Written by Mobola Kukoyi, MD, MPH | Reviewed by Karla Robinson, MD
Key takeaways:
An abscess can occur anywhere in the body. A bacterial infection — usually Staphylococcus aureus (staph) — is the most common cause.
Many times you can treat an abscess at home with warm compresses, pressure, and proper wound care.
You may need to seek medical care if your abscess is not getting better. Signs of a worsening abscess are redness, continued increase in size, or a fever.
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An abscess is a collection of pus just underneath the surface of the skin. Sometimes it can form deeper in the fatty layer of skin. It typically shows up as a painful lump, and it usually needs some form of treatment.
An abscess can be a real pain, literally. And it can be hard to know what to do when you notice one. In most cases you can manage it at home. But there are some telltale signs that it’s time to seek medical attention to treat an abscess.
What causes an abscess?
The most common cause of an abscess is a break in the skin that allows bacteria to enter the body. The most common bacteria to form an abscess is Staphylococcus aureus (staph).
Your immune system tries to fight the bacteria and directs white blood cells (WBCs) to the area. The WBCs attack the bacteria. In the process, surrounding tissue can get damaged. This collection of WBCs, bacteria, and damaged tissue form pus.
Abscesses can form anywhere in the body. This includes your teeth, skin, or even internal organs. While it’s common to see an abscess after a break in the skin, this isn’t a necessary condition. It can also develop in areas of ingrown skin, which can occur with shaving.
An abscess can form in anyone. But there are some other factors that can increase your risk of abscess formation. These can include:
Inflammation of the skin (like eczema or psoriasis)
Edema (swelling of the skin)
Medical conditions that weaken the immune system (such as diabetes or HIV)
Peripheral vascular disease (poor blood flow)
Skin infections (like chickenpox or athlete’s foot)
Intravenous (IV) substance abuse
Close contact with others who have staph infection
How do you know if an abscess needs to be drained?
Most abscesses need to be drained. But, in some cases, you can treat them with antibiotics. This can also help an abscess drain on its own. Sometimes this basic treatment is enough for an abscess to resolve. But, if your abscess continues to get bigger and more painful, you’ll need to drain it.
Here are other signs you may need your abscess drained:
It has been more than 1 week, and it’s not getting better on its own.
The skin around the abscess is red and inflamed or showing signs of infection (cellulitis).
You have symptoms of a spreading infection — such as fever, chills, or fast heart rate.
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Can you drain an abscess at home?
It’s absolutely possible to drain an abscess at home. The smaller it is, the easier it will be to drain and manage. Here are some steps you can follow to drain an abscess at home:
Apply warm compresses to the area for 20 minutes. You can do this four times a day to prepare it for drainage.
Once you can see pus at the surface of the abscess, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. You can then apply gentle, manual pressure to drain the pus. Be sure to keep the area clean afterward.
Apply products like hydrocolloid patches. This can help your abscess drain and heal faster.
If you decide to drain your abscess at home, there are a few things you should know. It’s important to never stick any objects in your abscess to drain it. This can worsen your infection. If your abscess won’t open and drain on its own, you’ll need the help of your provider to open it.
You shouldn’t attempt to drain multiple abscesses at the same time. It’s often too painful to drain them all at once. You’ll need to seek the advice of your healthcare provider if you have more than one.
When should you seek medical care for an abscess?
While you can treat an abscess at home in many cases, you should always be prepared to contact your provider for help. Here are signs that you may need to seek treatment:
Your abscess does not respond to home care and continues to grow.
You develop fever or chills.
Your area of redness begins to spread.
You have multiple or recurrent abscesses.
If your provider decides they need to drain your abscess, you’ll likely need an incision and drainage. This is often a small, in-office procedure where your provider numbs the skin and uses a scalpel to cut open and drain the abscess.
Sometimes draining the abscess is enough to treat it. But there are situations where your provider may prescribe antibiotics. This usually depends on the complexity of the abscess. This includes:
Size
Location
Multiple pus pockets
Presence of significant cellulitis
How do you treat an abscess after it’s drained?
Whether you drain your abscess at home or a healthcare professional drains it in their office, you’ll have to care for it. Key steps include keeping the wound clean, dry, and covered with clean gauze.
You should change the dressing at least once or twice a day, or as your provider recommends. It’s also important to wash your hands thoroughly before and after dressing changes. This is to prevent infection from spreading to other parts of the body. Your provider will give you follow-up instructions on when it’s safe to remove the bandage and get the area wet.
What does it mean if your abscess returns?
If you’re having recurrent abscesses, you’ll need to visit your healthcare provider for an evaluation. They’ll be able to figure out the cause. Many conditions can cause recurrent abscesses, including:
MRSA (methicillin-resistant staph aureus) bacteria carrier: Your provider can test if you are a carrier by performing a nasal swab. If you have MRSA, they’ll prescribe antibiotics to help get rid of the bacteria.
Weakened immune system: Conditions such as diabetes, HIV, and cancer can put you at risk for frequent infections.
Improper shaving techniques: It’s a good idea to exfoliate before shaving, use a single blade and new razor each time, and shave in the direction of your hair growth. Shaving against the pattern of hair growth can cause irritation, infection, and abscesses.
Hidradenitis suppurativa: This is a condition that mimics a simple abscess. It can cause inflammation of the hair follicles that lead to an abscess.
How serious is an abscess?
Many times, an abscess is a “simple abscess.” This means it’s a pus collection that just needs to be drained and has no associated skin infection. And it may not need additional treatment with antibiotics. A simple abscess is not considered serious or an emergency.
But sometimes an abscess can get larger, deeper, or cause a serious bloodstream infection. If they recur, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition. This is why it’s important to seek medical attention if your abscess is not responding to home care.
The bottom line
In most cases, an abscess is not a serious condition. In fact, sometimes you can drain it at home. But it’s important to let your healthcare provider know if it doesn’t respond to treatment. That’s because an abscess may need to be surgically drained or treated with antibiotics to avoid a serious infection.
Let your provider know if you have an abscess that doesn’t seem to be getting better. Based on your medical history, they can develop a treatment plan that’s best for you.
References
Baiu, I., et al. (2018). Skin abscess. Journal of the American Medical Association.
Cheng, A. G., et al. (2011). A play in four acts: Staphylococcus aureus abscess formation. Trends in Microbiology.
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