Share
Impetigo is a common and highly contagious skin infection that mainly affects infants and young children.
Signs and symptoms of impetigo
- Present as reddish sores on the face, especially around the nose and mouth and on the hands and feet.
- Over about a week, the sores burst and develop honey-colored crusts.
Types of bullous impetigo
- Bullous Impetigo
- Non-Bullous Impetigo
- Ecthyma
Risk factors of getting impetigo
- Age in children ages 2 to 5
- Close contact. Impetigo spreads easily within families
- Warm, humid weather
- Broken skin
- Other health conditions, atopic dermatitis (eczema), are more likely to develop impetigo
Complications of impetigo
- Cellulitis. This potentially life-threatening infection affects the tissues underlying the skin
- Kidney problems (the consequence of impetigo can also damage the kidneys)
- Scarring
Impetigo treatments
Antibiotics are effective against impetigo. Topical antibiotics and sometimes combined with oral antibiotics are used to treat impetigo. With treatment, impetigo usually heals in 7 to 10 days.
