Conditions
Boils: what to do and when a boil needs draining
A boil is an infection of a hair follicle that forms a red, hard, painful lump that fills with pus. It is usually caused by staph bacteria. Don’t squeeze it: use warm compresses. The doctor evaluates it by video, tells you whether it needs to be drained in person and, if appropriate, prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy.
Is it an emergency? Call 911.
Is this an emergency?
This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- High fever with chills, or you feel very unwell
- A red, warm area around the boil that spreads fast, or red streaks coming from it
- A boil in the middle of the face with fever or swelling around the eye
- A boil if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system and you feel unwell
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At a glance
Boil
Common symptoms
- A red, swollen, painful lump on the skin
- A white or yellow tip of pus in the center
- Pain that grows as it fills with pus and eases when it drains
- Itching before the lump appears
- Tiredness, fever or feeling unwell in some cases
- Other names
- Furuncle · Skin abscess · Carbuncle
- Treatment
- Warm compresses; drainage in person if large; antibiotic only when the medical evaluation calls for it
- Possible complication
- Infection spreading to the surrounding skin (cellulitis)
On this page(8)
What is a boil?
A boil (furuncle) is an infection of a hair follicle and the skin around it. It is usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. It starts as a red, tender, swollen spot, and over a few days it feels like a small water-filled balloon with a white or yellow tip. It can be the size of a pea or as large as a golf ball. When the infection involves a group of follicles, it is called a carbuncle.
Some boils are caused by antibiotic-resistant staph (MRSA). It spreads through contact with infected skin or with things that touched it, such as towels or sports gear. That is why it is more common in athletes, children in school and day care, and crowded settings. A MRSA infection can be mistaken for a spider bite.
How we treat a boil by video
You see Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, a Puerto Rico–licensed general practice physician with several years of emergency-department experience, in English or Spanish. A boil is diagnosed by how it looks: show it on camera in good light, or send photos through the secure link we send you. The doctor asks how long you’ve had it, whether you have a fever and whether you’ve had others before.
From there she evaluates, diagnoses and treats. If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. A large or deep boil often needs to be opened and drained, and that is done in person: if that is your case, the doctor tells you where to go. See also can telehealth prescribe antibiotics.
We see adults and children of all ages; patients under 21 need a parent or legal guardian on camera with ID. You need to be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit.
Your doctor
Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD
General practice physician
Several years of emergency-department experience.
Founding Executive Director of The Health Initiative.
Your visit in 3 steps
Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text.
Request your visit.
Book a visit and choose "Doctor visit". You pay by card when you request it.
See the doctor by video.
We send you a secure video link. It works on your phone, tablet or computer.
Get your plan.
If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. If it needs draining, we tell you where to go.
What the visit costs
A boil is handled in a US$79 doctor visit, the same price for every age, with no membership. You pay by card when you request the visit, and you get a full refund if the visit can’t take place. If it needs draining in person, that place charges separately. It is part of our virtual urgent care. See all prices.
Boil symptoms
The most common signs are:
- A red, swollen, painful lump on the skin
- A white or yellow tip of pus in the center
- Pain that grows as it fills with pus and eases when it drains
- Itching before the lump appears
- Tiredness, fever or feeling unwell in some cases
Boil treatment, and when a lab test is ordered
A boil usually needs to open and drain to heal, and that most often happens within about 2 weeks. At home, put warm, moist compresses on it several times a day to help it drain and heal faster, and keep using them after it opens.
Never squeeze or cut a boil open at home: it can spread the infection. Cover it with a clean bandage, change it often, and throw used bandages away in a sealed bag. Wash your hands before and after touching it, don’t share towels, and wash clothes and sheets that touched it in hot water. Antibacterial soaps and creams help little once a boil has formed.
If the boil is large or comes back, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, if appropriate. If you keep getting boils, the doctor looks for the cause and, if she finds it useful, gives you a lab order, for example to check your blood sugar, and goes over the results with you in a follow-up visit.
When to get in-person care or go to the ER
Get seen in person soon if the boil is in the middle of your face or on your spine, if you have a fever, or if it is very large or not better within a week. For your safety, go to the emergency room or call 911 if you have any of these signs; see also cellulitis:
- High fever with chills, or you feel very unwell
- A red, warm area around the boil that spreads fast, or red streaks coming from it
- A boil in the middle of the face with fever or swelling around the eye
- A boil if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system and you feel unwell
How we care for you
We evaluate, diagnose and treat; if needed, we give you a lab order for a lab near you.
We see adults and children of all ages. Patients under 21: a parent with patria potestad (parental authority) or a legal guardian is on camera for the whole visit and shows photo ID.
Real-time video visit. We send you a secure video link. It works on your phone, tablet or computer.
If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. We do not prescribe controlled substances.
You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors, tourists and cruise passengers are welcome).
In an emergency, call 911.
Frequently asked questions
Can a boil be treated by video?
Can I pop a boil myself?
Why do I keep getting boils?
Is a boil contagious?
About this page
Author: The Health Initiative
Medical care provided by Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD (PR license 24027)
Disclosure: Founding Executive Director of The Health Initiative
Published: 2026-10-02 · Updated: 2026-10-02
Sources (2)
- Boils (MedlinePlus, NIH) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- About MRSA (CDC) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)