and the inflammation spreads. Poor nutrition , illness that has depressed immune function, diabetes mellitus, and the use of immunosuppressive drugs are common contributing factors. This disorder is common, especially among children and adolescents.
Boils often appear on the scalp, buttocks, face, or underarms.
They are red colored, tender, and painful, and appear suddenly. Within twenty-four hours, a boil will become red and filled with pus. Both fever and swelling of the lymph glands nearest the boil may occur. Boils are contagious. The pus that drains when a boil opens can contaminate nearby skin, causing new boils, or can enter the bloodstream and spread to other body parts.