Cellulitis

Cellulitis is a skin infection that's treated with antibiotics. It can be serious if it's not treated quickly.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if your skin is:

red, hot and painful (it may also be swollen and blistered)

You can also have swollen, painful glands.

These are symptoms of cellulitis.

You can get cellulitis on any part of your body, but it usually affects:

Swollen hands caused by cellulitis — Hands – causing swollen fingers.

A foot affected by cellulitis — Feet – sometimes near toes if you have athlete's foot.

Cellulitis on the lower legs — Legs – usually the lower legs.

If you're not sure it's cellulitis

Urgent advice: Get advice from 111 now if:

your face or the area around your eye is affected
your symptoms are rapidly getting worse – this could be a sign of something more serious like the rare condition necrotising fasciitis
you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or diabetes
a young child or elderly person has possible cellulitis

Early treatment with antibiotics can stop the infection becoming more serious.

111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.

Other ways to get help

Treatment from a GP

For mild cellulitis affecting a small area of skin, your GP will prescribe antibiotic tablets – usually for a week.

Your symptoms might get worse in the first 48 hours of treatment, but should then start to improve.

You should go back to the GP if you do not start to feel better 2 to 3 days after starting antibiotics.

It's important to keep taking antibiotics until they're finished, even when you feel better.

Most people make a full recovery after 7 to 10 days.

If your cellulitis is severe, your GP might refer you to hospital for treatment.

To stop cellulitis recurring

Some people with recurring cellulitis might be prescribed low-dose long-term antibiotics to stop infections coming back.

Things you can do yourself

As well as taking antibiotics for cellulitis, you can help speed up your recovery by:

taking paracetamol or ibuprofen for the pain
raising the affected body part on a pillow or chair when you're sitting or lying down to reduce swelling
regularly moving the joint near the affected body part, such as your wrist or ankle, to stop it getting stiff
drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
not wearing compression stockings until you're better

You can reduce the chances of getting cellulitis again by:

keeping skin clean and well moisturised
cleaning any cuts or wounds, or using antiseptic cream
preventing cuts and scrapes by wearing appropriate clothing and footwear
wearing gloves if working outside

Cellulitis complications

If not treated quickly, the infection can spread to other parts of the body, such as the blood, muscles and bones.

Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E now if you have cellulitis with:

a very high temperature, or you feel hot and shivery
a fast heartbeat or fast breathing
purple patches on the skin
feeling dizzy or faint
confusion or disorientation
cold, clammy, pale skin
unresponsiveness or loss of consciousness

These are symptoms of sepsis, which can be very serious and potentially life threatening.

What causes cellulitis

Cellulitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

The bacteria can infect the deeper layers of your skin if it's broken – for example, because of an insect bite or cut, or if it's cracked and dry.

Sometimes the break in the skin is too small to notice.

You cannot catch cellulitis from another person as it affects the deeper layers of the skin.

You're more at risk of cellulitis if you:

have poor circulation in your arms, legs, hands or feet – for example, because you're overweight
find it difficult to move around
have a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy treatment or diabetes
have bedsores (pressure ulcers)
have lymphoedema, which causes fluid build-up under the skin
inject drugs
have a wound from surgery
have had cellulitis before

People who are more at risk of cellulitis should treat any athlete's foot promptly.

Social care and support guide

If you:

need help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability
care for someone regularly because they're ill, elderly or disabled, including family members

Our guide to care and support explains your options and where you can get support.

Page last reviewed: 17 January 2018
Next review due: 17 January 2021