The wound will take about 1 to 2 weeks to heal, depending on the size of the abscess. Healthy tissue will grow from the bottom and sides of the opening until it seals over.
Treating an abscess
A small skin abscess may drain naturally, or simply shrink, dry up and disappear without any treatment. However, larger abscesses may need to be treated with antibiotics to clear the infection, and the pus may need to be drained.
After you have an abscess drained, the doctor might prescribe oral antibiotics to help heal your infection. The incision site may drain pus for a couple of days after the procedure. For very deep abscesses, the doctor might pack the abscess site with gauze that needs to be removed after a few days.
Tissue Growth
After the swelling has stopped, you'll notice new tissue forming over the wound – this usually lasts a couple of weeks.
Abscess-Drainage Procedure
Once located, the abscess is typically drained with an aspiration needle but, because it is likely to refill, surgery, which is performed under general anesthesia, is usually also necessary.
Bathing It is safe to shower one day after surgery. Simply let water run into the incision and pat the area dry. It is important to let the water get inside the wound as this will promote healing.
Indications for antimicrobial therapy – For all patients undergoing incision and drainage of a skin abscess, we suggest antibiotic therapy because it reduces the rate of treatment failure and recurrence (Grade 2B).
This retrospective data suggests that abscesses greater than 0.4 cm in depth from the skin surface may require a drainage procedure. Those less than 0.4 cm in depth may not require a drainage procedure and may be safely treated with antibiotics alone.
If an abscess is small, antibiotics may work but will not be effective in most cases. Sometimes draining the pus with a needle can help but the pus may come back.
If your abscess was opened with an Incision and Drainage: Keep the abscess covered 24 hours a day, removing bandages once daily to wash with warm soap and water. If the abscess was packed (with a cotton wick), leave it in until instructed by your clinician to remove the packing or return for re-evaluation.
An abscess that forms in the surface of the skin might look like an unhealed wound or a pimple. An abscess that forms underneath the skin may create a swollen bump. The area can be painful and tender. In the most severe cases, the infection can cause fever and chills.
Cleaning your hands and the surrounding skin with mild soap and warm water is usually enough. A daily shower with all bandages removed will help prevent buildup of debris that would harbor the growth of more bacteria. Your doctor will tell you if full sterile technique is necessary.
Healthy granulation tissue is pink in colour and is an indicator of healing. Unhealthy granulation is dark red in colour, often bleeds on contact, and may indicate the presence of wound infection.
If a skin abscess is not drained, it may continue to grow and fill with pus until it bursts, which can be painful and can cause the infection to spread or come back.
There are four basic phases of wound healing: (1) hemostasis, (2) inflammatory, (3) proliferative, and (4) remodeling or maturation. These phases generally occur in order, with some overlap. If a wound is on a normal healing trajectory, it will generally heal in four to six weeks.
Recurrent boils can be a sign of a life-threatening infection called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Rarely, bacteria from a boil can: Enter your bloodstream, causing your body to have a severe reaction (sepsis). Get into the brain and cause life-threatening problems such as meningitis.
The middle of the abscess liquefies and contains dead cells, bacteria, and other debris. This area begins to grow, creating tension under the skin and further inflammation of the surrounding tissues. Pressure and inflammation cause the pain.
Minor abscesses may clear up on their own but you should see your healthcare provider if it doesn't go away within a few weeks. With proper treatment, they will clear up quickly but if allowed to, they can become dangerously infected and in extreme cases even be fatal.
If an abscess is not treated, the infection can last for months or even years.
The abscess may remain deep and slowly reabsorb, or the overlying epithelium may attenuate (i.e., pointing), allowing the abscess to spontaneously rupture to the surface and drain. Rarely, deep extension into the subcutaneous tissue may be followed by sloughing and extensive scarring.
In conclusion, the maximum period that an untreated tooth abscess can sustain is 12 months or more. But, such longevity is associated with dangerous complications such as sepsis or even death. Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!
It may appear red, raised and swollen. The skin over the center of the abscess may be thin. It may look yellow or white because there's pus underneath the surface of your skin. The abscess may feel tender and warm to the touch.