Skin Infections

A skin infection, medically known as cellulitis, develops when bacteria get into your body through an entry point in your skin. Usually, the entry point is a cut or scrape, but it can also be:

• An animal bite
• An insect sting
• A surgical site that's not fully healed
• A diabetic ulcer
• Skin cracks due to peripheral vascular disease
• A skin puncture from a blood draw or intravenous drugs

Harmful bacteria can find even the tiniest of skin breaks or holes, so sometimes you may not even know where the bacteria entered your body.

Skin infections cause a variety of symptoms, including:

• Inflammation
• Redness
• Pain
• Warm skin
• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches

Usually, skin infection symptoms grow worse and worse over time if you don't get treatment. Eventually, an untreated skin infection can cause sepsis, gangrene, meningitis, or other severe illness.

Skin infection treatment depends on the type of infection and your symptoms. Topical creams are often effective, but in some cases, you may need oral antibiotics or antifungal medicine.

If you have a particularly severe skin infection, you may need IV antibiotics in a hospital setting. Although pain from a skin infection usually resolves quite quickly as the skin heals, you may need pain medication for serious skin infections.

Taking good care of your skin is the best way to avoid skin infections. If you have a cut, scrape, or other skin abrasion, clean the skin immediately and apply a waterproof bandage. Don't pick at your face, nails, or the skin on your body.

If you have chronic acne, talk to your dermatologist at Dermatology Associates of Central NJ about effective treatment. When acne isn't treated, it can easily get infected, and that can lead to pain and scarring. As long as you're proactive about your skin care, your chances of avoiding skin infections are good.