Cellulitis

This skin condition is common and also potentially serious.

This skin infection is common and also potentially very serious. You can get it after bacteria enters your body through broken skin – for example a cut, sore or dermatitis – and results in swollen, red skin that is tender, and may be very painful.

It can be treated with oral antibiotics, although in severe cases you may need intravenous treatment. If not dealt with, it can spread rapidly through the body, entering the lymph nodes and bloodstream. This can damage the lymphatic drainage system and cause chronic swelling of the affected part of the body.

In extreme cases, the infection can get into a deep layer of tissue and eat away at it, which can be life-threatening.