Causes
An abscess is an infection caused by a bacteria (usually Staphylococcus aureus), which invades a skin pore.
Children are more at risk of getting an abscess if they have a cut, scratch or abrasion, or if they have eczema that’s broken the skin’s surface.
Symptoms
At first, you’ll notice a painful, reddened lump. Over a few days, the lump will become redder and more painful. Pus then forms. After several days, the abscess comes to a head. It will either burst itself naturally or need to be lanced and drained by your doctor, under sterile conditions. The most common locations for abscesses include the face, throat, armpits, groin and buttocks.
Treatment
It’s important to wash your hands if you touch an abscess because the pus is infectious.
You should always get a doctor to lance or drain an abscess if it doesn’t burst naturally. Squeezing the abscess at home can be extremely painful and can spread infection to other parts of the body, including the bloodstream.
The doctor might prescribe antibiotics, depending on the severity of the abscess, or if there’s a suspicion the bacteria has spread into the bloodstream.
After the abscess has opened, it won’t be as painful and should start to heal quickly.
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