Cellulitis

Information on Cellulitis

What Is Cellulitis?

Cellulitis is a skin infection that is characterized by swelling, redness, warmth, and pain. It is one of the most common infections seen by doctors -- it affects all age groups and occurs more often in men than women.

Types

Cellulitis can occur anywhere on the body. However, it most often affects the legs, feet, arms, and hands. When the infection occurs in these areas, it is referred to as cellulitis of the extremities.

Cellulitis can also occur:

Within the eye socket (orbital cellulitis)
Around the eyes (periorbital cellulitis)
On the toes (athlete's foot)
On the face (facial cellulitis)
Around the anus (perianal cellulitis).

(Click Types of Cellulitis for more information.)

What Causes It?

Cellulitis is an infection that is caused by bacteria. The most common cause of cellulitis in adults with no other medical conditions is group A streptococcus, which is a bacterium commonly found in the throat and on the skin.

Another common cause of the condition in adults is Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is a bacterium that is commonly found on human skin and mucosa (lining of mouth and nose).

(Click Cause of Cellulitis for more information.)

Risk Factors for Cellulitis

Research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely to develop the infection. Risk factors for this condition include:

Problems with the lymphatic system
Vein problems
Swelling of the leg
Breaks in the skin
Obesity.

A risk factor for the infection is not a cause of cellulitis; however, the risk factors listed above do increase a person's chance of developing the infection. People who think that they may be at risk should discuss this concern with their doctor.

(Click Cellulitis Risk Factors for more information.)

What Are the Symptoms?

Symptoms can occur at the location of the infected skin (local symptoms) or on other parts of the body (systemic symptoms).

(Click Cellulitis Symptoms for more information.)

Making a Diagnosis

Your doctor can make a diagnosis by:

Asking questions (about things such as symptoms and medical history)
Performing a physical exam
Ordering blood tests.

(Click Cellulitis Diagnosis for more information.)

Treating Cellulitis

The goal of cellulitis treatment is to treat the affected area and any underlying conditions that may increase the likelihood of a reoccurrence. Specific treatment for cellulitis includes medications and recurrence prevention.

Treatment usually begins with antibiotics, so you should be sure to tell your doctor if you are allergic to penicillin. However, 50 percent of people who receive treatment experience a recurrence of the condition. Therefore, doctors may prescribe antibiotics for longer periods of time for those who continue to develop cellulitis.

(Click Cellulitis Treatment for more information.)