What is Cellulitis?

Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that often affects the lower legs, but it can occur anywhere in the body.

What Does Cellulitis Look and Feel Like?

It can appear as a red, swollen area that feels hot, tender, and sometimes painful to the touch.

Who is Most Likely to Develop this Condition?

Cellulitis affects men and women of any age, but it seems to occur most often in middle-aged and older adults. A recent study has found an incidence of approximately 50 cases per 1000 person-years. To put these numbers into perspective, there were 21.2 million cases of cellulitis globally in 2015.

How Do You Get Cellulitis?

Cellulitis is caused by bacteria like Streptococcus and Staphylococcus entering the skin. For more information, visit our causes of cellulitis page.

Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.

More about Cellulitis

• Causes
• Signs & Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Prevention
• Treatment
• ICD10 Code
• Prognosis
• Epidemiology