Skin abscess
A skin abscess is a closed pocket of pus that forms in the tissues in response to infection.
Prescription request online
A doctor will review your case and issue a prescription if medically appropriate.
Talk to a doctor online
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps with a doctor online.
On this page
Medicines commonly prescribed for Skin abscess
For informational purposes only. Always consult a doctor before using any medicine.
Dosage form: TABLET, 875/125 mgActive substance: amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitorManufacturer: Kern Pharma S.L.Prescription requiredDosage form: TABLET, 500 mg/125 mgActive substance: amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitorManufacturer: Laboratorios Support Pharma S.L.Prescription requiredDosage form: TABLET, 875 mg/125 mgActive substance: amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitorManufacturer: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Europe) B.V.Prescription required
A skin abscess is a closed pocket of pus that forms in the tissues in response to infection. From the outside it looks like a firm, painful lump with tight, warm skin over it. Small ones sometimes open by themselves, but it is not worth counting on that: trapped pus needs a way out, and that is a job for a clinician.
How to recognise one
- a rounded lump under the skin that hurts when pressed;
- tight, warm skin above it — reddened on pale skin, harder to judge on brown and black skin, where swelling and pain are the better guide;
- over a few days the centre softens: that is where the pus is collecting;
- it may discharge pus, sometimes with an unpleasant smell;
- fever and a general feeling of illness sometimes follow.
An abscess can appear anywhere, most often in the armpits, groin, buttocks, neck and around the tailbone, and also beside a nail or a hair follicle.
When to see a clinician
- the lump is painful and getting bigger over a few days;
- fever or chills appear, or the redness spreads beyond the lump itself;
- it sits on the face, the neck, the groin or next to a joint;
- you have diabetes, take medication that suppresses the immune system, or are having chemotherapy;
- the lump is hard, will not move, or has been there longer than two weeks — any lump like that needs looking at, painless or not.
Spreading redness together with fever is a reason to be seen the same day, not to keep watching.
What not to do
Do not try to squeeze or lance it yourself. Doing so pushes the infection deeper into the tissues and towards the bloodstream, and on the face and neck that is particularly risky because of the vessels nearby. Applying heat does not help either — it speeds the inflammation on its way.
Treatment
The mainstay is incision and drainage. Under local anaesthetic the clinician makes a small cut, lets the pus out and cleans the cavity. It takes a few minutes and the relief is almost immediate. Sometimes a drain is left in so that the contents keep escaping.
Antibiotics are not always needed: for an established abscess they do not replace drainage, because the drug barely penetrates a pocket of pus. They are added when inflammation has spread into the surrounding skin, when there is fever, when the immune system is weakened, or when the abscess sits somewhere delicate.
After drainage it matters that dressings are changed as instructed and the wound is kept dry until it closes.
Why it happens
The cause is bacteria, usually staphylococci. They live on the skin all the time without causing trouble, but once they get inside through a cut, a graze, a bite, an ingrown hair or an inflamed follicle, they set off a pus-forming infection.
The risk is higher with diabetes, excess weight, smoking, skin conditions such as eczema, frequent shaving and aggressive hair removal, and in any condition that weakens immunity.
Common questions
Can it clear up on its own? A small pus-filled spot sometimes opens by itself. An established abscess usually needs draining.
Is it contagious? The abscess itself does not spread, but the bacteria behind it pass between people through close contact and shared towels and razors.
Why do I keep getting them? Recurrent abscesses can point to carrying staphylococcus, to diabetes or to a skin condition. In that situation it is worth investigating rather than treating each episode separately.
Online consultation
In an online appointment a doctor can review your description and photographs, say whether urgent drainage is needed and where to go, clarify whether antibiotics are warranted, and look into why abscesses keep coming back. Drainage itself is always done in person.
This article is for general information and does not replace a consultation with a doctor.
Consult with a doctor about Skin abscess
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps with a doctor online.
Medically reviewed by
Reviewed on Jul 16, 2026
Online doctors for Skin abscess
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps for Skin abscess with a doctor online.
