Cellulitis / Erysipelas Quiz
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Swelling of the affected area
Rashes
Red blotches on the skin
Hot skin
Redness of the skin
Pain in the arm
Swollen feet
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Cellulitis / Erysipelas?
A bacterial skin infection, cellulitis occurs when bacteria invade the skin through a tear, which can be caused by insect bites, wounds, or scratching. People with diabetes and weakened immune systems have a higher risk.
Typical Symptoms of Cellulitis / Erysipelas
- Warm hands and feet
- Affected area is warm to touch
- Taking steroids
- Redness in the affected area
- Swelling in the affected area
- Swelling of the arms or hands
- On medications that suppresses the immune system
- Insect sting or injury from animals
Diagnostic Questions for Cellulitis / Erysipelas
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have warm hands and feet?
- Is the affected area hot to touch?
- Are you currently taking steroids?
- Is the affected area red?
- Do you have swelling in the affected area?
Treatment of Cellulitis / Erysipelas
Most cases can be treated with antibiotic pills, but if unresponsive, stronger injectable antibiotics may be needed. Painkillers and antihistamines can help relieve symptoms.
Reviewed By:
Saqib Baig, MD, MS (Pulmonology, Critical Care, Internal Medicine)
Dr. Baig graduated from Army Medical College (NUST) Pakistan in 2007. He did his internal medicine training from Baltimore, Maryland, USA during the years 2009-2013. He joined the internal medicine faculty practice at Medical College of Wisconsin in USA for 2 years before pursuing advanced training. He completed his pulmonary disease and critical care medicine fellowship from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School from 2015-2018. | | During his fellowship, Dr. Baig completed his master's in health care services management through Rutgers Business School. He currently serves as the medical director of respiratory therapy and pulmonary function lab and the clinical director of the COPD program at the Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute at Thomas Jefferson University. He holds the Assistant Professor of Medicine rank at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Baig's interests lie in respiratory physiology, airways disease, and data science.
Yukiko Ueda, MD (Dermatology)
Dr. Ueda graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine and trained at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She is currently a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, and holds several posts in the dermatology departments at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Komagome Hospital, University of Tokyo, and the Medical Center of Japan Red Cross Society.
Content updated on Feb 13, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Hands and feet feel hot
- Redness
- Hot palms and feet
- Limbs feel hot
- Red blotches on face that come and go
- The area is hot to touch
- Warm hands and feet but no fever
- Swollen area
- Fever with hot hands and feet
- Skin has heat
- Only hands and feet are hot
- Abnormal redness of the entire skin surface
- The lower leg feels hot
- Calf feels hot
- Redness and irritation in private area
See full list
Symptoms Related to Cellulitis / Erysipelas
Diseases Related to Cellulitis / Erysipelas
FAQs
Q.
Cellulitis in Women 30-45: Symptoms, Risks & Vital Next Steps
A.
Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that can affect women 30 to 45, starting with spreading redness, warmth, swelling, and pain, sometimes with fever; prompt antibiotics with rest and elevation usually lead to recovery, but seek urgent care for rapid spread, severe pain, red streaks, or high fever. There are several factors to consider. See below for key risks like shaving, pedicures, eczema, athlete’s foot, diabetes, obesity, pregnancy-related swelling, and immune issues, plus what to expect from diagnosis, full treatment timelines, home care, prevention, and exactly when to seek immediate help.
References:
* Bonaventura M, Perini G, Cozzani E, Parodi A. Cellulitis. An Update. J Clin Med. 2022 Aug 10;11(16):4678. doi: 10.3390/jcm11164678. PMID: 36012015; PMCID: PMC9409894.
* Kofteridis DP, Katsikarchos A, Kofteridis V, Drosos R, Lagoudianakis E, Dalianas A, Bampalis VG, Christoforaki D, Pitsiava D, Ioannidis A, Alexandri P, Kontou M, Papadimitrakis I, Vlachogiannis I, Samonis G, Tsapras N. Clinical features and predictors of severity in adult patients with cellulitis: A multicenter study. J Clin Med. 2022 Jul 28;11(15):4416. doi: 10.3390/jcm11154416. PMID: 35921607; PMCID: PMC9369974.
* Ohyama N, Horiuchi Y, Tamashiro T, Kikuchi H, Kitamura Y, Shiohira K, Nago N, Arakaki K, Shimabukuro M. Risk factors for recurrent cellulitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Dermatol. 2019 Oct;46(10):921-931. doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.14984. Epub 2019 Jul 23. PMID: 31336044.
* Stevens DL, Bisno AL, Chambers HF, Dellinger EP, Goldstein EJ, Gorbach SL, Hirschmann JF, Kaplan SL, Montoya JG, Nadeau D, Phair JP, Rollin DF, Talan DA, Wexler H. Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: 2014 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jul 15;59(2):e10-52. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu296. Epub 2014 Jun 25. PMID: 24973418.
* Weng QY, Raff AB, Cohen JM, Sox HC, Korvec M, Raff H, Raff AC. Not all leg swelling is cellulitis: a prospective study of diagnostic accuracy for lower extremity cellulitis. J Hosp Med. 2011 Oct;6(8):482-6. doi: 10.1002/jhm.911. Epub 2011 May 26. PMID: 21628103.
Q.
Cellulitis in Women 65+: Warning Signs You Should Never Ignore
A.
Women 65 and older should seek prompt care for cellulitis if they notice spreading redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness or pain, fever or chills, red streaks, severe pain out of proportion, confusion or weakness, numbness or tingling, or skin that turns purple, gray, or blisters. There are several factors to consider, including why older adults are at higher risk, common triggers, what worsening symptoms mean, and how treatment and prevention work; see the complete details below to understand more and decide the right next steps.
References:
* Quagliano PV, Khan H, Patel M, et al. Cellulitis: A Practical Update on Diagnostics, Treatment, and Prevention. Am J Med. 2023 Apr;136(4):379-386. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2022.11.002. Epub 2022 Nov 19. PMID: 36413988.
* Mitzner MC, Lee A, Patel S, et al. Skin and soft tissue infections in older adults: an overview. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2022 Dec 22;35(6):533-539. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000889. PMID: 36458512.
* Advincula K, Ko D, Khavari N. Atypical Presentations of Common Dermatologic Conditions in Older Adults. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2023 Nov;89(5):1041-1051. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2023.03.003. Epub 2023 Mar 7. PMID: 36906233.
* Halilaj A, Kanzler B, Kanzler S, et al. Recurrent cellulitis of the leg: a review of current management strategies. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2023 Feb;37(2):292-300. doi: 10.1111/jdv.18567. Epub 2022 Oct 26. PMID: 36284641.
* Stevens DL, Bryant AE, Goldstein EJC. Cellulitis: A Comprehensive Review. N Engl J Med. 2022 Oct 27;387(17):1599-1608. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra2116037. PMID: 36300438.
Q.
Can I use topical and oral antibiotics together?
A.
Yes, you can use topical and oral antibiotics together, especially for treating acne, as they can work better when combined. See below to understand more.
References:
Del Rosso JQ. (2016). Topical and oral antibiotics for acne vulgaris. Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery, 27416309.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27416309/
Thiboutot DM, Shalita AR, Yamauchi PS, Dawson C, Arsonnaud S, Kang S, & Differin Study Group. (2005). Combination therapy with adapalene gel 0.1% and .... Skinmed, 15891249.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15891249/
Zaenglein AL, Shamban A, Webster G, Del Rosso J, Dover JS, Swinyer L, et al. (2013). A phase IV, open-label study evaluating the use of triple- .... Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD, 23839176.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Wilcox, M. H., & Dryden, M. (2021). Update on the epidemiology of healthcare-acquired bacterial infections: focus on complicated skin and skin structure infections. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
https://academic.oup.com/jac/article-abstract/76/Supplement_4/iv2/6437934Ren, Z., & Silverberg, J. I. (2020). Association of atopic dermatitis with bacterial, fungal, viral, and sexually transmitted skin infections. Dermatitis.
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1097/DER.0000000000000526Ramakrishnan, K., Salinas, R. C., & Higuita, N. I. A. (2015). Skin and soft tissue infections. American Family Physician.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2015/0915/p474.html