Impetigo

Symptoms

Impetigo starts with red sores or blisters, but the redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

The sores or blisters quickly burst and often leave crusty, golden-brown patches.

The patches can:

• look a bit like cornflakes stuck to your skin
• get bigger and spread to other parts of your body

• be itchy and are sometimes painful
  

Causes

Impetigo occurs when the skin becomes infected with bacteria.

Treatment Options

A GP will check if your symptoms are caused by a more serious skin infection, like cellulitis.

If it's impetigo, they can prescribe:

• hydrogen peroxide cream if it's in one area

• antibiotic cream or tablets if it's more widespread
• antibiotic tablets if you have bullous impetigo

Babies and people with a weakened immune system may also need antibiotic tablets to stop the infection causing more serious problems.

If your impetigo keeps coming back

A GP can take a swab from your skin to check for the bacteria that causes impetigo.

They may also take a swab from inside your nose.

They might prescribe an antiseptic body wash, nasal ointment, or both, to try to clear the bacteria and stop the impetigo coming back.

Prevention Tips

Impetigo usually infects skin that's already damaged.

You can get it if you have a minor injury like a cut, scratch or insect bite, or a skin condition.

To avoid getting impetigo:

• keep cuts, scratches and insect bites clean – for example, by washing them with warm water and soap

• get treatment for skin conditions, like eczema and scabies

How to stop impetigo spreading or getting worse

Impetigo can be easily spread to other parts of your body or to other people through skin-to-skin contact.

You can also get it by touching things that have been infected, like towels and bedding.

Impetigo stops being contagious:

• 48 hours after you start using hydrogen peroxide cream or antibiotics prescribed by a GP or pharmacist

• when the patches dry out and crust over (if you do not get treatment)

There are some things you can do to help stop impetigo spreading or getting worse while it's still contagious.

Do:

• stay away from work, school or nursery until no longer contagious
• wash affected areas with soap and water and dry them thoroughly
• wash your hands frequently, particularly before and after using antibiotic cream
• wash flannels, towels, sheets and pillowcases at a high temperature

• wash toys with detergent and warm water if your children have impetigo

Do not:

• do not touch or scratch sores, blisters or crusty patches – this also helps stop scarring
• do not have close contact with children or people with diabetes or a weakened immune system (if they're having chemotherapy, for example)
• do not share flannels, towels, sheets or pillowcases
• do not prepare food for other people if you have impetigo
• do not go to the gym or play contact sports like football

When To See A Doctor

See a GP if you or your child:

• might have impetigo
• has had treatment for impetigo but the symptoms have changed or become worse
• had impetigo before and it keeps coming back

Impetigo is very infectious.