Impetigo

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Definition Symptoms Causes Risk factors Tests and diagnosis

Complications Treatments and drugs Prevention Lifestyle and home remedies

Definition

If you have children, you've probably dealt with an assortment of rashes and skin irritations over the years. One of the most common of these is impetigo — a skin infection that mainly affects infants and children. Impetigo usually appears on the face, especially around a child's nose and mouth. And although it commonly occurs when bacteria enter the skin through cuts or insect bites, it can also develop in skin that's perfectly healthy.

Impetigo starts as a red sore that quickly ruptures, oozes for a few days and then forms a yellowish-brown crust that looks like honey or brown sugar. The disease is highly contagious, and scratching or touching the sores is likely to spread the infection to other parts of the body as well as to other people.

Impetigo is seldom serious, and minor infections may clear on their own in two to three weeks. But because impetigo can sometimes lead to complications, your child's doctor may choose to treat it with an antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics. Your child can usually return to school or a child care setting as soon as he or she isn't contagious — often within 24 hours of starting antibiotic therapy.

You can help prevent the infection by taking good care of your child's skin. Use soap and water when bathing your child, and pay special attention to cuts, rashes, insect bites and allergic reactions. If anyone in your family does develop impetigo, a few simple measures can help keep the infection from spreading.

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Symptoms