A boil is a hard and painful lump that fills with pus. Most boils go away on their own. See a GP if you keep getting them.
Check if you have a boil
![A boil in its early stages on white skin. It is a raised dark pink lump with a raised yellow and white centre.](https://assets.nhs.uk/nhsuk-cms/images/C0018534-Boil_crop.width-320.png)
![A boil on white skin leaking pus. The lump is raised, with yellow pus at the centre. The surrounding skin is red and bleeding.](https://assets.nhs.uk/nhsuk-cms/images/S_1017_boil_M1200077.width-320.jpg)
![A boil about 2cm wide on the wrist of a person with dark brown skin. It is raised and the skin around it is darker.](https://assets.nhs.uk/nhsuk-cms/images/M1200014-Boil_in_the_skin_of_the_wrist_2nd_edi.width-320.png)
![A group of boils growing together (carbuncle) on the neck on white skin. It's leaking yellow pus and the surrounding skin is red.](https://assets.nhs.uk/nhsuk-cms/images/A_1017_carbuncle_A7911G.width-320.jpg)
Things you can do to help boils
There are things you can do to treat boils yourself and stop them coming back.
Do
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soak a clean cloth in warm water and hold it against the boil for 10 minutes 4 times a day
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clean the area around the boil with antibacterial soap if pus comes out
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cover the area with a dressing or gauze until it heals
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bathe or shower every day and wash your hands regularly
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take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease the pain
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wash your towels and bedding at least once a week at high temperature
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try to lose weight if you are very overweight and have boils between folds of your skin
Don’t
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do not pick, squeeze or pierce a boil
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do not share your towel with other people until the boil has gone
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do not go to a swimming pool or gym until the boil has gone – you could pass the infection on to others
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
- you've had a boil for 2 weeks and the things you've tried are not helping
- you keep getting boils
- you have a group of boils (carbuncle)
Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have a boil and:
- it is on your face
- the skin around your boil feels hot, painful and swollen
- you feel hot and shivery
- you have a weakened immune system – this could be from taking treatments such as steroids, or having a condition like diabetes
You can call 111 or get help from NHS 111 online.
Treatment for boils
A GP can check if you need treatment.
You may need:
- a small procedure to drain the boil to get rid of the pus
- antibiotics
Causes of boils
You may be more likely to get boils if you have a long-term condition that affects your immune system, such as diabetes or HIV.
You may also be more likely to get boils if:
- you're a man
- you've been in close contact with someone with boils
- you have certain skin conditions, such as eczema
- you take certain medicines, such as steroids
- you’re living with obesity or malnutrition
Carbuncles are less common and mostly affect middle-aged men.
Page last reviewed: 20 June 2023
Next review due: 20 June 2026