Have you ever woken up to find blisters on your skin?

Or maybe pus oozing out from a wound?

Some might categorize that as the normal skin problems that we face, like pimples, blackheads and the likes.

But that is way deeper. Symptoms like that on your skin only show that your skin may be infected, which is bad news.

It is necessary that you are able to differentiate between the usual acne problems and real skin infections.

So, together we will be exploring what skincare infections are, the types of infections there are, their various symptoms, and finally, how to treat them.

Let’s get started already.

What is a skin infection?

A skin infection, just as the name suggests, is simply an infection that affects your skin.

It could be a skin patch that gets affected or large areas of your skin.

You develop skin infections when harmful germs penetrate your skin through a cut or wound on your skin.

When these germs begin to grow within your skin, infections occur.

Categories of skin infection

There are four different types of skin infections.

1. Bacterial skin infections

This kind of skin infections is caused by bacteria.

You can get a bacteria skin infection when bacteria enter your skin through a break in your skin (cuts, wounds, scratch, etc.)

However, this doesn’t mean that anytime you get a wound or a cut, you will get infected.

Bacterial infections are initially small, red bumps that gradually increase in size.

Some bacterial infections are mild. You can easily treat these kinds with topical antibiotics.

Others are severe and they require oral antibiotics as treatment.

Examples of bacterial skin infections include staph infection, cellulitis, impetigo, boils, leprosy, etc.

2. Fungal skin infections

This kind of infections are caused by fungi.

Fungal infections are usually triggered by two things: your body chemistry and your lifestyle. Let me explain…

If you are a runner for example, or you sweat excessively, you can easily experience fungal infections.

Also, if you put on wet or sweaty clothes, you are at the risk of getting infected.

This is because fungi breed easily in moist and warm environments.

And that is why it is easy for this kind of infection to occur in damp areas of your body like your armpit, feet, etc.

Some fungal skin infections are not contagious, and generally these infections are not life threatening.

Examples of fungal infections include athlete’s foot, diaper rash, yeast infection, nail fungus, ringworm, etc.

3. Viral skin infections

This kind of skin infections are caused by a virus.

They can be mild or severe. Common viruses that cause viral skin infection include poxvirus, human papillomavirus, and herpes virus.

Examples of viral infections include chicken pox, warts, measles, shingles, molluscum contagiosum, etc.

4. Parasitic skin infection

This kind of skin infections are caused by parasites.

It occurs when tiny insects dig underneath your skin and lay eggs.

They do not just affect your skin, they spread into your bloodstream and body organs.

Though this kind of infections are not life threatening, they can make you very uncomfortable.

Common skin infections you should know

There are some skin infections that are very common. We will be discussing them below.

1. Cellulitis

This is a bacteria infection that affects the deeper layers of your skin and the nearby tissues. It often affects the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue.

It initially appears as swollen skin. However, the color of the affected area of your skin will be different from your normal skin tone. It is usually red.

Also, the affected area becomes tender and warm.

This can occur anywhere in your body. However, it frequently appears on the lower legs in adults. And for children, the face is the usual target.

Treatment

It is important that you treat this early to avoid complications like blood infections, damaged immune system, etc.

Make sure you go visit your doctor immediately you notice this.

You can make use of oral antibiotics to treat it.

Also, you need a lot of rest. Be sure to elevate the affected area of your body and keep it covered to help it heal faster.

2. Warts

Warts are skin growths that appear on your skin when a virus infects the topmost layer of your skin through cuts or any other skin damage.

They are contagious. If you touch wart directly or come in contact with someone who has touched them, you too can get warts.

They usually occur in areas like your nails, fingers, back of the hands, genitals, etc.

When they appear on your skin, they look rough. They could be the same color of your skin or sometimes darker.

Treatment

Visit a dermatologist to remove the warts. Your dermatologist could try using cantharidin, perform electrosurgery (burn off the wart), excision (cut off the wart) or cryotherapy (freeze the wart off).

3. Yeast infection

Yeast infections are caused by fungi.

They usually develop on areas of your skin that are moist and warm. Nevertheless, they can appear on any part of your body.

Even your vagina can get infected too.

If you have a yeast infection, you will develop a rash and your skin will be itchy. Some can cause blisters to appear on your skin.

The most common examples of yeast infection are diaper rash and athlete’s foot.

Treatment

You can get over-the-counter creams and ointments for treating yeast infection.

Some yeast infections may need prescription medication. For that, go see your doctor.

Also, make sure the affected area of the skin is dry and clean

In conclusion,

A skin infection is something you shouldn’t take lightly.

Immediately you notice pus, blisters, painful and discolored skin patches, go see a doctor.

It might be a symptom of something more severe than you know.

Remember, only a doctor can ascertain whether what you are experiencing is truly a skin infection, or not.

More so, while you take drugs and use creams to treat the infection, you can apply a cold compress to the affected area of your skin. Do this several times in a day.

It will reduce the itching and prevent it from getting inflamed.

Finally, if you have any questions about these common skin infections (or skin infections generally), do not hesitate to leave a comment. I would be more than happy to answer your questions.