An American doctor claimed a cheap Thai massage was to blame for a tourist's painful, pus-filled abscess that developed on his leg.

Dr Joe Wellington, an emergency physician based in California, issued a warning to travellers about the potential risks of unsanitary spa services commonly found along busy Thai streets.

Footage shows Dr Joe's commentary on a foreigner's vlog about her boyfriend getting a discounted rub down at an alley before the painful blisters appeared later.

Dr Joe said: ‘You get a massage in a sketchy alleyway in Thailand and you walk away feeling relaxed until you wake up and your legs look like a teenager before prom.'

The medic said the bumps on the boyfriend's hairy leg could be folliculitis.

He added: ‘This is when your hair follicles get infected with a bacterium like Staph aureus.'

The doctor added that it could happen when dirty hands, reused oils, or unclean towels introduce bacteria into the skin.

He said: ‘Folliculities can show up as red bumps or even pus-filled lesions. Most cases will go away with soap, water, and time.'

However, other times it would require antibiotic treatment.

Dr Joe warned visitors to avoid cheap massages if they could.

He said: ‘So if your massage table is made of concrete and there's a moped parked next to it. Maybe just stretch and call it a day, bro.'

Oil massages across Thailand cost around 400 Baht for an hour (12.24 USD). Dozens of customers are likely to use the same bed in a single week.

The majority of shops also provide sexual services for around 500 Baht (15.30 USD), adding to the mix of bodily fluids left in the room.