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Your skin helps protect you from germs, but sometimes it can get infected by them. Some common types of skin infections are

Treatment of skin infections depends on the cause.

Symptoms of Skin Infections

The following features are indicative of Skin Infections:
  • fever
  • pain or tenderness in the affected area
  • skin redness or inflammation that gets bigger with the spread of infection
  • skin sore or rash that starts suddenly, and grows quickly in the first 24 hours
  • tight, glossy, or stretched appearance of the skin
  • warm skin in the area of redness
  • joint stiffness from swelling of the tissue over the joint
  • hair loss at the injection site
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • red sores
  • itching
  • blisters
  • ulcers
  • pain
  • patches
  • rash
  • swollen lymph nodes
  • yellowish crusts
  • thin, irregular burrow tracks
  • scaling
It is possible that Skin Infections shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.

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Common Causes of Skin Infections

The following are the most common causes of Skin Infections:
  • Staphylococcus and Streptococcus bacteria
  • methicillin-resistant Staph aureus
  • infection with Sarcoptes scabiei mite
  • dermatophytes
  • molds

Risk Factors for Skin Infections

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Skin Infections:
  • cracks or peeling skin between the toes
  • history of peripheral vascular disease
  • injury or trauma with a break in the skin
  • insect bites and stings
  • animal bites
  • human bites
  • ulcers from certain diseases
  • use of corticosteroid medications or medications that suppress the immune system
  • wound from a recent surgery
  • children aged 2 to 5 years old
  • warm or humid climate
  • broken skin
  • crowded living conditions
  • lack of access to water
  • weakened immune system
  • diabetic patients
  • elevated abnormal sweating
  • industrial workers

Prevention of Skin Infections

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Skin Infections. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
  • washing hands daily with soap and water
  • applying a protective ointment or cream on wounds
  • covering wounds with a bandage
  • inspecting your feet daily if you are suffering with diabetes
  • moisturising the skin regularly
  • carefully trim fingernails and toenails in case of diabetes
  • wearing footwear and gloves to protect hands and feet from any injury
  • do not share personal care products
  • avoid touching blisters
  • using antimicrobial soap
  • washing cuts and scrapes area properly
  • maintaining hygiene
  • cleaning all clothes and linen properly

Occurrence of Skin Infections

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Skin Infections cases seen each year worldwide:
  • Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Skin Infections can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Skin Infections can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Skin Infections

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Skin Infections:
  • Physical examination: To check redness, swelling, abscess or other skin problems
  • Blood culture test: To check for bacteria in the blood
  • Complete blood count: To count total number of blood cells
  • Biopsy: To diagnose skin diseases or infections
  • Lab bacterial skin sample test: To determine if methicillin-resistant staph aureus is the cause
  • Skin examination: To looking for the signs of mites

Doctor for Diagnosis of Skin Infections

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Skin Infections:
  • General Practitioner
  • Dermatologist
  • Pediatrician
  • Podiatrist
  • Chiropodist
  • General practitioner

Complications of Skin Infections if untreated

Yes, Skin Infections causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Skin Infections is left untreated:
  • blood infection
  • bone infection
  • inflammation of the lymph vessels
  • inflammation of the heart
  • meningitis
  • shock
  • tissue death
  • spreading of infection to other body parts
  • kidney inflammation or failure
  • permanent skin damage
  • scarring
  • impetigo
  • large painful fissures may develop
  • thickening and yellowing of the nail can occur
  • jock itch
  • ringworm
  • toenail fungus

Procedures for Treatment of Skin Infections

The following procedures are used to treat Skin Infections:
  • Surgery: To treat severe cases of cellulitis

Medicines for Skin Infections

Below is the list of medicines used for Skin Infections:

Self-care for Skin Infections

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Skin Infections:
  • Maintain skin hygiene: Use antimicrobial soap and keep skin clean and hygienic
  • Use personal care products: Do not share personal care products with infected person
  • Maintain hand cleanliness: Wash hands thoroughly
  • Cool and soak the skin: Minimizes the itching
  • Apply soothing lotion: Calamine lotion relieves the pain and itching of minor skin irritations
  • Change socks regularly: Prevents athlete's foot
  • Don't share shoes: Lowers the risks of spreading fungal infection
  • Avoid tight-fitting footwear: Prevents athlete's foot and reduce recurrence
  • Avoid walking barefoot in locker rooms or public showers: Helps in prevention of athlete’s foot
  • Wash wound daily with soap and water: Help prevent cellulitis and other infections
  • Apply a protective cream or ointment: Helps providing adequate protection
  • Cover wound with a bandage: Help prevent cellulitis and other infections

Patient Support for Treatment of Skin Infections

The following actions may help Skin Infections patients:
  • Education and information: By knowing about the disease helps in prevention of athlete's foot

Time for Treatment of Skin Infections

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Skin Infections to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
  • In 1 - 4 weeks

Is Skin Infections Infectious?

Yes, Skin Infections is known to be infectious. It can spread across people via the following means:
  • contact with infected person
  • contact with infected clothing, bed linen, towel and toys

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.
This page provides information for Skin Infections.
Bacterial Infections
Fungal Infections
Gangrene
Skin Conditions
Viral Infections

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