It took more than a year to get properly diagnosed. My GP was no help. Suggested a dermatologist. A doc in an urgent care facility, while I was on vacation, looked at my nasty boils and said" Looks like a Staph infection" He cultured it and gave me Trimethoprim-Sulfa and Doxycycline. It was MRSA. They didn't work as I have sores in my nose now. This was the second time in 15 months that I had a breakout. First was about 10 boils on my thighs and buttocks area. They took months to heal up without meds as I didn't know what it was. In January I got 3 boils on arm and hand. I was going to the gym and the Hospital for a 10 week period. Bet I got in the gym where hundreds of people were everyday and no one was using medicated pads to wipe the equipment after use. They do that at my little gym at home and now I know why.
With me the boils start with a tiny hair follicle that has a pus looking center. Doesn't look like much at first. Seems to start where your skin gets rubbed like under my watch and my finger that gets rubbed good when trying to get your hand in a tight jean pocket.