Impetigo

Impetigo is a common skin infection that is highly contagious, but not usually serious. Although adults can get it, most typically it affects children between 2-5 years old, with sores or blisters that turn into crusty, yellowish-brown patches. These can be itchy and uncomfortable, but luckily, with treatment, impetigo usually clears up within a few days.

What Is Impetigo?

Impetigo is an infection caused by the staphylococcus aureus (‘staph’) or streptococcus (‘strep’) bacteria. It usually enters through broken skin, such as through a cut or scratch, but can also infect skin that is not damaged.

Common signs of impetigo are often sores or blisters around your child’s mouth or nose, or on the scalp or hairline, that turn into yellowish crusts. It can also spread to other parts of their body, such as the legs or arms.

What Are the Symptoms of Impetigo?

You are initially likely to notice red sores or blisters around your child’s mouth or nose,  although these can sometimes be harder to spot on dark skin. Symptoms can also appear around your child’s scalp, hairline, or around the tummy.

Other symptoms can include:

• Liquid filled blisters that burst, forming yellowish crusts that look a bit like cornflakes stuck to the skin.
• A raw looking rash that might spread to other parts of the body.
• A hard scaly border around a scab (bullous impetigo).
• Skin lesions on the lips, nose, ears and limbs.
• Your child may also develop swollen lymph nodes near the infected area.
• Reddish skin full of liquid, that turns cloudy.

What Causes Impetigo?

The most common bacteria that cause impetigo are staphylococcus aureus (‘staph’) and group A streptococcus (‘strep’). If your child has a cut, scratch, a rash or an insect bite, these bacteria can enter the broken skin, causing inflammation and infection. Conditions such as chicken pox or eczema can also lead to skin damage and potential infection.

However, skin breakage is not always at the root of the problem –  impetigo can also develop after a bout of headlice, scabies or eczema.

Is Impetigo Contagious?

Unfortunately, impetigo is highly contagious, and is spread by skin-to-skin contact. You can catch it by touching the sores of someone who has an infection or if you come into contact with items like towels, clothes, or sheets that the person used.

It’s therefore common among young children, but also among adults who play contact sports, such as football, rugby or wrestling.

How Is Impetigo Diagnosed?

If you think your child has impetigo our specialists can diagnose the infection by examining their skin. Impetigo can sometimes be mistaken for other conditions with similar symptoms, such as eczema, cold sores, or ringworm, so it’s always best to get it checked out by a medical professional.

What Is the Treatment for Impetigo?

Thankfully, impetigo is highly treatable and usually responds quickly to antibiotics.

If your child has a minor outbreak confined to small areas of skin, a topical antibiotic cream will help get rid of symptoms fast – usually within 48 hours - and stop the infection from spreading.

For more severe cases where the impetigo has spread over a large area of your child’s skin, oral antibiotics are effective. These include:

• Amoxicillin/clavulanate (Augmentin)
• Cephalosporins
• Clindamycin (Cleocin)

Sometimes impetigo can be persistent, especially if it has spread. If it doesn’t respond to first line antibiotics, we will take a small skin sample to be tested so we can prescribe the most effective antibiotic for your child’s infection.

How To Take Care of Your Child’s Skin if They Have Impetigo

Impetigo can be uncomfortable for your child, but with the right care it can be managed and treated quickly. In the meantime, it’s a good idea to try and keep the infected area clean, dabbing the crusts with warm soapy water to gently loosen them. If you can, cover the infected skin with gauze bandages or loose clothing, to stop the spread of bacteria.

How To Stop the Spread of Impetigo

Luckily impetigo responds quickly to treatment and usually stops being contagious within 48 hours. If it hasn’t been treated and has resolved by itself, it’s no longer contagious once the crusts have completely dried out.

Experts recommend taking the following steps to help stop the spread of bacteria:

• Keep your child away from nursery or school.
• Cover all infected areas – either with gauze bandages or loose clothing.
• Wash your own hands and your child’s frequently, especially if you’ve come into contact with infected skin.
• Wash your child’s skin a few times a day using antibacterial soap.
• Try to prevent your child from scratching sores, blisters or patches.
• Wash all towels, underwear, and sheets at a high temperature.

See a Paediatric Dermatology Specialist for Your Child’s Impetigo

If your child has impetigo, it can be uncomfortable and itchy and the sudden appearance of sores or blisters can be concerning. It’s also a highly contagious condition, so it’s important to seek medical help promptly.

We often have same day appointments available with our team of paediatricians and with Consultant Dermatologists who specialise in children’s skin conditions. They can immediately assess your child’s condition, and prescribe the appropriate medication.

It’s also important to remember that underlying skin conditions, such as eczema or scabies, can sometimes lead to repeated impetigo infections, so it’s crucial that we diagnose and address any associated issues as quickly as possible.

Visiting The Medical Chambers Kensington for Your Child’s Impetigo

Our specialist paediatric dermatology team is here to support you with expert guidance and personalised treatment options. If you think your child may have impetigo or a related skin condition, please make an appointment online or call 020 7244 4200.