A small bump on your inner thigh may be a boil. This pus-filled bump is also called a furuncle. It’s often caused by an infection within a hair follicle or oil gland. Home remedies and medical treatments may help.

Boils are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria, which are naturally present on your skin. Boils can develop anywhere on your body, but often develop in places on the body where there is friction, including the thighs.

Read on for more information about boils on the inner thigh, including how to identify a boil, the possible causes, treatment options, and more.

Boils typically begin as small bumps that itch or hurt. Over a few days, a boil will swell as it fills with bacterial pus.

It will typically develop a whitish-colored tip that breaks open, allowing the pus drain out. The boil may then crust over.

Boils are typically 0.5 inches to 1 inch (1.27 to 2.54 centimeters) across.

If your boil becomes larger or if the infection spreads, you might have other symptoms. These include:

  • generally feeling unwell
  • fatigue
  • fever

Boils are typically caused by the Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria.

Bacteria that are usually present on your skin can infect a hair follicle and inflame the surrounding area, causing a boil to form. Often, bacteria get trapped in a hair follicle or oil gland due to friction or trauma to the skin.

Boils may develop on the inner thighs as your thighs can rub against each other and get sweaty, especially in hot and humid weather. This encourages bacteria to grow within the follicles.

Anyone can get boils. However, some factors increase the likelihood of developing boils. These include:

You can often treat boils on the inner thigh with home remedies.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends applying a warm compress for 10 to 15 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day until the boil heals. You can make a warm compress by soaking a clean washcloth in hot water. Make sure the water isn’t too hot.

It’s important not to squeeze or pop a boil yourself. Doing so can spread the bacteria inside to deeper parts of your skin. Instead, apply the warm compress regularly throughout the day to help the boil drain on its own.

If the boil is draining or in an area of friction, you should apply a clean bandage. This can limit the irritation. It’s hard to avoid friction in your inner thighs, but you may want to wear loose underwear and clothing to avoid aggravating the boil.

Taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help to relieve pain caused by your boil.

If the boil does not heal with home remedies, you may need to visit a doctor for medical treatment.

The doctor may be able to perform an incision and drainage in the doctor’s office. This usually involves numbing the area, and then piercing the boil with a sterile scalpel or needle

If your doctor can’t perform an incision and drainage in the office due to the boil’s location or size, you may need to visit a surgeon.

In some cases, after draining a large boil, it may be necessary to pack the wound with gauze. If this occurs, you may need to return to your doctor to change the gauze.

Your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics for boils.

Most boils clear up on their own. However, if you have a boil on your inner thigh that lingers, becomes larger and more painful, or comes back, you should contact a doctor.

You should also contact a doctor if:

  • the individual is in a child under the age of 1 year
  • the boil lasts for at least 2 weeks
  • there is a carbuncle, which is a group of boils together
  • the boil is larger than 2 inches (5 centimeters)
  • the boil keeps coming back
  • you have a weakened immune system

Seek immediate medical help if the boil occurs with symptoms such as:

  • fever
  • warmth, pain, or swelling around the boil
  • shivering
  • feeling hot
  • widespread rash

In most cases, boils heal without complications.

However, if you squeeze or pick at your boil, you can spread the infection to other parts of your skin. If the infection spreads, the boil can grow larger and become an abscess. This is a deep pocket of pus that requires urgent medical attention.

Sometimes, other boils will erupt around the first one. A grouping of boils is called a carbuncle. Carbuncles are more painful. They are more likely to cause serious symptoms and leave a scar.

If the infection spreads, there is a chance that the bacteria can enter your bloodstream and infect other parts of your body, including your heart, bones, and brain.

Contact a doctor if you have concerns about boils. Seek immediate medical help if you suspect a more widespread infection.

Steps that may help prevent boils on the inner thigh include:

  • wearing loose clothing to keep the area cool and prevent friction
  • regularly washing the area
  • regularly washing your hands
  • getting enough regular physical activity and eating a balanced diet to help support the immune system

Boils on the inner thigh can develop when Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria enter the skin, For example, friction can cause the bacteria to enter the skin through a hair follicle.

Over a few days, the boil will swell and fill with pus. It typically reaches about 0.5 inches to 1 inch across.

Home remedies such as applying a warm compress to the area can help manage a boil. If the boil grows larger, it is best to contact a doctor. They may drain the boil.

Contact a doctor if boils keep coming back or if they develop into a carbuncle, which is when multiple boils develop in a cluster. The doctor can advise on suitable treatments, as well as ways to help prevent future boils on the inner thigh, such as wearing loose clothing and regularly washing the skin.