Cellulitis: When To Worry and Other Serious Symptoms

We understand that finding a red, swollen, tender area on your skin can be frightening. Particularly if you’re trying to determine whether or not you have cellulitis, when to worry becomes a pressing question on your mind. We understand your concern and want to help you identify when it’s time to seek immediate medical attention.

Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that can spread quickly if left untreated. Watch for these serious warning signs:

• Rapidly spreading redness and warmth, especially with red streaks extending outward
• Fever above 100.4°F with increasing pain and swelling
• Skin that appears purple or black or develops blisters
• Numbness or tingling in the affected area
• Difficulty moving the affected body part

If you’re worried about your symptoms, don’t wait to get the care you need. Complete Care’s ER locations are open 24/7 with experienced medical professionals ready to evaluate and treat your cellulitis symptoms.

What are the different types of cellulitis?

Cellulitis can develop in various parts of your body, each with its own unique risks and complications. While some types primarily affect the surface skin, others can penetrate deeper tissues or threaten vital organs, making proper identification crucial for effective treatment.

• Periorbital cellulitis: Infection around the eye area, usually starting in the eyelid. Requires immediate attention due to risk of vision complications.
• Facial cellulitis: Affects the skin of the face, often starting from a cut or skin condition. Can be dangerous due to proximity to the brain and eyes.
• Lower extremity cellulitis: The most common type affecting legs and feet. Often occurs in areas with poor circulation or after injury.
• Perianal cellulitis: Infection near the rectum, usually affecting children. Requires special treatment due to sensitive location.
• Breast cellulitis: Can occur after breast surgery or in nursing mothers. May require specialized antibiotics.
• Orbital cellulitis: Serious infection behind the eye. Medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to prevent vision loss.

When it comes to cellulitis, self-diagnosis can be risky. Each type presents unique challenges and potential complications — what looks like a simple skin infection could be threatening your vision, mobility, or even your life. Always consult a medical professional to identify the specific type and receive appropriate treatment before complications develop.

What does serious cellulitis look like?

Unlike minor skin irritations, cellulitis’s serious symptoms demand immediate attention and can rapidly progress from a seemingly simple infection to a medical emergency. When looking at pictures of cellulitis on legs and other body parts, severe cases often appear as:

• Large areas of bright red, swollen skin that feels hot and painful to touch
• Dark red or purple discoloration that continues to spread rapidly
• Tight, glossy skin with a stretched appearance
• Formation of fluid-filled blisters or dark patches
• Clear borders between infected and healthy skin
• Red streaks extending from the main infection site

Recognizing these visual warning signs could mean the difference between quick recovery and serious complications. If your infection displays any of these characteristics, particularly if they’re accompanied by fever or spreading rapidly, don’t try to wait it out — this is your body signaling that professional medical intervention is needed.

Cellulitis can appear differently for each person, with the redness and swelling varying based on skin tone and infection location.

When should you go to the ER for cellulitis?

Cellulitis can quickly transform from a skin infection into a life-threatening condition, sometimes within hours. Be on the lookout for these staph infection cellulitis symptoms that require immediate emergency care:

• High fever (over 100.4°F) or chills, signaling bloodstream infection
• Severe, rapidly worsening pain
• Mental confusion or disorientation
• Limited mobility or numbness in the infected area
• Fast-spreading redness and swelling within 24 hours
• Black or purple skin discoloration

Every hour counts when cellulitis becomes severe. These symptoms often indicate the infection has spread beyond the skin’s surface and may be entering your bloodstream or deeper tissues. If you notice any of these warning signs, especially fever or mental changes, don’t second-guess yourself — head to a freestanding emergency room immediately.

Learn more: Pros and cons of free-standing emergency rooms

Can cellulitis infection go away on its own?

No, cellulitis requires antibiotic treatment. If left untreated, the infection can spread rapidly through deeper layers of tissue and potentially enter the bloodstream, leading to life-threatening complications like sepsis. While waiting for medical care, you can help manage symptoms by elevating the affected area, applying cool compresses, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers — but these measures don’t treat the underlying infection.

If you go to the emergency room for cellulitis, doctors will examine the infected area, mark its borders to track spread, and may order blood tests or cultures to identify the bacteria. They typically start IV antibiotics for severe cases or prescribe oral antibiotics for milder infections. 

The ER team will also check for complications like abscess formation, assess if the infection has spread to deeper tissues, and determine if hospitalization is needed. They’ll then be able to provide specific wound care instructions and schedule follow-up to ensure the infection is resolved.

Cellulitis won’t clear itself — Complete Care is here to help!

Concerned about cellulitis? When to worry: If you notice spreading redness, increasing pain, fever, or warmth around a skin injury, don’t wait to seek medical help at a Complete Care freestanding ER.

Unlike crowded emergency rooms with long wait times, Complete Care offers efficient, specialized treatment for skin infections. Our state-of-the-art facilities in Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, East Texas, Lubbock, San Antonio, and Colorado Springs offer on-site lab testing, comfortable treatment areas, and clear follow-up plans. 

Don’t risk letting cellulitis worsen — visit your nearest Complete Care location today for fast, effective treatment.

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