Pimples on the face that are hard and painful to the touch may be a sign of folliculitis, boils, and acne.
1. Folliculitis: purulent inflammation of the hair follicle opening, manifested as red follicular papules, with pustules in the center and a red halo around it. It can be caused by bacterial infection and should be treated with topical antibiotics such as mupirocin ointment.
2. Boils: acute purulent inflammation of the hair follicle and its surrounding tissues, often caused by Staphylococcus aureus, redness, swelling, heat and pain are more obvious than folliculitis, and the roots are hard. In severe cases, it is accompanied by generalized fever and fatigue. Boils on the face should not be squeezed and can be treated with ichthyol ointment, mupirocin ointment and erythromycin ointment.
3. Acne: Acne can be manifested as painful inflammatory pimples and pustules, which can be treated with topical antibiotic ointment, such as fusidic acid ointment, erythromycin ointment, etc., and oral doxycycline and other antibiotics.
If the acne on the face is hard and painful to the touch and very obvious, it is recommended to go to the hospital and follow the doctor’s instructions for examination and treatment.