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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Possible signs and symptoms of cellulitis include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Pain
- Warmth
- Fever
The changes in your skin may be accompanied by a fever. Over time, the area of redness tends to expand. Small red spots may appear on top of the reddened skin, and less commonly, small blisters may form and burst.
When to see a doctor
If you have a rash that's red, swollen, tender and warm — and it's expanding — try to see your doctor the same day. If a fever or pain accompanies the rash, or the rash is changing rapidly, seek emergency care. It's important to identify and treat cellulitis early because the condition can cause a serious infection by spreading rapidly throughout your body.
- Cellulitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch119/ch119b.html. Accessed Nov. 16, 2009.
- Baddour LM. Cellulitis and erysipelas. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 12, 2009.
- Stevens DL. Infections of the skin, muscle, and soft tissues. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2860782. Accessed Nov. 19, 2009.
- Eron LJ. In the clinic: Cellulitis and soft tissue infections. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2009;150:1.
- Bernard P. Management of common bacterial infections of the skin. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 2008;21:122.
- Lawrence Gibson, M.D. (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 27, 2009.
- Carl Anderson, M.D. (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 21, 2009.
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