Cellulitis: How long does it take to heal on legs?

Cellulitis is an infection of the deep layers of the skin. It develops when bacteria enter through a cut, bite, or wound. Including tiny breaks in cracked, dry skin. Common skin-dwelling bacteria, Staphylococcus or Streptococcus, are the usual culprits. Although cellulitis can occur anywhere on the body, the most common location is the lower leg.

What are the symptoms of cellulitis?

The body’s natural immune response to this bacterial invasion triggers a painful rash that appears red on lighter skin and dark purple on darker skin. The affected area also may be swollen and feel warm.

How is cellulitis treated?

The typical treatment is five to 10 days of antibiotic pills. More serious cases may require intravenous antibiotics.

How quickly can antibiotics help cellulitis resolve?

After starting antibiotic treatment, people usually notice improvement within a few days. However, the area may remain swollen, warm, and painful even after 10 days.

What did the study find?

The study included 247 people with mild to moderate cellulitis of the lower leg who received antibiotics for seven to 10 days. By day 10:

• Their swelling had lessened by 50%, คาสิโนออนไลน์ UFABET ฝากถอนรวดเร็ว เริ่มต้นเล่นง่าย and the size of the affected area had shrunk by about 55%.
• A blood marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein, dropped during treatment and reached near-normal levels in all the participants.
• Still, more than half continued to report discomfort in the affected leg, with 14% ranking their pain as 5 or greater on a scale of 1 to 10.

This pattern of discomfort isn’t unusual. Especially with leg infections. As people are recovering from leg cellulitis, they’re often advised to elevate the leg. Which helps to ease the swelling. (Putting a warm, moist washcloth on the area may also help.)

But after they feel better and start walking more, fluid shifts back down into the legs. So it’s not surprising that the area might feel a little swollen and uncomfortable again once they’re back on their feet, he says.

Who is at greatest risk for cellulitis?

Remember, cellulitis typically occurs when bacteria normally present on our skin manage to breach that shield to enter the body.