Recognising and responding to severe cellulitis

Get same-day care for rapidly expanding redness or swelling, increasing skin pain, fever, pus, blistering or red streaks. Call emergency services if there is confusion, faintness, breathing difficulty, mottled skin or severe deterioration. Do not wait for a routine appointment when these warning signs appear.

Cellulitis is an infection of deeper skin and nearby soft tissue, commonly entering through a crack, wound, ulcer or inflamed skin. It typically presents with an area that is red or darker than surrounding skin, warm, swollen and tender; fever and feeling unwell can accompany a more extensive infection.

Athlete's foot can create breaks between the toes that allow bacteria to enter. Leg swelling, poor circulation and diabetes can complicate healing or increase concern, but cellulitis can occur without those factors. Sepsis is a dangerous whole-body response to infection and requires emergency treatment.

A clinician diagnoses cellulitis from the skin findings and overall condition, while also considering problems that can resemble it. Antibiotics are prescribed when cellulitis is diagnosed; severe illness, difficult infection sites or inability to take oral medicine may require hospital care and treatment through a vein.

Take prescribed medicine exactly as directed and do not use leftover antibiotics. Rest and elevate an affected limb if advised, drink fluids unless medically restricted, and avoid squeezing, cutting or massaging the area. A clinician may mark the border to help judge spread. Attend the planned review even if some symptoms begin to settle.

Contact the treating service urgently if redness crosses a marked border, pain or swelling increases, fever develops, vomiting prevents medicine staying down, or you are not improving as expected. Infection around an eye, on the face, over a joint or near a surgical wound deserves prompt assessment.

Emergency symptoms include new confusion, extreme sleepiness, collapse, fast or difficult breathing, cold or blotchy skin, and very little urine. These may signal a serious systemic response and should trigger emergency help rather than travel without support.

Ask when improvement should become noticeable, who to contact if the border spreads, and whether the infection site needs dressing or elevation. Clarify whether a wound, athlete's foot or persistent swelling needs separate treatment to reduce another entry point for infection.