Furunculosis is an infection in the hair follicle. It is often referred as boil and is caused by a bacterium called streptococcus aureus. This furuncle or boil looks like a small red bump on a tender skin and the surrounding skin is generally swollen. A thick infected fluid or pus is filled in this furuncle. If the boil is large enough then just press and let the pus out, along with the pus a hair will also come out. Wipe all this with a cotton ball to avoid its spread. If it is difficult to drain at home then take a professional help who would drain the pus using a syringe and needle or make a small cut to drain the pus. The skin heals very fast once the pus is drained. In case of small boils you can use a flannel soaked in hot water to cover the boil, this will help to ease the pain. Besides draining the pus the specialist may also prescribe a course of antibiotics to help clear the infection.
answered by Dr S