Furuncle on Back Pictures - 7 Photos & Images

Boils are very common. They are most often caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. They can also be caused by other types bacteria or fungi found on the skin's surface. Damage to the hair follicle allows the infection to grow deeper into the follicle and the tissues under it. Boils may occur in the hair follicles anywhere on the body. They are most common on the face, neck, armpit, buttocks, and thighs. There can be one or many boils.

A boil may begin as a tender, pinkish-red, swollen, firm area in the skin. Over time, it will feel like a water-filled balloon or cyst. Pain gets worse as it fills with pus and dead tissue. Pain lessens when the boil drains. A boil may drain on its own. More often, the boil needs to be opened to drain.

The main symptoms of a boil include:
A bump about the size of a pea but may be as large as a golf ball
White or yellow centers (pustules)
Spreading to other skin areas or joining with other boils
Quick growth
Weeping, oozing, or crusting
Other symptoms may include:
Fatigue
Fever
General ill-feeling
Itching before the boil develops
Skin redness around the boil