Skin Infections On The Face

Eye Symptoms Of Staph Infection On Face

If Staph Infection is also present around the eyes, then patients eyelids can be swollen shut with purple or shiny red color to them. This is a medical emergency, as staph infection around the eye region if not treated can lead to decrease in vision and even loss of vision. Patient feels pain upon eye movement. The eye may also seem to bulge out. Immediate treatment is needed otherwise it can cause permanent vision loss due to optic nerve damage.

Symptoms Of Facial Cellulitis

Facial cellulitis typically begins with swelling and redness in the face, particularly in the cheeks. The condition is also accompanied by burning and itchiness of the skin. Facial cellulitis causes the tongue to swell up and become very sensitive to touch. The infection is sometimes accompanied by a fever, decreased appetite, body aches and chills.

The infected skin areas feel warm when touched. If left untreated, the infection can spread to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body and become more severe leading to further complications. The appearance of a red streak underneath the skin indicates that the infection has spread to the lymphatic system.

What Causes Skin Infections

There is a wide range of causes for skin infections, and each type has specific causes as well.

Bacterial skin infections occur when bacteria enters your skin, usually through a cut or scratch. However, not every cut or scratch will get infected. For most people, they will not get an infection whenever they have a skin opening. People with weakened immune systems have higher risks of bacterial skin infections. If you do not have an immune disorder or disease, you still need to take care of the open area, especially if you are in an unsanitized or unclean area.

You can get a viral skin infection when a virus enters your body. These viruses usually come from three categories: the herpes virus, poxvirus and human papillomavirus. You can come across these with just human contact.

A fungal infection can occur due to body chemistry and your lifestyle. Fungi grow and thrive in warm, moist environments. People who excessively sweat, wear damp or wet clothing, or have skin folds are more prone to fungal skin infections.

Parasitic skin infections occur when tiny parasites burrow their way into your skin and lay eggs. These infections spread through human contact and unclean environments.

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How Can I Prevent A Fungal Rash

In some people, fungal rashes tend to come back even after treatment. Recurring infections may be due to genetics you may be more prone to developing these infections. These steps can help prevent a rash from recurring or developing in the first place:

Good foot hygiene

• Change your socks and wash your feet regularly. Avoid shoes made of plastic, which doesnt breathe.
• Dont walk barefoot, especially in places that may be wet, such as gym showers and locker rooms.
• When cutting your toenails, cut straight across the nail. If you have an ingrown toenail, you may need to see a podiatrist to care for it. And if you have a fungal nail infection, dont use the same nail clippers on healthy nails and infected nails.

Proper medicine use

• If your healthcare provider prescribed a cream , use the medicine as long as directed. Even after you can no longer see the rash, the fungal infection may still be there, so keep applying the cream as long as your provider recommends.
• Your healthcare provider may recommend the same course of treatment for all the members of your family. Often, people living together can pass an infection back and forth. Treating everyone will help make sure the infection is truly gone.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you should use an antifungal cream regularly on your feet and nails to help prevent infections.
• Using antifungal powder in your shoes every day may help prevent athletes foot.

Other Bacterial Skin Diseases

Skin Tuberculosis

Localized skin tuberculosis may follow inoculation of Mycobacteriumtuberculosis into a wound in individuals with no previousimmunologic experience with the disease. The course starts as aninflammatory nodule and is accompanied by regional lymphangitisand lymphadenitis. The course of the disease depends on the patient’sresistance and the effectiveness of treatment. In an immune or partiallyimmune host, two major groups of skin lesions are distinguished:tuberculosis verrucosa and lupus vulgaris.

Mycobacterium marinum Skin Disease

Many cases of M marinum skin disease occur in children andadolescents who have a history of using swimming pools or cleaning fishtanks. Often, there is a history of trauma, but even in the absence oftrauma the lesions appear frequently on the sites most exposed to injury.The usually solitary lesions are tuberculoid granulomata that rarely showacid-fast organisms. The skin tuberculin test is positive.

Mycobacterium ulcerans Skin Disease

Lesions in M ulcerans skin disease occur most often on thearms or legs and occasionally elsewhere, but not on the palms or soles. Mostpatients have a single, painless cutaneous ulcer with characteristicundermined edges. Geographic association of the disease with swamps andwatercourses has been reported. In some tropical areas, chronic ulcerscaused by this organism are common.

In scrofuloderma, tuberculosis of lymph nodes or bones is extended into theskin, resulting in the development of ulcers.

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Who Is Vulnerable To A Fungal Rash

Anyone with a weakened immune system as well as those taking antibiotics is more susceptible to a fungal infection.

Cancer treatment and diabetes may also increase a person’s susceptibility to fungal infections.

This also includes people who are overweight, experimenting with a new skincare product, people with excessive sweat and pregnant women.

When Should You See A Doctor

When in doubt, always see a doctor or dermatologist if you notice changes to your skin, especially if they are painful, itchy and blistered. Many people are more prone to skin infections like diabetics, the elderly, people with poor circulation, patients with immune disorders or diseases like HIV/AIDS, obese people, and paralyzed individuals. If you are one of these people listed, check your body daily and consult your dermatologist if you have any skin issues or concerns.

Skin infections are very common, and luckily, there are many different ways to cure them. If you notice any skin issues, please visit your doctor or dermatologist right away. For more information about skin infections or any other skin issues, please contact us.

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Infections Or Injuries That Break Skin

The following are risk factors because they allow bacteria to get through the skin:

• Injuries that cause a break in the skin
• Chickenpox and shingles
• Injection drug use

People who have had multiple cellulitis infections below the knee should be checked for fungal infections, such as athletes foot. These infections should be treated since they can cause breaks in the skin that can lead to cellulitis.

When Should I Call The Doctor

• Skin infections seem to be passing from one family member to another, or if two or more family members have skin infections at the same time.
• You think your child has a serious wound that might be infected.
• A stye doesn’t go away in a few days.
• A minor infection gets worse for example, your child starts feeling feverish or ill, or the area spreads and gets very red and hot.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Necrotizing Fasciitis

The first symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis may not seem serious. Your skin may become warm and red, and you may feel as if youve pulled a muscle. You may even feel like you simply have the flu.

You can also develop a painful, red bump, which is typically small. However, the red bump doesnt stay small. The pain will become worse, and the affected area will grow quickly.

There may be oozing from the infected area, or it may become discolored as it decays. Blisters, bumps, black dots, or other skin lesions might appear. In the early stages of the infection, the pain will be much worse than it looks.

Other symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis include:

Which Bacteria Cause Skin Infection

Tick-borne bacterial infections include:

• Relapsing fever, due to Babesia microti
• Tularaemia, due to Francisella tularensis

• Full blood count: bacterial infection often raises the white cell count with increased neutrophils
• C-reactive protein : elevated > 50 in serious bacterial infections
• Procalcitonin: blood test marker for generalisedsepsis due to bacterial infection
• Serology: tests ten days apart to determine immune response to a particular organism
• Polymerase chain reaction and ELISA tests for specific organisms
• Blood culture: if high fever > 38C
• A swab of the inflamed site, such as throat, skin lesions for culture.

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Symptomatic Treatment For Staph Infection On Face

As mentioned before, antibiotics are the first line of treatment for staph infection on face. However, this infection can cause significant discomfort and pain to the patient, especially if the infection is present in the region surrounding the eyes and the swollen tissue impairs the patients vision. Conservative treatment for this includes soaking the affected region in warm water to help alleviate the swelling and ease the visual impairment. Other than this, patient can also take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as paracetamol and acetaminophen to relieve not only pain, but also fever. Medicines to relieve itching felt in the swollen areas on the face are also prescribed.

Can Your Body Fight Skin Infection Without Antibiotics

Your bodys immune system fights off many kinds of bacteria with its white blood cells. These form a defense system against a lot of microbes. But when the immune system is weakened, it is prone to infections and requires antibiotics.

Antibiotics are medicines that either destroy bacteria or slow down the growth. Antibiotics should be used sparingly as the body may become resistant to antibiotics after a point.

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Treatment Of Fungal Skin Infections

Once you have a diagnosis, treatment for Candida rash is straightforward. Fungal skin infections caused by Candida are treated using an oral antifungal medication or a topical antifungal cream applied directly to the rash.

If you have chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, you may need to take an oral antifungal medication like fluconazole long-term. You will also be counseled to keep the area well ventilated and dry, which is normally not a challenge when the rash is on the face.

Verywell / Jessica Olah

Most Surgical Wounds Dont Need Antibiotics

Some doctors prescribe antibiotic creams or ointments to keep wounds from getting infected after surgery. Although infections still happen at hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers, the risk of an infection is fairly low. And topical antibiotics for your skin dont lower your risk of infection. Other measures, such as good handwashing by staff, work better to prevent infection. Petroleum jelly can help wounds heal by keeping them moist. Plus, its cheaper and less likely to make the wound sore.

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What Are Some Symptoms Of Skin Infections

Depending on if you have a mild or a severe case, common symptoms include but are not limited to redness, swelling, itching, pain and tenderness. In more severe cases, you may see pus, blisters, skin sloughing, foul odors or dark, discolored skin. Do not pop or pick at any blisters. Popping these areas can cause spreading. When pus touches other parts of your skin, it can seep into other cuts or clog up your pores.

Instead, if you notice any of the symptoms above, whether they are mild or severe, leave the area alone and visit your doctor or dermatologist right away. Untreated skin infections can cause high fevers, illness, and in severe cases, death.

What Is A Fungal Skin Infection

Fungi live everywhere. They can be found in plants, soil, and even on your skin. These microscopic organisms on your skin typically dont cause any problem, unless they multiply faster than normal or penetrate your skin through a cut or lesion.

Since fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, fungal skin infections can often develop in sweaty or damp areas that dont get much airflow. Some examples include the feet, groin, and folds of skin.

Often, these infections appear as a scaly rash or discoloration of the skin that is often itchy.

Some fungal skin infections are very common. Although the infection can be annoying and uncomfortable, its typically not serious.

Fungal skin infections are often spread through direct contact. This can include coming into contact with fungi on clothing or other items, or on a person or animal.

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Who Is At Risk For Skin Infections

You are at a higher risk for a skin infection if you:

• Have poor circulation
• Have an immune system disease, such as HIV/AIDS
• Have a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy or other medicines that suppress your immune system
• Have to stay in one position for a long time, such as if you are sick and have to stay in bed for a long time or you are paralyzed
• Have excessive skinfolds, which can happen if you have obesity

Risk Factors Of Bacterial Skin Infections

Some people are at particular risk of developing skin infections:

• People with diabetes, who are likely to have poor blood flow , have a high level of sugar in their blood, which decreases their ability to fight infections

• People who are hospitalized or living in a nursing home

• People who are older

• People who have human immunodeficiency virus , AIDS or other immune disorders, or hepatitis

• People who are undergoing chemotherapy or treatment with other drugs that suppress the immune system

Skin that is inflamed or damaged is more likely to become infected. In fact, any break in the skin predisposes a person to infection.

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Can I Treat A Fungal Rash At Home

Its important for your healthcare provider to see the rash, especially if this is the first time the rash has appeared. Your provider can diagnose it and discuss the best course of action to treat it. Treating a fungal rash with an anti-itch cream that contains a steroid may make the infection worse and more difficult to treat.

What Are Causes And Risk Factors For A Skin Infection

The cause of a skin infection depends on the type of infection.

Bacterial skin infection: This occurs when bacteria enter the body through a break in the skin, such as a cut or a scratch. Getting a cut or scratch doesnt necessarily mean youll develop a skin infection, but it does increase your risk if you have a weakened immune system.

A decreased immune system can be the result of an illness or the side effect of medication.

Viral skin infection: The most common viruses come from one of three groups of viruses: poxvirus, human papillomavirus, and herpes virus.

Fungal infection: Body chemistry and lifestyle can increase the risk of a fungal infection. For example, you may experience multiple bouts of athletes foot if youre a runner or if you sweat a lot. Fungi often grow in warm, moist environments. Wearing sweaty or wet clothes is a risk factor for skin infections. A break or cut in the skin may allow bacteria to get into the deeper layers of the skin.

Parasitic skin infection: Tiny insects or organisms burrowing underneath your skin and laying eggs can cause a parasitic skin infection.

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World Health Organization Classification

WHO categorizes the disease based on the type and number of affected skin areas:

• The first category is paucibacillary. There are five or fewer lesions and no bacterium detected in the skin samples.
• The second category is multibacillary. There are more than five lesions, the bacterium is detected in the skin smear, or both.

Ringworm Of The Scalp

This fungal infection affects the skin of the scalp and the associated hair shafts. Its most common in young children and needs to be treated with prescription oral medication as well as antifungal shampoo. The symptoms can include:

• localized bald patches that may appear scaly or red
• associated scaling and itching
• associated tenderness or pain in the patches

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Cellulitis: All You Need To Know

Cellulitis is a common bacterial skin infection that causes redness, swelling, and pain in the infected area of the skin. If untreated, it can spread and cause serious health problems.

Good wound care and hygiene are important for preventing cellulitis.

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• Protect yourself and others

Antibiotics For Treating Staph Infection On Face

Antibiotics are the first line of treatment for staph infection on face. If the staph infection on face is mild, then treatment is done using oral antibiotics. As staph infection can spread rapidly, patients with severe staph infection need to be hospitalized and given intravenous antibiotics. Antibiotics commonly used to treat staph infection on face include cephalosporins, sulfa drugs, nafcillin or related antibiotics and vancomycin. The exact antibiotic which is used for treating staph infection on face depends on the preferences of the doctor and whether the patient is allergic to any antibiotic. There is a good chance of recurrence of staph infection on face after the treatment is done. For this reason, patients are given a longer course of antibiotics to ensure complete eradication of the bacteria.

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Treatment Of Bacterial Skin Infections

• Drainage of abscesses

An antibiotic ointment is used if a minor skin infection develops. Antibiotics also need to be taken by mouth or given by injection if a large area of skin is infected.

Abscesses should be cut open by a doctor and allowed to drain, and any dead tissue must be surgically removed.

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