A boil begins as a red, tender bump and can become a painful, pus-filled bump. To help a boil heal, apply a warm, moist compress for 10 minutes, three times a day. If a boil lasts over a week, you ...

Mark Gurarie is a writer covering health topics, technology, music, books, and culture. He also teaches health science and research writing at George Washington University's School of Medical and ...

A skin abscess or boil is a bump on or below the skin’s surface. It may look like a pimple but larger and deeper under the skin. Abscesses usually contain pus or clear fluid and can appear anywhere on ...

A painful bump on or around the ear may be a boil, which occurs when a bacterial skin infection develops in a hair follicle or oil gland. Over time, pus collects in the lump. Boil sometimes go away, ...