A boil begins as a red, tender bump and can become a painful, pus-filled bump. To help a boil heal, apply a warm, moist compress for 10 minutes, three times a day. If a boil lasts over a week, you ...

A boil, also known as a furuncle, is a swollen, pus-filled growth on the skin that occurs when bacteria—even those normally found on your body—infect a group of hair follicles. Boils commonly develop ...

Mark Gurarie is a writer covering health topics, technology, music, books, and culture. He also teaches health science and research writing at George Washington University's School of Medical and ...