HealthyCanada.com

Cellulitis is a potentially life-threatening infection of the skin and underlying tissue. It can occur anywhere on your body but usually shows up on your shins around your ankles or on your face. The condition usually spreads and makes your skin red and swollen as well as warm and tender to the touch. Very often cellulitis is superficial but sometimes it can infect deep skin tissue and spread to your lymph nodes.

The first symptoms of cellulites are redness pain and tenderness over an area of skin. This is caused both by the bacteria itself and by the body's attempts to fight the infection. The skin around the infected areas will be inflamed (swollen) and feel hot. It may appear pitted something like the surface of an unpeeled orange. Fluid-filled blisters sometimes appear. Despite these symptoms most people with cellulitis feel only mildly ill. However some may have a fever chills rapid heart rate headache low blood pressure and confusion.

Because the infection can spread rapidly and lead to serious complications you should always get checked out by a doctor if you think you have cellulitis.

There are two types of bacteria that cause cellulitis: streptococcus (strep) and staphylococcus (staph). Strep and staph bacteria can enter your body through a cut or broken skin. If you have an ulcer athlete's foot dermatitis puncture wounds or have had recent surgery and haven't kept your skin clean bacteria can get in.

While anyone can develop cellulitis certain factors can put you at higher risk. They include:

Diabetes. If you have diabetes your raised blood sugar can affect your immune system and increase your risk of developing infections. Some diabetics develop ulcers on their feet. Bacteria can easily enter your body through these.

Age. As you grow older your circulatory system doesn't deliver infection-fighting white blood cells where they're needed as efficiently as it did when you were younger. As a result if your circulation is poor simple cuts or minor abrasions can lead to serious infections.

Viral diseases. Common viral diseases such as chicken pox and shingles can create skin blisters that provide a place for bacteria to enter and infect your body.

Weakened immune system. If your immune system has been compromised by conditions such as HIV or chronic lymphocytic leukemia fighting infection such as cellulitis will be more difficult. If you've had an organ transplant and are taking immune-suppressing drugs you will also be more susceptible to infections.

Swollen limbs. Swollen skin on your arms or legs may crack and provide a way for bacterial infection to enter.

To prevent the infection from spreading into your blood and organs your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. While your symptoms may disappear after a few days you must continue to take the prescribed medicine until it is all gone. Otherwise the infection could return. If your skin doesn't clear up after you finish all of your medicine or if you develop a high fever you doctor may suggest you be hospitalized. Serious cases of cellulitis require hospitalization so antibiotics can be administered through your veins.

Generally cellulitis can only gain entry to your body through open skin. If you are scratched or cut be sure to:

Keep it clean. Wash your cut or scrape with soap and water daily.

Apply topical antibiotic medication. After cleaning your wound apply over-the-counter antibiotic cream to help fight bacteria.

Keep it covered. Making sure your wound is covered after cleaning it can help keep bacteria from getting in. Put a new bandage on everyday or whenever it gets wet or dirty.

Watch for infection. If your wound seems to be healing very slowly and you notice extreme redness pain or drainage have your doctor take a look at it. These are all signs of possible infection.