A skin abscess may appear on any part of the body. However, abscesses most commonly develop on the back, face, chest, or buttocks. Skin abscesses can also appear in areas of hair growth, such as the underarms or groin.
Most skin abscesses are harmless and may go away without treatment. Sometimes, skin abscesses are more difficult to treat and may require laceration or drainage.
There are cases in which an abscess can lead to serious, potentially life-threatening complications if left untreated. Staphylococcus is the most common bacterial cause of skin abscesses.
A skin abscess can be the result of a bacterial infection that occurs when Staphylococcus aureus bacteria enter the body through a hair follicle or through a wound or injury that has punctured or broken the skin. Infected hair follicles, or folliculitis , may cause abscesses to form in the follicle.
Follicles can become infected if the hair within the follicle is trapped and unable to break through the skin, as can happen after shaving.
Trapped hair follicles are commonly known as ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs can set the stage for an infection. Abscesses that are on or in a hair follicle will often contain this ingrown hair.
An abscess often appears as a bump on the skin, similar to a pimple. However, it can grow over time and resemble a cyst filled with fluid. Depending on the cause of the abscess, other symptoms may also be present.
These symptoms may include:. You can often treat it at home. A cavity is created, which fills with pus to form an abscess. The pus contains a mixture of dead tissue, white blood cells and bacteria.
The abscess may get larger and more painful as the infection continues and more pus is produced. Some types of staphylococcal bacteria produce a toxin called Panton-Valentine leukocidin PVL , which kills white blood cells.
This causes the body to make more cells to keep fighting the infection and can lead to repeated skin infections. When pus collects and can't drain out, the area forms a painful abscess. Abscesses usually are red, swollen, and warm to the touch, and might leak fluid.
They can develop on top of the skin, under the skin, in a tooth, or even deep inside the body. On top of the skin, an abscess might look like an unhealed wound or a pimple; underneath the skin, it may create a swollen bump. The area can be painful and tender.
Kids are more prone to abscesses because they're less likely to clean and care for their cuts and other wounds, putting them at risk for these types of infections. Foreign objects that get inside a wound, like sand or clothing fibers, also can lead to abscesses, as can irritated hair follicles.
Most abscesses can be treated at home. Make sure your child avoids touching, pushing, popping, or squeezing the abscess because that can spread the infection or push it deeper inside the body, making things worse. Prevent the spread of infection by not letting your child share clothes, towels, washcloths, sheets, or anything else that may have touched the abscess.
To help the abscess open up and drain, try applying a warm compress. You can make a compress by wetting a washcloth with warm not hot water and placing it over the abscess for several minutes.
There is swelling and intense pain under the tongue and in the neck. In severe cases, the patient may find it hard to breathe. Patients are treated with antibiotics. Maxillary sinusitis: The bacteria spread into small spaces behind the cheekbones, called the maxillary sinuses. This is not a serious condition but can be painful. The patient may develop a fever and have tender cheeks.
Sometimes the condition resolves on its own. Depending on the severity, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
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