What Impetigo Looks Like

The affected skin may look red or irritated, and nearby spots can join into a larger crusted patch. Some forms produce bigger, fluid-filled blisters, especially on the trunk or in skin folds.

Impetigo is a superficial bacterial skin infection. It may begin where skin has been scratched, grazed, bitten, or irritated by eczema. People with atopic dermatitis can have a weakened skin barrier, which gives bacteria an easier route into the outer skin.

Crusting skin has several possible causes, so appearance alone cannot confirm the diagnosis. A clinician considers where the rash started, how it changed, whether it is spreading, and whether anyone nearby has similar lesions.

Arrange a medical assessment if impetigo is suspected because treatment may include topical antibiotic therapy for a small, localised area or antibiotics for skin infection when disease is more extensive. The appropriate choice depends on the examination and local prescribing guidance.

Until assessed, wash the area gently, pat it dry, and avoid picking crusts or squeezing blisters. Keep nails short, wash hands after touching the rash, and do not share towels, razors, clothing, or bedding. Follow the clinician's instructions about covering lesions and returning to school, nursery, work, swimming, or contact sport.

Seek prompt medical care if redness, warmth, swelling, pain, or crusting is expanding; if pus or red streaks appear; or if the person feels feverish or generally unwell. Assessment should also be prompt when lesions are close to an eye, cover a broad area, keep returning, or occur in a newborn or someone with reduced immune defences.

Get urgent help for marked facial or eye swelling, trouble breathing, unusual sleepiness, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness. These features require assessment rather than home observation.

Ask whether the pattern fits impetigo or another cause of blistering or crusting, whether a swab is useful, and how to apply or take any prescribed medicine. Confirm how to clean and cover the area, what improvement should look like, and which changes should trigger reassessment.