Skin Infection? Signs To Watch For And What You Need To Do
A skin infection can affect anyone, young or old. A skin infection can occur on any part of the body and can be from a minor scrape or scratch or occur from a major wound. If you have a skin infection, there are signs you should watch out for. You may need to have it treated to prevent further issues, such as the need for surgery or a skin graft. Read on for a few signs of a skin infection and what you can do to help.
Skin Infection Signs
Skin infections can present themselves in different ways depending on the severity of the infection. They can present as a warm spot on the skin that is also red. It may feel warm from the inside, but also warm on the outside of the skin as well. The skin may be swollen, either on the area that was injured, or it may just be a small bump on the skin. There may be oozing, which could be yellow-tinged, or even green. Your skin may also begin to peel or could flake off (similar to a burn on the skin), especially in areas where the infection is so bad that the skin cells are actually dying.
Treatment Tips
Treatment for skin infections are necessary to prevent it from spreading further. If the skin infection goes untreated, you could end up with a much larger area that is infected, and more skin that will need to be treated. The infection will then be much harder to get under control and to treat. If you have a minor infection at home, you can treat the area with an antibiotic ointment. Keep the area clean and dry. Don't keep it wrapped up with bandages, as you could end up getting the area too moist, which could spread the infection. Keep the wound covered when necessary, but try to leave it open and dry when you are at home. Clean the area using an approved cream or skin ointment. Pat it with either of these to keep the area clean, and use soap and water as well, but be sure to dry the wound thoroughly.
If you have a skin infection or suspect a skin infection, you could try to treat it at home, but if it's beyond home treatment, get to a dermatologist for help in properly treating your wound to prevent it from worsening. Contact a dermatologist for more information.