What Are the Treatment Options for Cellulitis?

Cellulitis is a skin infection that is usually treated with antibiotics. It can become serious if it is not treated promptly. Cellulitis makes your skin painful, warm, and swollen. The area often looks red, but this will be less obvious on either brown or black skin. Your skin might also be blistered. You could feel unwell and experience flu-like symptoms, with swollen and painful glands. You can get cellulitis anywhere on your body, but it is more common on your lower limbs.

How You Get Cellulitis

Cellulitis is most often caused by a bacterial infection.

The bacteria can infect deeper layers of your skin if it is broken, such as an insect bite or cut, or if it is cracked and dry. Sometimes the break in the skin can be too small to notice. You will not catch cellulitis from another person since it affects the deeper layers of the skin. You are more at risk of cellulitis if you:

  1. Have poor circulation in your arms, legs, hands, or feet, or you are overweight.
  2. Find it difficult to be mobile.
  3. Have a weakened immune system, because of chemotherapy treatment or diabetes.
  4. Have lymphoedema, which results in fluid build-up under your skin.
  5. Inject drugs.
  6. Have a wound from a recent surgery.
  7. Have had cellulitis before.

Treatment for Cellulitis

The quickest way to address cellulitis is to take your full course of antibiotics. Several home treatments can help accelerate the healing process.

Home treatments include:

  1. Warm compress- Apply a warm compress to the affected area to help reduce swelling.
  2. Elevation- Elevating the affected area helps lower your blood pressure in the immediate area’s blood vessels and therefore improves blood flow.
  3. Compression- Compression wraps or stockings will help reduce swelling and improve blood flow. Do not wrap the affected area too tightly. This will then cut off circulation. Remove the compression wrap or stocking at a minimum of twice every day for at least 10 minutes.

For mild cases of cellulitis affecting a small area of your skin, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. Your symptoms may get worse in the first two days of treatment, but will then start to improve. Contact your doctor if you do not begin to feel better three days after starting your antibiotics. It is essential to keep taking antibiotics until they are gone, even if you feel better.

Most people will make a full recovery after 7 to 10 days. If your cellulitis is severe, you could be referred to a hospital for treatment. If you have recurring cellulitis, you may be prescribed low-dose, long-term antibiotics to stop the infection from returning.

Things You Might Do to Help with Your Cellulitis

In addition to your antibiotics, you can speed up your recovery by:

  1. Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen for your pain.
  2. Raising the affected area on a pillow or chair while you are sitting or lying down, to reduce swelling.
  3. Regularly moving the joint near the affected part, like your wrist or ankle, to keep it from getting stiff.
  4. Drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
  5. Do not wear compression stockings until you are better.

You can reduce your chances of getting cellulitis again by:

  1. Keeping skin clean and well moisturized.
  2. Cleaning any cuts or wounds and adding antiseptic cream.
  3. Preventing cuts or scrapes by wearing appropriate clothing or footwear.
  4. Wear gloves while working outside.

Related Article: What Are the Symptoms of Cellulitis?