A boil is a painful, pus-filled bump that forms under your skin when your hair follicles become infected by bacteria and get inflamed. A carbuncle is a cluster of boils (furuncles) that form a ...

A cyst is a sac or cavity that may be filled with pus, semi-solid material, or air. It doesn’t usually cause pain until it gets large. An abscess is a painful, red infection that’s filled with pus. A ...

On their own, boils are not contagious. However, the infection inside a boil can be contagious if it is caused by a staph bacteria. If you or someone close to you has a boil that is actively leaking ...

Bumps that appear on the body can be hard for the average person to detect. Is it a pimple? A boil? A mosquito bite? Dr. Amy Espy-Smith, the area medical director for Concentra, an urgent-care clinic ...