Skin abscess

Find out about skin abscesses, including how they look and feel, what treatment you may need, and what causes them.

A skin abscess is a painful lump on the skin that contains pus. Some abscesses go away by themselves, but you may need to get treatment from a GP.

A skin abscess is a lump or swelling on your skin that contains pus. There are different types and they can appear anywhere on your body.

A skin abscess may feel painful and warm. The middle of the lump may feel soft when touched.

Pus may leak from the abscess and you may also have a high temperature.

On white skin, an abscess will often appear red. The colour of an abscess may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Some skin abscesses go away by themselves, but it’s important to know when to get medical help.

See a GP if you have:

  • a lump that is getting bigger
  • a lump that is hard and does not move
  • a lump or swelling in your breast
  • a lump and you have a weakened immune system or a long-term condition such as diabetes
  • a lump anywhere on your body that does not go away, or you are worried about

A GP can check what could be causing the lump and if you need treatment.

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have:

  • a lump that is painful, red or hot, or you feel hot, cold or shivery
  • swelling or redness spreading away from the lump – the redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin

You can call 111 or get help from NHS 111 online.

Treatment for a skin abscess will depend on what type of abscess you have.

The abscess may need to be drained to get rid of the pus. This usually involves a small operation to make a cut in the skin which will allow the pus to drain. You may be given a local anaesthetic so you do not feel any pain when the abscess is drained.

You may also be given antibiotics after the surgery if the abscess is infected.

Smaller abscesses that do not contain much pus may be treated with antibiotics instead of surgery.

Skin abscesses are usually caused by an infection.

It's normal to have bacteria on your skin without it causing an infection. However, bacteria can sometimes get into your skin, for example through a cut or along a hair follicle. This can cause pus to form, creating an abscess.

You may be more likely to get skin abscesses if you:

  • smoke
  • are living with obesity
  • have diabetes
  • are between 15 and 40 years old
  • have a skin condition or inflammation such as eczema