What it means
A small, round skin lesion with white or yellow fluid (pus) inside, often with red skin around it. Pustules are common in acne, folliculitis (infected hair folliclehair FOL-ih-kulA small tube-shaped pocket in the skin from which a hair grows.Full entry ) and some skin infections, and appear in a few skin diseases that are not infections, such as some forms of psoriasissuh-RY-uh-sisA long-term immune-related skin disease in which skin cells grow too fast and pile up on the surface.psor/o itch-iasis conditionFull entry . A larger, deeper collection of pus is an abscess.
For the nurse
Do not squeeze pustules. Describe their number, size and location, and report pustules with fever, spreading redness or in a client with a weak immune system.
At a glance
| Spanish | pústula |
|---|---|
| Also written | pustules, pustular |
Related terms
lesion
An area of tissue that has been damaged or has changed from normal, such as a sore, wound, lump or spot.
nodule
A small, firm, rounded lump of tissue that can be felt or seen, in or under the skin or in an organ.
hair follicle
A small tube-shaped pocket in the skin from which a hair grows.
blister
A raised bubble of skin filled with clear fluid.