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A common and contagious skin infection primarily affecting young children is caused by bacteria.
What is it?
Bacteria such as staphylococcus (staph) or streptococcus (strep) cause this infection, leading to itchy—and sometimes painful—sores and blisters. Most people get impetigo through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it, as it’s highly contagious, but they can also get it through a cut, scratch, bug bite or rash, as these are great entry points for the bacteria. The first signs usually appear as sores and blisters on or around the child’s mouth and nose, but they can also appear on the scalp, hairline, arms and legs. There are several impetigo types, such as non-bullous (early-stage impetigo), bullous impetigo (more common in infants to two-year-olds) and ecthyma (untreated impetigo that goes deeper into the skin).
How is it treated?
It’s important to treat impetigo to reduce the risk of developing additional complications, including new sores or blisters, and to reduce the risk of spreading impetigo to others. Impetigo is most commonly treated with antibiotics. Our experienced and exceptionally trained dermatologists can help your child by prescribing topical antibiotics placed directly on the impacted skin areas. We can also prescribe an oral liquid antibiotic for more severe cases if the infection covers a large area or multiple areas. Once the infection clears, impetigo is typically unable to spread the bacteria to others. Not to worry; we can help with a diagnosis and treatment plan in one of our office located on Main Street in downtown Bexley, Ohio.