The most effective way to draw out a boil is to apply a warm, moist compress to the area for about 10 minutes, several times a day. The heat increases blood flow to the site, which helps the boil come to a head, soften, and eventually rupture and drain on its own. Most small boils will resolve within one to two weeks with this approach alone.
How Warm Compresses Work
A boil is a pocket of infection, usually caused by staph bacteria, trapped beneath the skin. Warmth dilates the blood vessels around the infected area, bringing more white blood cells to fight the infection while softening the skin over the boil’s center. As the tissue softens, the pocket of pus migrates toward the surface until the boil develops a visible white or yellow tip, called a “head.” Once that head forms, the boil is close to draining.
Soak a clean washcloth in warm water, wring it out, and hold it against the boil for about 10 minutes. Repeat this several times throughout the day. Moist heat penetrates more effectively than dry heat, so a damp cloth works better than a heating pad. You can rewet the cloth when it cools to keep consistent warmth on the area. Between applications, keep the skin clean and loosely covered with a bandage.
What About Drawing Salves?
Over-the-counter drawing salves containing ichthammol (a dark, tar-like ointment) are a popular home remedy. Cleveland Clinic notes that ichthammol may work by hydrating the skin, which can reduce irritation. However, there’s limited clinical evidence that it speeds drainage beyond what warm compresses achieve on their own. If you choose to try it, apply a thin layer to the boil and cover it with a bandage. Don’t use other topical products on the same area at the same time, and stop if you notice a rash, hives, or increased irritation.
Why You Should Never Squeeze a Boil
It’s tempting to pop a boil like a pimple, but squeezing or cutting into it yourself can push bacteria deeper into the tissue or into surrounding skin. This can trigger cellulitis, a spreading skin infection that causes widening redness, swelling, and warmth beyond the boil itself. When bacteria from a ruptured boil enter the bloodstream, the consequences can be severe, including blood infections and, in rare cases, sepsis or toxic shock syndrome. MRSA, a staph strain resistant to common antibiotics, is an increasingly common cause of boils, which makes the stakes of spreading the infection even higher.
Let the boil open on its own. If it needs to be lanced, a doctor can do it with sterile instruments and proper drainage technique, often packing the cavity with gauze to keep it draining cleanly.
Caring for a Boil After It Drains
Once the boil begins to drain, whether on its own or after a medical procedure, keep the area clean and covered. Change your bandage whenever it gets wet or dirty, or at least once a day. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after touching the area, and don’t reuse towels or washcloths that have contacted the drainage.
If a doctor packed the wound with gauze, you’ll need follow-up appointments to have the packing changed or removed. After packing comes out, soaking the area in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day helps the wound close from the inside out. Avoid submerging a draining boil in shared water like pools or baths, since the bacteria can spread to others or to other parts of your body.
Signs a Boil Needs Medical Attention
Most small boils heal without professional treatment, but certain warning signs mean you shouldn’t wait. See a doctor promptly if you notice any of the following:
- Fever alongside the boil
- Red streaking or spreading redness around the boil
- Size larger than 2 inches (about 5 cm) across
- Location on the face, where infection can spread to the sinuses or brain
- Multiple boils appearing at the same time
- No improvement after three days of home care
- A weakened immune system from conditions like diabetes, HIV, or medications that suppress immunity
A boil that keeps growing, feels deeply painful, or doesn’t develop a head after a week or more of warm compresses likely needs drainage by a healthcare provider, and possibly antibiotics.
Preventing Boils From Coming Back
Recurrent boils usually mean staph bacteria are living on your skin or in your nostrils, reinfecting you whenever the skin breaks down. Breaking that cycle requires reducing the bacterial load on your body. Wash your hands frequently, avoid sharing razors and towels, and shower promptly after activities that cause sweating or skin-to-skin contact.
For people with repeated infections, doctors sometimes recommend a decolonization routine. This typically involves bathing with an antiseptic wash containing chlorhexidine and applying an antibiotic ointment inside the nostrils, where staph bacteria tend to colonize. In clinical trials, this approach reduced MRSA-positive cultures by 37% and bloodstream infections by 44% in hospital settings. Your doctor can tailor a similar protocol for home use if boils keep returning. Keeping skin moisturized and avoiding tight clothing that traps sweat also reduces the friction and irritation that give bacteria an entry point.