Cellulitis

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of your skin and the tissues beneath your skin. It most commonly affects the lower part of your body, including your legs, feet and toes. However, it can occur in any part of your body. It also commonly appears on your face, arms, hands and fingers.

Who does cellulitis affect?

Anyone can get cellulitis. However, you may be more likely to get cellulitis if:

• You’re a child.
• You have a wound such as a cut, ulcer, bug bite, animal bite, surgical incision, tattoo or piercing.
• You have a long-lasting (chronic) skin condition such as athlete’s foot, eczema or psoriasis.
• You have chickenpox or shingles.
• You have a weakened immune system.
• You have obesity.

How common is cellulitis?

Cellulitis is very common. There are more than 14 million cases of cellulitis in the United States per year.

How does cellulitis affect my body?

Cellulitis causes swelling and pain. If you have cellulitis on your hands or feet, it may be challenging to close your hands or walk.

A cellulitis infection may cause flu-like symptoms, including a fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), chills, sweats, body aches and fatigue.