Cellulitis

Cellulitis is an infection of the deeper layers of skin and the underlying tissue. It can be serious if not treated promptly.

The infection develops suddenly and can spread through the body quickly. Severe infections can spread deep into the body, and can be life threatening.

Most cases are successfully treated with antibiotics at home, although sometimes it needs to be treated in hospital.

Symptoms

Symptoms of cellulitis develop suddenly and can get worse quickly. It affects the skin and can also cause additional symptoms.


Cellulitis causes the affected skin to become:

red hot swollen painful tender

There may also be a break in the skin, although this isn’t always obvious, and pus or blood-filled blisters.

Any part of the body can be affected.

Commonly affected areas include the lower legs, feet, arms or hands, and sometimes the face, particularly around the eyes.

See your GP or visit your nearest minor injuries unit as soon as possible if an area of your skin suddenly turns red, painful and hot.

The symptoms of cellulitis include redness, swelling and tenderness.Source: https://dermnetnz.org/


Cellulitis can also cause additional symptoms that may develop before or alongside the changes to your skin.

These can include:

feeling generally unwell feeling sick shivering chills

Occasionally the infection can spread to other parts of the body, such as the deeper layers of tissue, blood, muscle and bone. This can be very serious and potentially life threatening.

Signs the infection has spread include:

a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above a fast heartbeat or fast breathing being sick diarrhoea feeling dizzy or faint confusion or disorientation cold, clammy, pale skin unresponsiveness or loss of consciousness

Call 999 or go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department immediately if you have other symptoms in addition to changes to your skin.