An elevation of the skin that contains pus is known as what?

A pustule is an elevation of the skin that is filled with pus. This characteristic distinguishes it from other types of skin lesions. Pustules typically appear as small, raised bumps that can be red and inflamed at their base, indicating an underlying inflammatory response, and the presence of pus indicates infection or irritation within the skin.

In contrast, a pimple is a more general term that can refer to any acne lesion, which may be either open or closed but does not specifically denote the presence of pus. A cyst is a deeper, sac-like structure that can be filled with fluid or semi-solid material but is not always associated with infection. A vesicle, on the other hand, refers to a small, fluid-filled blister that does not necessarily contain pus, usually filled with clear fluid. These differences highlight why the definition of a pustule most accurately describes an elevation containing pus.