What is the difference between dermatitis and cellulitis

In addition, cellulitis typically only affects one area. Bilateral lower leg cellulitis has been reported, but redness on both legs usually suggests a different condition. But even these signs are not perfect indicators. Benign skin rashes can look very similar to cellulitis, so it can be difficult sometimes to differentiate cellulitis accurately from other conditions. Below are some common red rashes that can be confused with cellulitis. These benign red rashes tend to have certain characteristics that can be helpful in differentiating them from cellulitis.

Venous stasis dermatitis , also known as gravitational dermatitis, is a very common condition that can cause redness in the legs. This rash usually happens in people who have poor circulation in their legs. The leg veins have one-way valves that help push blood up from the leg back to the heart.

As we get older, these valves can weaken and stop working properly, allowing blood to leak out and pool in the legs, causing swelling and redness. Unlike cellulitis, which usually affects one area, venous stasis dermatitis affects both legs. Also, it does not cause patients to feel sick or have a fever since it is benign. Patients typically complain about itchiness rather than pain. Another skin condition that can occur on the leg and look like cellulitis is gout.

Gout happens when crystals form in a joint, usually the big toe, which causes inflammation that leads to redness near the joint. The area is tender, swollen, and warm, like cellulitis. However, these symptoms are not caused by infection. The redness from gout is usually much more localized around the joint where the crystals are located, and the skin around the redness is clearly normal, as opposed to in cellulitis, where the skin around the redness is hard. Erythema nodosum , another benign cause of redness in the legs, can be confused with cellulitis.

In erythema nodosum, there is inflammation of the fat under the skin, which causes tender knots under the skin that are bright red at first. Unlike cellulitis that usually affects one leg, erythema nodosum affects both legs, usually around the shin. It can be triggered by an infection somewhere else, so the patient may have fevers or feel sick, like in cellulitis. It will help you prescribe appropriate treatments and improve patient outcomes. Stasis dermatitis, which is also known as venous stasis dermatitis, venous eczema and gravitational dermatitis, is a common condition that develops early in patients with venous insufficiency.

The valvular damage that occurs and then leads to venous hypertension and edema set the stage for stasis dermatitis. As the problem advances, the inflammation can encircle the ankle and extend to just below the knee.

In more severe and acute cases , exudative or weeping patches and plaquescan exist, according to an overview by Medscape. With the chronicity of venous insufficiency and stasis dermatitis, lichenification and hyperpigmentation can manifest because of chronic scratching. The skin can become indurated and progress to lipodermatosclerosis, as well as develop plaques and nodules on the legs and dorsal foot. These conditions will most often present bilaterally, not unilaterally.

Diagnostically, blood tests are generally not helpful unless cellulitis is also suspected. Doppler studies in patients with acute new onset of stasis dermatitis can be a prudent option to rule out thrombosis or severe valve damage. In rare circumstances, skin biopsies are taken in acute or subacute conditions. However, biopsy could be necessary in chronic dermatitis if acroangiodermatitis has developed. Treatment is a multi-faceted approach that starts with therapeutic level compression mmHG , along with effective calf pump activation via weight-bearing activities such as walking and standing calf exercises.

Other symptoms include red streaks in the skin, chills, and aches. If you have a weakened immune system, cellulitis can be life-threatening. Be sure to call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. Your doctor will usually prescribe oral antibiotics to treat cellulitis.

If contact dermatitis symptoms are severe, persistent, or cause scarring, they can affect your quality of life. For example, they may make it difficult for you to do your job. You may also feel embarrassed about the appearance of your skin. If this is the case, you should talk to your doctor about how to manage your symptoms more effectively. Contact dermatitis symptoms usually go away in two to three weeks.

If you continue to contact the allergen or irritant, your symptoms will most likely return. As long as you avoid contact with the allergen or irritant, you will probably have no symptoms. However, there may be more than one allergen or irritant that causes your rash. If you have photoallergic CD, sun exposure may cause flares for many years.

Staying out of the sun can help you avoid this. If you have severe or persistent symptoms, the condition may become chronic. Early treatment of symptoms to stop the itching and scratching will help to avoid this.

Antibiotics can usually treat infections. Even cellulitis usually goes away with 7 to 10 days of antibiotic use. Cellulitis is a common bacterial skin infection.

Learn more about its symptoms, how it's treated, and how you can prevent it in the first place.