Cleaning the skin around it with sterile gauze and keeping it covered helps stop the infection from spreading.
A doctor can then numb the area, open the abscess and drain the pus, which relieves the pressure almost right away.
Afterwards the wound is cleaned and dressed, and antibiotics may be added if the redness has spread across the back.
With a little help from family to change the dressing, the skin usually closes and heals within a couple of weeks.
Small acts of care add up to a big difference. The videos below show back cysts and abscesses being treated by professionals.
