Aslı Köse is a specialized Content Writer with four years of experience,…
View author profile →
Dr. Lamiya Gurbanova is a physician who completed her specialization training in…
View profile →We review our content at regular intervals and update it whenever new research or a change in clinical guidelines requires it.
Overview
What Is Cellulitis?
Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the deeper layers of the skin and the soft tissue beneath it. It commonly causes a red, warm, swollen, and tender area, often on the lower leg, foot, arm, or face. Cellulitis can affect people of all ages, including children and older adults. Understanding what is cellulitis can help you recognize symptoms and seek treatment promptly.
Symptoms
Cellulitis Symptoms
- Redness (erythema) appears in the affected area and may gradually expand.
- The skin feels warmer than nearby unaffected skin.
- Swelling develops around the infected area.
- The area may be tender when touched.
- Pain can range from mild soreness to significant discomfort.
- The skin may feel tight because of swelling.
- Fever may occur as the body responds to the infection.
- Chills can occur, particularly when the infection is more extensive.
- Feeling generally unwell or fatigued can accompany the infection.
Location-Specific Symptoms
Cellulitis on the leg often appears as an expanding patch of redness with warmth, swelling, tenderness, and pain. Cellulitis around the eye or on the face may cause eyelid swelling, pain, or changes in vision and needs prompt medical assessment. Redness can expand over time, but pictures of cellulitis cannot confirm the diagnosis because several other skin conditions can look similar.
Causes
What Causes Cellulitis?
Cellulitis occurs when bacteria enter through a break in the skin, such as a cut, crack, insect bite, ulcer, surgical wound, or area of eczema. Common bacteria include Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species, which can infect deeper skin and soft tissue. Sometimes the original entry point is too small to notice.
HOW IT STARTS
Bacteria enter through damaged skin, including a wound, crack, bite, ulcer, or surgical opening. An open wound may still contain bacteria even when cellulitis itself is not spreading between people.
PERSON-TO-PERSON SPREAD
Ordinary cellulitis is not usually contagious, communicable, or spreadable through casual contact. Avoid sharing towels or items that touch an open wound because those items may carry bacteria.
Risk Factors
Cellulitis Risk Factors
| Risk factor group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Manageable or modifiable | Cuts and other skin breaks, eczema or cracked skin, untreated athlete's foot, smoking, obesity, and poor control of chronic conditions |
| Underlying or less-modifiable | Lymphedema, poor circulation, diabetes, immune suppression, and previous cellulitis |
Cleaning and protecting wounds, treating athlete’s foot, moisturizing cracked skin, and managing conditions such as diabetes or swelling can reduce the risk of cellulitis infection. However, cellulitis can still occur without an obvious risk factor or visible injury.
Complications
Cellulitis Complications
- An abscess, or pocket of pus, may form and require drainage.
- Recurrent cellulitis can cause repeated episodes of infection.
- Repeated or severe infection may damage lymphatic vessels or nearby tissue.
- Bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause a bloodstream infection.
- Infection may spread to nearby bone or joints.
- Severe systemic infection can lead to sepsis and organ problems.
WHEN TO ACT QUICKLY
Some signs need urgent medical attention
Seek urgent medical help for rapidly spreading redness, severe pain, high fever, confusion, faintness, or a very ill appearance. These symptoms may indicate a serious cellulitis infection or sepsis and should not be managed by waiting for symptoms to settle.
Diagnosis
How Cellulitis Is Diagnosed
A clinician usually diagnoses cellulitis by asking how the symptoms started and examining the pattern of redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness, and progression. They may look for a wound or other entry point and ask about fever, chills, medical conditions, and previous infections. The appearance and symptoms are considered together rather than relying on a single sign.
- Blood tests may be used when the infection appears severe or affects the whole body.
- A wound or fluid culture may be taken when drainage or pus is present.
- Imaging may be considered to look for a deeper abscess or another diagnosis.
- The clinician may assess for conditions that can mimic cellulitis, such as a blood clot, dermatitis, or another inflammatory skin problem.
Treatment & Management
Cellulitis Treatment and Management
| Situation | Typical management |
|---|---|
| Uncomplicated infection | Clinician-prescribed oral antibiotics and supportive care |
| Severe, spreading, or systemic infection | Urgent assessment and possible intravenous antibiotics or hospital treatment |
| Abscess or deeper infection | Assessment for drainage, imaging, or specialist care |
Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed, even if you begin to feel better. Elevating an affected limb when appropriate, protecting the skin, and monitoring the edge of redness or changes in symptoms may support recovery. Contact a clinician if symptoms worsen or fail to improve as expected, because the diagnosis or treatment may need to be reassessed.
Medication safety
Use antibiotics only as directed
Do not use leftover antibiotics or stop prescribed treatment without medical advice. Treatment may need adjustment if resistant bacteria, an allergy, an abscess, or another diagnosis is suspected.
Prevention
Can Cellulitis Be Prevented?
- Clean cuts and other wounds with clean water and cover them with an appropriate dressing.
- Moisturize dry or cracked skin to reduce openings where bacteria can enter.
- Treat athlete’s foot and other fungal infections promptly.
- Avoid sharing towels, razors, or personal items that contact wounds.
- Manage leg swelling and chronic conditions such as diabetes as advised by a clinician.
- Seek medical care for repeated infections so contributing causes can be addressed.
People with repeated cellulitis should discuss recurrence prevention with a clinician. This may include treating athlete’s foot or other entry points, improving management of swelling and chronic conditions, and considering additional preventive strategies when appropriate.
Outlook and Prognosis
Cellulitis Outlook and Prognosis
Most uncomplicated cases of cellulitis improve with appropriate treatment. Pain, fever, and feeling unwell may improve before the redness or swelling fully settles, so the skin can look abnormal for longer during recovery. Follow the treatment plan and watch for changes rather than judging recovery from appearance alone.
What Can Delay Recovery or Increase Recurrence?
When Should You See a Doctor
When Should You See a Doctor for Cellulitis?
- Contact a clinician promptly for a new area that may be cellulitis, especially if it is painful, warm, swollen, or expanding.
- Seek prompt assessment for rapidly expanding redness or swelling.
- Get urgent medical advice for cellulitis on the face or around the eye.
- Contact a clinician for severe or rapidly increasing pain.
- Seek medical care for fever or chills with a suspected skin infection.
- Have draining fluid or pus assessed by a healthcare professional.
- People with diabetes or immune suppression should seek advice promptly when cellulitis is suspected.
- Contact a clinician if symptoms worsen or do not improve after treatment begins.
Get urgent help
Some cellulitis symptoms can be an emergency
Call local emergency services for confusion, fainting, breathing difficulty, severe weakness, rapidly spreading infection, or signs of sepsis. Do not delay emergency care while trying to compare pictures of cellulitis or monitor symptoms at home.
