“I have a large boil and I wish it would pop,” a myHSteam member wrote. “I used to pop them, but is it good to pop boils?” Most people want boils to go away quickly, but it’s also important that they heal safely to avoid complications. If you’re wondering about natural remedies or how to help a boil drain at home, here’s what you need to know.

What’s a Boil?

A boil, also called a furuncle, is a pocket under the skin that fills with pus, forming a lump or bump. They’re often painful and can cause discoloration — the area may look red, brown, or purple, depending on your skin tone. Boils usually start small but can grow up to 2 inches across as they fill with pus. Most of the time, they drain on their own.

Boils are most often caused by a type of bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus (staph). Bacteria get into your skin or a hair follicle through small openings in your skin, like cuts or bugbites. They can show up anywhere on your body, including on parts of your genitals like your vulva.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Sometimes, boils are caused by a chronic skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). This isn’t a bacterial infection. HS is linked to problems with the immune system and hair follicles that lead to inflammation and boils. If you have recurring boils in areas like your armpits, groin, or under your breasts, you should talk to a dermatologist about HS. Because HS flares can come and go, the boils it causes may appear and disappear over time.

How To Help a Boil Drain at Home

You should never squeeze a boil or try to pop it at home. In addition to being very painful, if your boil is caused by a staph infection, popping it can cause the infection to spread to other parts of your body. This can make the infection worse than the one you started with. If it spreads, you may develop serious complications, like sepsis. Sepsis is a severe reaction to infection, with symptoms like fever, low blood pressure, a high pulse, and fast breathing. You should also avoid injecting anything into a boil.

The best home treatment for a boil is to apply warm compresses to it regularly. Make a warm compress by soaking a small towel or a washcloth in warm water and placing it on the boil. Make sure it’s not too hot so you don’t get burned. Wring out any extra water so it doesn’t drip all over the place. You can also place a waterproof heating pad over a damp washcloth or towel, if that’s easier.

Hold your warm compress on the boil for 10 to 15 minutes, three or four times every day. If the compress gets cool, simply soak it in warm water again.

The moist heat will help your boil open and drain on its own, though it can take between five and seven days for this to work. If you’re wondering how to make a boil heal faster, this is the safest way.

Self-Care for Boil Pain

Boils can be painful. If you’re in enough pain that it’s interfering with your daily life, you can take over-the-counter painkillers. You should follow the directions on the packaging. If you talk to a doctor and they give you different instructions, you should follow those instead.

Self-Care After a Boil Drains

Your boil needs some care even after it starts draining. Keep using moist heat on your boil regularly for about three days after it opens. When you don’t have heat on it, you should have a clean bandage covering it to keep the infection from spreading. Change the bandage at least once a day, washing the area with soap and water before covering it again.

Home Remedies for Keeping Boils Away

If your boil was caused by a staph infection, there are some things you can do to help keep it from coming back. Ramping up your personal hygiene can help prevent boils by limiting the spread of bacteria. You may want to wash your hands frequently, bathe or shower every day, and thoroughly clean any cuts or bites.

If you live with other people, make sure you don’t share things that touch your skin. This includes razors, towels, and similar items. You may also want to wash all of your towels and your bedding once a week at the highest temperature your washing machine offers. Do this for at least a few weeks after you have a boil, or for longer if your boils keep coming back and your dermatologist thinks they’re caused by bacteria.

Medical Help for Boils

Sometimes, you might need medical care to treat boils. A doctor can prescribe antibiotics or perform a safe procedure called incision and drainage to open the boil and let it heal properly. These medical treatments are only available from a doctor.

You'll also need to see a doctor if you think you have HS. It can be hard for healthcare professionals to know the difference between HS and a boil caused by an infection, so you may need to see a dermatologist who specializes in the condition to get your diagnosis. A dermatologist can prescribe medications to treat HS and help you control the disease so you have fewer flares.

When To Seek Immediate Care

Boils are not usually an urgent problem, but there are times when you might need immediate care. You should get medical attention for a boil if:

• It’s getting worse quickly.
• You develop a fever.
• You’re in severe pain.
• It gets bigger despite caring for it.
• It doesn’t heal within two weeks.
• It’s located on your face or is affecting how you see.
• You have a group of boils close together or a cluster of boils (called a carbuncle).
• You know that your immune system is compromised, usually by another medical condition.

You may need to go to the hospital if the skin infection is spreading quickly or if you’re in extreme pain.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On myHSteam, people share their experiences with hidradenitis suppurativa, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What home remedies or tips have helped you with a boil? Let others know in the comments below.