Folliculitis, Boils, Carbuncles

Folliculitis is inflammation of hair follicles due to infection, injury, or irritation. It is characterized by tender, red bumps that form around hair follicles, often on the neck, breasts, buttocks, and face.

Boils are pus-filled lesions that are painful and usually firm. Boils are often located in the waist area, groin, buttocks, and under the arm.

Carbuncles are clusters of boils connected under the skin.  These are typically found on the back of the neck or thigh.

What are the symptoms of folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles?

The following are the most common symptoms of folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles. However, each child may experience symptoms differently.

Symptoms for folliculitis may include:

• Pus in the hair follicle
• Irritated and red hair follicles
• Tenderness or itch in some cases

Symptoms for boils may include:

• Localized skin swelling with overlying redness, skin warmth and tenderness
• Whitish, bloody discharge from the boil
• Fever in some cases

Symptoms for carbuncles (clusters of boils) may include:

• Localized skin swellings with overlying redness, skin warmth and tenderness
• Whitish, bloody discharge from the boils
• Fever in some cases

The symptoms of folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles may resemble other skin conditions. Always consult your child's doctor for a diagnosis.

How are folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles diagnosed?

Diagnosis of folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles are made by your child's doctor after a thorough medical history and physical examination. After examining the lesions, your child's doctor may culture the wounds (obtain a sample of the drainage of the wound, allow it to grow in the laboratory, and identify specific bacteria) to help verify the diagnosis and to help in selecting the best treatment.

Treatment for folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles

Specific treatment for folliculitis, boils, and carbuncles will be determined by your child's doctor based on:

• Your child's age, overall health, and medical history
• Extent of the condition
• Expectations for the course of the condition

Treatment may include:

• Topical antibiotics (for folliculitis)
• For carbuncles and boils, a warm compress may be used to help promote drainage of the lesion
• Incision and drainage procedure to drain pus from boils and carbuncles
• Oral or intravenous (IV) antibiotics to treat the infection

Keeping the skin clean helps to prevent these conditions from occurring.