Boils and abscesses are essentially different words for the same condition – a skin infection with a collection of pus below the skin. A boil may appear in an oil gland, a sweat gland or anywhere beneath the surface of your skin. Some common areas of the body where you may find a boil are the face, neck, armpits, shoulders or buttocks. A boil that appears on the eyelid is called a sty. Symptoms include the appearance of a red, swollen, tender lump, possibly accompanied by a fever and swollen lymph nodes.
People often confuse boils and abscesses with cysts. Cysts are a non-infected enlargement of the normal structures of the body. A good example is a sebaceous cyst, which is just an inflammation of the sebaceous gland (oil glands of the skin.) Sebaceous cysts are where many abscesses begin, if they persist they can become infected.
If you think you’re developing a boil or you’re feeling any kind of discomfort, stop by your local vybe urgent care and be seen today.