A skin infection is a situation in which germs (bacteria, viruses, or fungi) infect your skin and deep tissues underneath it. In some cases, it’s generated by a parasite invading your skin. You can get a skin infection any time your skin is torn, whether from a cut, tattoo, piercing, puncture, sting or bite. Which allows any bacteria to enter your body.

The body’s immune system does a great job in fighting off the little germs, but sometimes when the bacteria’s numbers and strength are strong results in infection to develop.

Because the human skin is your largest organ, and it comprises 22 square feet for the average adult. So, we notice a huge number of skin infections here at Post Oak ER. For us to help you decide if you need medical attention, we have developed a list for you of the five signs that might indicate you are developing a skin infection.

Skin infections

Your skin is the largest organ of your body. Its process is to cover your body from infection. Occasionally the skin itself evolves infected. Skin infections are induced by a comprehensive variety of germs, and symptoms can range from gentle to severe. Mild infections may be treatable with over-the-counter medications and home remedies, whereas different infections may need medical attention.

Understand more regarding skin infections and what to do if you have one.

Pain

One of the symptoms that are the hardest to overlook is the throbbing pain that you will usually see happens if you have a serious infection. The pain is produced by your body struggling off the foreign bodies, it, in turn, produces inflammation to defend the affected tissue. The increased difficulty is expected to work as a protection for you while your white cells are working to cover and fight off the infection. One side effect of the inflammation is the pain you feel around the area where it burns the nerves.

If the infection turns into an ulcer, the pain will be much more serious because the white cells and debris will grow up and there is no tool for release. If you develop an abscess, you must come to Post Oak ER because that area will need to be cleaned and drained. If you leave the abscess on its own, it will rarely get any better, and most of the time can only get worse.

Heat

When you are fighting off the foreign bodies, one of the defence mechanisms will produce the patient to run a fever. Doctors are not sure why the body does this, but they feel your body might be trying to generate an environment that is not friendly for the bacteria to live.

So, whatever the cause for the heat, it’s a sign you have to deal with the infection. Any temperature that increases over 100.4 degrees is to be considered a ‘fever’ and the higher it gets, it will indicate how severe your infection is/was. For you to be on the safe side, if you develop a skin infection, we recommend you come to Post Oak ER when you first develop a fever.

Ooze

When your body produces a fight response, it starts making more white cells. Then, your white cells will go to battle for you, they then die off, which makes up the pus. It is common to discharge pus from an injury, but you have to come into Post Oak ER for drainage of pus that runs for days. It is hard to explain how much pus has been draining out, it all depends on how large your wound is and what stage you are at in the infection. Just use good judgment and do everything you can to practice caution. You know it is better to be on the safe side than to be sorry later when it comes to infection.

Redness

An infection will begin with the skin changing red, which some describe as “angry.” If the outer corners of the wound get red, there are no indications of improvement and if the red area starts expanding. You should visit Post Oak ER for us to take a close look. It is a RED flag that the infection is probably spreading, could be expanding fast, and it all can cause some severe damage to you.

Slow Healing

If the cut or injury you got doesn’t look like it is starting to get better in a week or two, and if it cause you that much pain, you need to get it evaluated. It saw more than true if you experience a chronic medical problem, like that of diabetes.

If your wound is slow to heal, then that leaves it open for the chance to get more foreign matter or bacteria in it, so the quicker the area can close up, the better off you will be.

Fever

Call a doctor or visit Postoak ER immediately, if you think you might have a skin infection and a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher.

A pimple or yellowish crust on top

Yellowish crusting can build on a scab when pus grows. Pus is normally a sign of infection, and it can indicate either a bacterial infection, such as impetigo, or a viral infection, such as herpes. Sometimes, the scab can crack, and a small amount of clear yellow or pink fluid can ooze out.

Blisters

Blistering can also be a sign of specific infections, including the following: Impetigo, a bacterial infection of the skin that can happen in both children and adults, may cause blisters. Chickenpox, an infection made by a virus, produces itchy spots and often blisters on the skin.

Swelling

Cellulitis is a common bacterial skin infection that produces redness, swelling, and discomfort in the infected area of the skin. If untreated, it can spread and create serious health problems.

Skin Infection Types

The following are four different types of skin infections:

Skin Infection Fungal

A fungal infection is also known as mycosis, which is a skin disorder caused by a fungus.

Many species of fungi live in the dirt, plants, house facades, and your skin. Sometimes, they can lead to skin problems like rashes or bumps.

Fungal Infection Symptoms

A fungal skin infection can cause:

• Irritation
• Scaly skin
• Redness
• Itching
• Swelling
• Blisters

Skin Infection Bacteria

Some bacteria exist on normal skin and cause no harm, such as Staphylococcus species, Corynebacterium species, and Acinetobacter. Propionibacteria remain in the hair follicles of adult skin and contribute to acne.

Some bacteria penetrate normal skin, broken skin from wounds which results in wound infection. Whereas, bacteria such as viruses cause exanthems (rashes).

Skin Infection Parasites

Parasites on the skin are regularly small insects or worms that burrow into the skin to live there or lay their eggs.  Parasites cause body lice, head lice, and scabies

How to Clean Skin Infection?

Saturate the affected area in warm water or apply a warm, moist cloth. Use a cloth or towel after you have cleaned an area of infected skin. 

What are the Causes of Skin Infections?

Skin infections are caused for different reasons. For example,

• Bacteria cause cellulitis, impetigo, and staphylococcal (staph) infections
• Viruses cause shingles, warts, and herpes simplex
• Fungi cause athlete’s foot and yeast infections
• Parasites cause body lice, head lice, and scabies

Skin Infection during Pregnancy

Pregnancy-specific skin diseases include pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy, prurigo of pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, pemphigoid gestationis, impetigo herpetiformis, and pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy

Skin Infection on Fingers

A finger infection is a common problem. The hands are the way humans interact. They are also likely to contact or catch infectious bacteria and other germs because of this, which leads to infection.

A finger infection will normally begin small and grow with time. There are different types of infections, and serious complications, which can happen if they are left untreated.

If you can’t decide whether you have or are developing a skin infection, never hesitate to call here to Post Oak ER or come in and let us look at the site you are concerned with on your body. Post Oak ER is open every day of the year and 24/7 so we can be here for you our wonderful patients.