Symptoms

A skin abscess often appears as a swollen, pus-filled lump under the surface of the skin. You may also have other symptoms of an infection, such as a high temperature and chills. It is more difficult to identify an abscess inside the body, but signs include:

• pain in the affected area
• a high temperature
• generally feeling unwell

Diagnosis

See your Doctor if you think you may have an abscess. They can examine a skin abscess or refer you to a hospital if you may have an internal abscess.

There are several tests available to help diagnose an abscess, depending on where it is located.

Causes

Most abscesses are caused by a bacterial infection.

When bacteria enter your body, your immune system sends infection-fighting white blood cells to the affected area. As the white blood cells attack the bacteria, some nearby tissue dies, creating a hole that then becomes filled with pus to form an abscess. The pus contains a mixture of dead tissue, white blood cells and bacteria.

Internal abscesses often develop as a complication of an existing condition, such as an infection elsewhere in your body. For example, if your appendix bursts as a result of appendicitis, bacteria can spread inside your tummy (abdomen) and cause an abscess to form. 

Prevention

Most skin abscesses are caused by bacteria getting into a minor wound, the root of a hair, or a blocked oil or sweat gland. Ensuring that your skin is clean, healthy, and largely free of bacteria can help reduce the risk of skin abscesses developing.

You can reduce the risk of bacteria spreading by:

• washing your hands regularly
• encouraging people in your family to wash their hands regularly
• using separate towels and not sharing baths
• waiting until your skin abscess is fully treated and healed before using any communal equipment, such as gym equipment, saunas, or swimming pools

Do not squeeze the pus out of the abscess yourself, because this can easily spread the bacteria to other areas of your skin. If you use tissues to wipe any pus away from your abscess, dispose of them immediately to avoid germs spreading. Wash your hands after you have disposed of the tissues.

Take care when shaving your face, legs, underarm areas, or bikini area to avoid nicking your skin. Do not share razors or toothbrushes.

It may also help to reduce your risk of skin abscesses by:

• maintaining a healthy, balanced diet 
• losing weight if you are overweight or obese
• stopping smoking

It is difficult to prevent internal abscesses, as they are often complications of other conditions.

Abscesses can be treated in a number of different ways, depending on the type of abscess and how large it is.

The main treatment options include:

• antibiotics 
• a drainage procedure
• surgery

A small skin abscess may drain naturally, or simply shrink, dry up and disappear without any treatment. However, larger abscesses may need to be treated with antibiotics to clear the infection, and the pus may need to be drained. This will usually be done either by inserting a needle through your skin or by making a small incision in the skin over the abscess.

If you have had multiple skin abscesses, you may be asked to give a urine sample. This will be tested for glucose, which is a sign of diabetes. People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing skin abscesses. If you have recurring boils and abscesses, your Doctor may ask the laboratory to test the bacteria further to see if it is producing Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin. Additional treatments may be recommended, such as a body wash or an antibiotic cream, to stop these bacteria from living on the body.