Medical Treatment

If the boil is large, your health-care provider may need to open it up and drain the pus. This is done with a scalpel after the area of the boil is numbed with a local anesthetic.

If the infection is deep, your doctor may put some gauze in the incision to keep it open and draining. The gauze is usually removed in two days.

If there are concerns about the seriousness of the infection, blood tests may be needed. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics if the infection is severe. If the boil is drained, a culture may be done to determine the type of bacteria causing the infection and to assess if an appropriate antibiotic was given.