Care Advice
Treatment for a Boil (painful red lump larger than ½ inch or 12 mm across)
- What You Should Know About Boils:
- A boil is a Staph infection of a hair follicle.
- It is not a serious infection.
- Boils should be seen by a doctor for treatment.
- The doctor can tell if it needs to be drained and when to do it.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
- Moist Heat:
- Heat can help bring the boil "to a head," so it can be drained.
- Apply a warm, wet washcloth to the boil. Do this for 15 minutes 3 times a day.
- Pain Medicine:
- Until it drains, all boils are painful.
- To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Use as needed.
- Opening the Boil - Done Only by a Doctor:
- The main treatment of boils is to open them and drain the pus.
- Then, boils will usually heal on their own.
- Draining the boil must always be done in a medical setting.
- Caution - Do Not Squeeze:
- Do not squeeze a boil or try to open a boil yourself.
- Reason: this can force bacteria into the bloodstream or cause more boils.
- Squeezing a boil on the face can be very harmful.
- Antibiotics By Mouth:
- Antibiotics may or may not be helpful. Your doctor will decide.
- If prescribed, take the antibiotic as directed.
- Pus Precautions:
- Pus or other drainage from an open boil contains lots of Staph bacteria.
- Once a boil is opened it will drain pus for 3 to 4 days. Then it will slowly heal up.
- Cover all draining boils with a clean, dry bandage. A gauze pad and tape work well.
- Change the bandage twice daily.
- Clean the skin around the boil with an antibacterial soap each time.
- Carefully throw the bandage away in the regular trash.
- Wash your hands well after any contact with the boil, drainage or the bandage.
- What to Expect:
- Without treatment, the body will slowly wall off the Staph infection.
- After about a week, the center of the boil will fill with pus. It will become soft.
- The skin over the boil then develops a large pimple. This is known as "coming to a head."
- The boil is now ready for draining by your doctor.
- Without draining, it will open and drain by itself in 3 or 4 days.
- Return to School or Child Care:
- Closed boils cannot spread to others.
- Children with a closed boil can go to school or child care.
- The pus or drainage in open boils can spread infection to others.
- For open boils, the drainage needs to be fully covered with a dry bandage. If not, stay home until it heals up (most often 1 week).
- Return to Sports:
- Children with a closed boil may be able to play sports.
- Children with an open boil cannot return to contact sports until drainage has stopped.
- Check with the team's trainer, if there is one.
- Call Your Doctor If:
- Fever occurs
- Redness spreads beyond the boil
- Boil becomes larger than 2 inches (5 cm) across
- Boil comes to a head (soft pus-colored center)
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Treatment for a Small Tender Red Lump (less than ½ inch or 12 mm across)
- What You Should Know About a Small Tender Red Lump:
- A small red lump most often is a minor infection of a hair follicle.
- It may or may not become a boil.
- Use an antibiotic ointment to keep it from getting worse. No prescription is needed.
- Apply it to the red lump 3 times per day.
- Pain Medicine:
- If painful, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Use as needed.
- Caution - Do Not Squeeze:
- Do not squeeze skin lump. Reason: squeezing it can force bacteria into the skin.
- Call Your Doctor If:
- Red lump becomes larger or bigger than ½ inch (12 mm)
- Not improved after using antibiotic ointment for 3 days
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse