Skin infections
Background to skin infections
Skin infections are usually caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus or Streptococcus species. They are known as commensal bacteria, because they can live harmlessly on the external surface of our skin. When the skin breaks, however, these bacteria can infiltrate into the lower layers of the skin and cause an infection.
Skin breaks can have a variety of causes, such as:
- Ingrown nails, or nails that have been bitten or picked, which can lead to a specific skin infection called paronychia.
- Cuts
- Insect bites
- Thinned, damaged or weakened skin (e.g. in eczema, or for older patients with damaged skin).
What is the impact of skin infections?
- Common signs and symptoms of a skin infection include:
- Spreading redness
- Heat and/or swelling and/or tenderness around a skin break
- Pus (thick, opaque, coloured fluid)
- More severe infections can lead to:
- Systemic symptoms such as fever, and feeling very tired and lethargic.
- Skin infections, in the worst case, can lead to sepsis, which is a medical emergency.
Treatments
Treatment is dependent on the severity of symptoms. Milder cases can be treated with topical products (applied to the skin), although more severe infections may respond better to oral antibiotics in addition to other treatments.
Book an appointment to discuss these options in more depth with one of our clinicians, and choose the treatment plan that is right for you.
For more information
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