Cellulitis is an often painful skin infection. It may first appear as a discolored, swollen area that feels hot and tender to the touch. The discoloration and swelling can spread quickly. On lighter skin tones, cellulitis will typically appear red or pink. On darker skin tones, it may appear dark brown, gray, or purple.
It most often Trusted Source affects the feet and lower legs, although the infection can occur anywhere on a person’s body or face. Cellulitis affects the skin Trusted Source and the tissues underneath. The infection can spread to your lymph nodes and bloodstream. If you don’t treat cellulitis, it could become life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have symptoms.
Depending on the area of infection, there are different types of cellulitis:
Periorbital Cellulitis: It develops around the eyes.
Facial Cellulitis: It develops around the eyes, nose, and cheeks.
Breast Cellulitis: It develops around the skin of the breast.
Perianal Cellulitis: It develops around the anal orifice.
Cellulitis occurs when certain types of bacteria enter the skin through a break in its surface. Staphylococcus and Streptococcus (strep) bacteria commonly cause cellulitis.
Cellulitis can start in skin injuries, such as:
Doctor will likely be able to diagnose cellulitis just by looking at your skin. A physical exam might reveal:
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your doctor may want to monitor the affected area for a few days to see if the discoloration and swelling spread. In some cases, your doctor may take blood or a sample of the wound to test for bacteria. its surface. Staphylococcus and Streptococcus (strep) bacteria commonly cause cellulitis.
Cellulitis can start in skin injuries, such as:
