Cellulitis

MRSA Slideshow

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What is cellulitis? What are symptoms of cellulitis?
• Where does cellulitis occur?
• What does cellulitis look like?
• What are risk factors for cellulitis?
• What causes cellulitis?
• Is cellulitis contagious?
• How is cellulitis treated?
• Related cellulitis articles:
  Cellulitis - on WebMD

Cellulitis Symptoms Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: Dennis Lee, MD What is cellulitis? Cellulitis is a common infection of the lower layers of skin (dermis) and the subcutaneous tissues (areas underneath the skin) caused by a bacterial infection. While cellulitis sometimes develops around wounds in the skin or surgical incisions, in other cases it arises without an obvious source for the bacterial infection. Staphylococci are the bacteria that most commonly cause cellulitis, followed by Streptococci. Less commonly, other types of bacteria may cause cellulitis. What are the symptoms of cellulitis? Cellulitis usually begins as a small area of pain and redness on the skin. This area spreads to surrounding tissues, resulting in the typical signs of inflammation – redness, swelling, warmth, and pain. A person with cellulitis can also develop fever and/or swollen lymph nodes in the area of the infection. Who is at risk for cellulitis? Anyone may develop cellulitis. Males and females and people of all races are equally likely to become infected. However, people whose immune systems are weakened for any reason (including from chemotherapy for cancer or other immune-suppressing drugs) and those with diabetes are at highest risk for developing cellulitis. Find out how cellulitis is treated »

What is cellulitis? What are symptoms of cellulitis?

Cellulitis is a spreading bacterial infection of the skin and tissues beneath the skin. Cellulitis usually begins as a small area of tenderness, swelling, and redness. As this red area begins to enlarge, the person may develop a fever—sometimes with chills and sweats—and swollen lymph nodes ("swollen glands") near the area of infected skin.

Unlike impetigo, which is a very superficial skin infection, cellulitis refers to an infection also involving the skin's deeper layers: the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The main bacteria involved in cellulitis are Staphylococcus ("staph"), the same bacteria that cause many cases of impetigo. Occasionally, other bacteria may cause cellulitis as well.

Where does cellulitis occur?

Cellulitis may occur anywhere on the body, but the leg is the most common site of the infection (particularly in the area of the tibia or shin bone and in the foot), followed by the arm, and then the head and neck areas. In special circumstances, such as following surgery or trauma wounds, cellulitis can develop in the abdomen or chest areas. In cases of morbid obesity, it can also develop in the abdominal area.

What does cellulitis look like?

The signs of cellulitis include redness, warmth, swelling, and pain in the involved tissues. Any skin wound or ulcer that exhibits these signs may be developing cellulitis.

Other forms of noninfected inflammation may mimic cellulitis. People with poor leg circulation, for instance, often develop scaly redness on the shins and ankles; this is called "stasis dermatitis" and is often mistaken for the bacterial infection of cellulitis.

What does cellulitis look like?

Cellulitis - Symptoms Experienced

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

The symptoms of cellulitis can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your initial symptoms?

Comment submissions for this question have ended.
See 26 Viewer Comments

View Comments

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com

Sedimentation Rate - Learn more about sedimentation rate, including a description of the test, how it is performed, and normal rate measurements. Source:MedicineNet Shingles - Learn shingles symptoms (contagious rash), vaccine, causes (chickenpox [varicella] virus, stress), treatment, how it's transmitted and postherpetic neuralgia. Source:MedicineNet Rash - Learn about rash causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Common skin rashes include poison ivy, hives, shingles, eczema, contact dermatitis, ringworm, psoriasis and impetigo. Source:MedicineNet Read 27 more Cellulitis related articles ... So Much to Do, So Little Sleep Head Injuries All Too Common in Summer Play Health Tip: The Word on Wisdom Teeth Health Tip: Make Exercise a Daily Habit New Source of Heart Stem Cells Found Health Highlights: June 23, 2008 Poorer Patients Have Poorer Survival After Cancer Diagnosis One Gene May Be Key to Myeloma Crocodile Babies Cry Out for Hatching Immune Molecule Key to Preventing Organ Rejection