What is the difference between Pimple and Boil?

The main difference between a pimple and a boil is the size; whereas a pimple is a hair follicle filled with oil and dead skin cells and bacteria, an abscess or a boil is usually much more extensive. It starts in one hair follicle, but then the bacterial infection spreads to a much larger area.

It goes from the size of a nickel to the size of an egg or more abundant. A boil or skin abscess is an infection that begins trapped in an oil gland and becomes a collection of pus that forms under the skin. In the beginning, the skin turns red at the area of infection, then it becomes tender, and the pus spreads and invades the healthy tissues. A pimple is something that you can treat with over the counter preparations; however, a boil should be surgically addressed by a physician. If a boil turns out to be abscessed, it should be drained and, in most cases, antibiotics will be prescribed.