Transcript Boils and Carbuncles - Shorecrest Preparatory School Florida

Boils and Carbuncles
Alex Rosenbluth
General info
Boils and Carbuncles are puss-filled bumps
under the skin
 They occur when bacteria infect and
inflame hair follicles
 A carbuncle is a cluster of boils

Boil Symptoms
A boil appears as a red or pink bump ½ to
¾ inches in diameter
 In a few days, it fills with pus and grows
larger and more painful
 They can appear anywhere, but most
commonly on the face, neck, armpits,
buttocks or thighs

Carbuncle Symptoms
Cluster of boils that occur on the back of
the neck, shoulders or thighs
 Cause more severe infection than boils do
 Develop more slowly and heal slower than
boils do
 Carbuncles can occur with fever,
headache, and fatigue

Causes of Boils/Carbuncles
Form when hair follicles become infected
with staph bacteria
 Staph bacteria enters through a cut,
scratch, or other break in the skin
 White blood cells rush to the sight,
causing inflammation and the formation of
pus

Treatments
A doctor can drain a boil or carbuncle by
making a small incision in the tip
 Boils that can’t be drained can be covered
in gauze so that the pus may continue to
drain
 Antibiotics can also help to heal the
infection

Bibliography
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/boilsand-carbuncles/DS00466
 http://www.diagnoseme.com/cond/C120793.html
 http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/W/9
339/31160.html
