A cyst is a sac or cavity that may be filled with pus, semi-solid material, or air. It doesn’t usually cause pain until it gets large. An abscess is a painful, red infection that’s filled with pus. A ...

Cysts and boils, while similar, differ in cause and appearance. A boil is red or discolored, swollen, and contains pus, like a pimple. A cyst is under the skin and is usually painless but can resemble ...

Katlein Franca, MD, is a dermatologist and clinical associate professor of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami. Boils start as tender bumps ...

On their own, boils are not contagious. However, the infection inside a boil can be contagious if it is caused by a staph bacteria. If you or someone close to you has a boil that is actively leaking ...

Bumps that appear on the body can be hard for the average person to detect. Is it a pimple? A boil? A mosquito bite? Dr. Amy Espy-Smith, the area medical director for Concentra, an urgent-care clinic ...