If you aren’t aware of cellulitis, or you have never even heard of it, you are about to discover some quick facts that will bring you up to speed about this potentially serious skin infection.
Cellulitis is typically a bacterial skin infection that develops quickly and advances rapidly. It affects around 14.5 million people in the US every year.
Symptoms and signs of cellulitis include pain, skin redness, warmth, and tenderness. Severe infections can additionally cause blisters, fever, nausea, and confusion.
It can occur to both adults and children, and it isn’t an infection that you can treat on your own. If you suspect you have developed cellulitis infection, consult a doctor or dermatologist immediately for its treatment. Read on to discover the things that can raise the risk of developing cellulitis and how to avoid them:
1. Cellulitis is Mostly Caused by Strep or Staph Bacteria
Both Streptococcus and Staphylococcus can survive harmlessly on the skin. However, if there is a break in the skin, they can potentially cause infections, including cellulitis.
Another kind of bacteria that causes cellulitis is Pasteurella multocida. It is most commonly transmitted to the human body from an animal bite or scratch.
2. Breaks in Skin Open the Door to Cellulitis
While most blisters, scrapes, cuts, and bug bites don’t result in cellulitis. However, any opening in the skin can cause cellulitis infection under certain conditions. These conditions include the ones where infection-causing bacteria are present in the wound. Since bacteria are invisible to the human eye, you can’t confirm by looking whether small injury may develop a substantial infection.
Some other factors that can raise the risk of cellulitis infection include:
- A weakened immune system
- Inadequate wound cleaning
- Impaired lymphatic drainage around the infected area
- Reduced blood flow to the affected area
If you want to reduce the possibility of developing cellulitis, always clean all minor wounds with an antiseptic solution, cover scrapes and cuts with an adhesive bandage or gauze, and check the wound routinely for any sign of infection.
If you see the wound getting worse, immediately see a doctor for cellulitis infection treatment, especially if you have diabetes.
3. Cellulitis isn’t the Same as Cellulite
Some people confuse cellulite with cellulitis, but these two are completely distinct conditions. Cellulite is typically a cosmetic concern. It develops when there is a fibrous tethering in the upper skin layer.
On the other hand, cellulitis is a type of bacterial skin infection, and the surface of the affected area becomes tender, reddish, and swollen.
Cellulite doesn’t require medical attention, cellulitis does!
Conclusion
Early treatment ensures that you get better with any harmful complications. Therefore you must take cellulitis infection treatment seriously if you experience the symptoms of this skin condition. However, if you take too long, cellulitis can become more threatening, as the bacteria can enter the bloodstream, a condition called bacteremia, and you can get sicker from that point. So, play it safe and visit a doctor when you spot the first of this bacterial infection.
