[header] How to treat a boil [title] Make sure that the boil is actually a boil. [step] Before you begin treating a boil, it is important to make sure that what you have is actually a boil. Boils are caused by an infection of your hair follicles with staphylococcus aureus. 
They are contagious and they can spread to a different part of your body or to someone else who comes into contact with your boil. [substeps] Boils may be mistaken for cysts or have cysts beneath them, which requires treatment by a doctor.