Severe redness and swelling are typical in cellulitis. The skin is usually very warm to the touch. Red streaking may indicate that the infection is spreading. This image displays cellulitis on the buttock. This image displays tense blisters typical of cellulitis. An outline defining the involved skin in patients with cellulitis is used to track improvement as antibiotics take effect. This image displays redness typical in the early stages of cellulitis. This image displays the redness (erythema) typically present in cellulitis.
Share |

Cellulitis  Teen information

Picture of Cellulitis: Severe redness and swelling are typical in cellulitis. The skin is usually very warm to the touch. Divider line
Severe redness and swelling are typical in cellulitis. The skin is usually very warm to the touch.
left arrow
right arrow
Overview
Cellulitis is the medical term for inflammation and infection of the skin. It is often caused by the bacteria Streptococcus or Staphylococcus (commonly known as strep and staph, respectively), which usually live on the skin of healthy people but when the skin is damaged (by a cut, scratch, or bug bite, for example), it can overgrow and cause cellulitis. Cellulitis causes the skin to look reddened, similar to a sunburn, and to be warm, tender, and swollen. The redness may spread quickly over the course of hours. The person may experience fevers or chills or feel ill. If left untreated, cellulitis can cause bacteria to enter the blood stream, which is potentially life threatening.
Who's At Risk Next:
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2010
skinmatters blog, skin health and skin care advice from experts
skin condition finder, over 170 skin conditions and thousands of medical pictures
ask the doctor, skin care questions from visitors, responses from experts