A furuncle is also known as what?

A furuncle is defined as a boil, which is a localized infection in a hair follicle that leads to the formation of a painful, pus-filled lump. This condition occurs when bacteria invade the hair follicle, causing both inflammation and the accumulation of pus. The term "boil" specifically refers to this type of infection and is more commonly used in layman's terms, making it a familiar and clear understanding of the condition.

In contrast, while a pimple, cyst, and abscess may have some overlapping characteristics, they refer to different types of skin conditions. Pimples are typically more superficial and associated with acne, cysts are closed sacs that can contain fluid or semi-solid material, and abscesses are larger collections of pus that can occur in various tissues and not just hair follicles. Therefore, identifying a furuncle solely as a boil aligns accurately with its specific medical definition.