Furuncle in Child Pictures - 6 Photos & Images

A boil is a skin infection that starts in a hair follicle or oil gland. At first, the skin turns red in the area of the infection, and a tender lump develops. After four to seven days, the lump starts turning white as pus collects under the skin. If the infection spreads to the deeper tissues of the skin, then it becomes an abscess or furuncle. The most common places for boils to appear are on the face, neck, armpits, shoulders, and buttocks. If several boils appear in a group, this is a more serious type of infection called a carbuncle.

Boils are usually caused by a bacteria called Staphylococcus (staph). Most staph infections develop into abscesses and can become serious very quickly. This germ can be present on normal skin and enters the body through tiny breaks in the skin or by traveling down a hair to the follicle. Certain health problems make people more susceptible to skin infections such as boils. Examples are
diabetes,
problems with the immune system,
poor nutrition,
poor hygiene, and
exposure to harsh chemicals that irritate the skin.

A boil starts as a hard, red, painful lump usually less than an inch in size. Over the next few days, the lump becomes softer, larger, and more painful. Soon a pocket of pus forms on the top of the boil. Signs of a more advanced infection are
the skin around the boil becomes red, painful, and swollen;
more boils may appear around the original one;
a fever develops; and
the lymph nodes near the boil become swollen.