FACT SHEET FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES

Skin Abscess

What is a skin abscess? How is it treated? A skin abscess [AB-ses] is a bump that appears on or Your healthcare provider can treat a skin abscess by: just below the skin. It’s usually full of or fluid. Draining the pus or fluid. After numbing the A is a type of skin abscess. area, your healthcare provider may use a needle or What causes it? scalpel (small blade) to open the area and allow it to drain. It’s very important to have this done in a A skin abscess can be caused by these things: healthcare clinic or medical office. Your healthcare •• Insect bites or stings provider can do it using the safest method and •• Puncture wounds sterile tools. •• Germs inside a (where the hair grows Packing the wound with sterile gauze out of the skin) (bandaging) if it’s deep. •• Unclean needle injections Regularly cleaning the wound and changing the bandage until the skin is healed. What are the symptoms? Prescribing medicine to stop the Symptoms most often include these things near the . Your healthcare provider may test a affected area of the skin: sample of the fluid to know what germ caused •• Swelling the skin abscess. Be sure to take the antibiotic medicine until it’s all gone so the infection •• Pain doesn’t get worse or come back. •• Redness or changes in color

How is it diagnosed? C A

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A skin abscess is diagnosed after your healthcare O T

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provider knows your symptoms and looks at the D When should I call a doctor? affected area. Contact your doctor if you have: • A What are possible problems? • •• Chills A skin abscess that isn’t treated can lead to a more •• Redness spreading near the abscess serious infection that can spread. The infection can •• Pain or swelling near the abscess that’s cause a fever and chills, and make you feel sicker. getting worse

1 Questions for my doctor:

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