Skin Infections are quite common issues for most people. They can have a number of causes as well as a number of options for treatment.
The skin’s job is to protect the organs from infections, however sometimes it can become infected itself. Generally, we can treat these infections using over the counter medications or antibiotics.
Types of Skin Infections
- Bacterial Skin Infections:
They often begin as small, reddish bumps and slowly increase in size. Some of these bacterial infections are mild and easily treated with antibiotics. Common bacterial skin infections include cellulitis, impetigo, and warts/boils.
- Viral Skin Infections:
Infections caused by a virus. These can range from mild to severe, these infections include shingles, herpes zoster, chickenpox, molluscum contagiosum, warts, measles, and certain diseases of the mouth or hands.
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Fungal Skin Infections:
Skin infections caused by contact of a fungus, usually from being in contact with a fungus from a damp, dark area. Or an area used by a lot of people like a locker room, or communal shower. These infections include athlete’s foot, yeast infections, ringworm, hair/nail fungus, and diaper rashes.
- Parasitic Skin Infections:
Skin infections caused by a parasite. These infections can easily spread to other organs and parts of the body through the blood, so they are quite dangerous. They can even be life threatening in severe cases. They include lice, bedbugs, scabies and different types of larva migrans.
Other milder skin infections are abscesses, pimples, warts, and other bumps or irritations.
Treatment
Depending on the type of infection the skin is treated with different methods. Generally, we will recommend some combination of antibiotics, anti-fungal creams, topical creams or ointments, and certain antivirals.
If you have some skin irritation that you fear may be infected contact us today for treatment.
