Our family medicine providers drain skin abscesses in the office at 25511 Budde Rd, Suite 3901, in The Woodlands. Walk-ins are accepted for urgent care needs.
A skin abscess is a pocket of pus that forms under the skin. It is usually caused by a bacterial infection. Some people call a small one a boil. An abscess often starts as a tender bump and grows into a swollen, red, warm lump that hurts to touch. Over time it may form a soft center or a white or yellow head.
Abscesses can show up almost anywhere on the body. Common places include the armpits, groin, buttocks, back, legs and around hair follicles. Some people get them once. Others get them again and again.
Small boils sometimes drain and heal on their own. Many abscesses need to be opened and drained by a provider before they can heal. It is a good idea to have the area looked at if:
Do not squeeze the lump or try to cut it open at home. This can push the infection deeper into the skin and raise the chance of scarring.
Go to the emergency room or call 911 if you have a high fever, feel very sick, or notice red streaks or redness spreading quickly from the area. An abscess near the eye or on the face also needs prompt care.
Abscess drainage is one of the in-office procedures our providers perform. The steps are usually the same:
You stay awake for the procedure. Most people feel pressure during the drainage. The numbing medicine limits pain at the site.
Your provider may prescribe antibiotics. The need for antibiotics depends on the size and location of the abscess, how much redness surrounds it, and your overall health.
Before you leave, you will get instructions on how to care for the wound at home. These usually cover how to keep the area clean, how often to change the bandage and what signs to watch for.
A follow-up visit is usually scheduled 2 to 3 days later. At that visit your provider checks how the wound is healing and removes or changes any packing. Most patients can return to their normal activities within a day or two. Call our office if the pain, swelling or redness gets worse, or if you develop a fever.
Some people get repeat abscesses. Your provider can talk with you about possible causes and what may help. This may include checking for conditions such as diabetes that make skin infections more likely. Ongoing conditions are managed at the same clinic. See our page on chronic disease management in The Woodlands.
Wear loose clothing that makes it easy to reach the area and does not rub against the bandage afterward.
Our providers also perform ingrown toenail removal, laceration repair, skin biopsies, skin tag removal, ear lavage and joint injections. The full list is on our procedures page. Having minor procedures done by your family medicine provider keeps your records in one chart.
Many common procedures are billed through insurance. Our staff can check your plan before the visit. You can see the plans we work with on our insurance page.
Use the Book Appointment button at the top of this page or call (281) 466-4644. You can also use the Book Now button in the site menu or chat with our bilingual assistant. Walk-ins are accepted for urgent care needs, so you can also come in if the abscess is painful. Our clinic is at 25511 Budde Rd, Suite 3901, The Woodlands, TX. Our staff speaks English and Spanish. For directions, see our Woodlands location page. For help deciding where to go for other sudden problems, read when to see your family doctor, urgent care or the ER.
The area is numbed before the procedure. Most people feel the numbing injection and some pressure during the drainage. The area may be sore for a few days afterward.
Yes. Walk-ins are accepted for urgent care needs. You can also book ahead with the Book Appointment button or by calling (281) 466-4644.
Not always. Your provider decides based on the size and location of the abscess, the skin around it and your health history.
Packing is a strip of gauze placed in the drained pocket to help it keep draining while it heals. It is usually removed or changed at your follow-up visit.
It is best not to squeeze or cut an abscess yourself. This can push the infection deeper. Have a provider look at it instead.
A follow-up visit is usually scheduled 2 to 3 days after the drainage so your provider can check healing and remove or change any packing.
25511 Budde Rd, Suite 3901, The Woodlands, TX
2715 N Mason Rd, Katy, TX
This page is for general information and is not medical advice. Please talk with a provider about your own health. If you have a medical emergency, call 911.
