What should you know about head carbuncle?

A carbuncle forms when several nearby hair follicles become infected and join beneath the skin. The area may be tender, swollen, warm, red, and filled with pus, with more than one opening that drains. Fever or feeling unwell can occur. A painful lump on the scalp or head can also be a cyst or another problem, so examination helps distinguish them.

Do not squeeze, pierce, or shave across the swelling. Keep it covered with a clean dressing if it drains, wash your hands after touching it, and avoid sharing towels, pillows, or hair tools until a clinician has advised you. A clinician may prescribe antibiotics for skin infection and may recommend abscess drainage when pus is trapped. Take prescribed medicine exactly as directed and keep the area clean.

Arrange same-day medical care for a carbuncle on the scalp, particularly if it is enlarging, very painful, draining heavily, or surrounded by spreading redness. Seek urgent help for fever, confusion, severe headache, swelling near the eye, or feeling faint. Do not wait for home care if you have reduced immunity or another condition that makes infections harder to control.

Is this a carbuncle, cyst, or another type of lump? Does it need drainage or antibiotics? How should I dress the area, and what changes should bring me back urgently? Could anyone in my household need advice about preventing spread?