Folliculitis tends to become a long-term problem where the hair follicles are deepest in the skin, such as the beard area. Stiff hairs may curl and reenter the skin, producing irritation even without substantial infection. They most frequently form on the neck, breasts, face, and buttocks but are particularly painful when they form around the nose or ears or on the fingers. Boils usually have pus in the center. Often a white, slightly bloody substance oozes from the boil.
Carbuncles are clusters of boils that result in extensive sloughing of skin and scar formation.
Carbuncles develop and heal more slowly than single boils and may lead to fever and fatigue because they are a more serious infection. They appear most frequently in men and most commonly on the back of the neck. Older people, people with diabetes, and those with serious medical conditions are more prone to carbuncles. Treatment Keeping the skin clean, preferably with liquid soap containing an antibacterial agent, is the best way to prevent these infections or their spread to others. Moist heat helps collect the pus and can make a single boil drain spontaneously.