Boils (Furunculosis):
Information for adults

Warm compresses applied to the area for 20 minutes at least 3–4 times a day may ease the discomfort and help encourage the boil to drain. If the boil starts to drain, wash the area with antibacterial soap and apply some triple antibiotic ointment and a loose bandage. Repeat this process of cleansing and bandaging the area 2–3 times a day until the skin is healed.

Boils can be very contagious. Do not share clothing, towels, bedding, or sporting equipment with others while you have a boil. Wash your hands frequently with antibacterial hand soap to avoid spreading the infection to others.

Use an antibacterial soap on boil-prone areas when showering, and dry your skin thoroughly after bathing. Avoid tight-fitting clothing and activities that cause a great deal of sweating. 

Do not pop the boil yourself with a pin or needle. Doing so may make the infection worse.
See your doctor if:

• You have multiple boils or if the boil(s) increases in size or number.
• You have a fever or chills, severe pain, or otherwise feel unwell.
• The boil fails to drain.
• The area of redness surrounding the boil begins spreading.
• You have diabetes, a heart murmur, a problem with your immune system, or are taking immune-suppressing medications when you develop a boil.
• You have had repeated outbreaks of boils.

If you are currently being treated for a skin infection that has not improved after 2–3 days of antibiotics, return to your doctor.

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a strain of "staph" bacteria resistant to antibiotics in the penicillin family, which have been the cornerstone of antibiotic therapy for staph and skin infections for decades. CA-MRSA previously infected only small segments of the population, such as health care workers and persons using injection drugs. However, CA-MRSA is now a common cause of skin infections in the general population. While CA-MRSA bacteria are resistant to penicillin and penicillin-related antibiotics, most staph infections with CA-MRSA can be easily treated by health care practitioners using local skin care and commonly available non-penicillin-family antibiotics. Rarely, CA-MRSA can cause serious skin and soft tissue (deeper) infections. Staph infections typically start as small red bumps or pus-filled bumps, which can rapidly turn into deep, painful sores. If you see a red bump or pus-filled bump on the skin that is worsening or showing any signs of infection (ie, the area becomes increasingly painful, red, or swollen), see your doctor right away. Many people believe incorrectly that these bumps are the result of a spider bite when they arrive at the doctor's office. Your doctor may need to test (culture) infected skin for MRSA before starting antibiotics. If you have a skin problem that resembles a CA-MRSA infection or a culture that is positive for MRSA, your doctor may need to provide local skin care and prescribe oral antibiotics. To prevent spread of infection to others, infected wounds, hands, and other exposed body areas should be kept clean and wounds should be covered during therapy.