Treatment of cellulitis usually involves taking oral or intravenous antibiotics and keeping the area clean. This skin infection causes redness, pain and swelling.
Cellulite is usually easy to treat by a healthcare provider, but sometimes it can be serious. It is important to treat cellulite early. The infection starts as red, painful, hot patches of skin and can spread to other tissues or the bloodstream.
Health care providers can treat many cases of cellulitis with a short course of prescription oral antibiotics for 7-10 days. Common bacteria Streptococci or Staphylococci often cause cellulite.
You may start to feel better within a few days of your first dose. Your skin may also start to look better. It is important not to stop the antibiotics until they are all gone or until a healthcare provider tells you that you can, even if you feel better. This prevents the infection from taking hold and returning later.
Cellulitis can cause an abscess or pus-filled area under your skin. A healthcare provider will likely drain and clean the wound. They will apply a dressing to help the wound heal and prevent pus from leaking.
Wash your hands often to avoid introducing more bacteria to a clean wound. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends staying away from:
- Hydromassage
- Lakes, oceans and rivers
- Swimming pools
It’s rare, but cellulitis may not improve with oral antibiotics alone. The infection may have already spread into the bloodstream and traveled throughout your body. Symptoms may include a high fever, blisters or red streaks on your skin if this happens.
You may need IV antibiotics or a hospital stay if the cellulitis becomes severe. People who have facial cellulitis or cellulitis of the socket (eye) may also need IV antibiotics. These types may be more severe and may not respond as effectively to oral antibiotics.
You can help the healing process by taking care of the affected area at home. Elevating the affected limb can reduce pain and swelling if you have cellulitis on your arm or leg. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also relieve symptoms.
A healthcare provider may also recommend that you try the following:
- Cleanse and moisturize your skin
- Cover the affected area
- Wear compression wraps or stockings
Getting plenty of rest and trying relaxation techniques can help the recovery process. Some evidence suggests that lack of sleep and too much stress can impair wound healing.
If cellulitis doesn’t improve with antibiotics, make sure another condition isn’t causing symptoms. A healthcare provider may misdiagnose other types of skin infections as cellulitis, which can delay appropriate treatment.
“If you have cellulite that doesn’t respond to treatment or that comes back in a surprising way, maybe it’s time to check in and say, ‘Hey, maybe I don’t have it. Maybe we should expand the list of things that could be.” Arash Mostaghimi, MDsaid director of the inpatient dermatology service at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Health.
Bacteria that are usually harmless and live on your skin often cause cellulite. It is not always clear why or how they enter the body and trigger an infection.
Certain skin conditions such as dermatitis or athlete’s foot can lead to cellulite. They can cause tiny cracks in the surface of your skin and make it vulnerable to infection. People with chronic diseases such as diabetes may also be at increased risk of skin infections. Make sure you treat these underlying risk factors, along with cellulite, to prevent it from coming back.
