Impetigo Rash Pictures

       The impetigo rash is one of the most common manifestations of impetigo. It appears on the face, affecting the area around the mouth, chin and nose and it does not paint a pretty picture. Impetigo rash is known for its ugliness, though not for its gravity. This skin condition is annoying and easily communicable, but not really dangerous. Well, at least not in its less than serious phases, which is what most people suffer from.

       There are many impetigo rash pictures out there, but only a few of those images actually help sufferers. Why? Well, the impetigo rash looks different from patient to patient because it can interact with other preexisting skin conditions, turning the normal manifestations into something much worse or much different.

Impetigo rash pictures

       How does impetigo rash look like? In a dermatological medical textbook, the description is really straight forward: small, red, liquid filled pustules. When they dry out, they leave behind a red, round dot. Unfortunately, what is not exactly easy to ignore is the fact that, obviously, the impetigo rash itches. When it presents itself in an adult, the patient should be fairly good at restraining himself or herself and not scratch the itch. However, the true problem comes when the impetigo rash affects a small child. Children cannot be convinced to stop scratching the infected area, thus maximizing the risk of ulterior infections or the spreading of the contaminated zone. Also, excessive scratching leads to serious skin damage and a permanent redness, even after the disease has been eliminated.

       One might wonder how to prevent their children or their family from contracting impetigo. Unfortunately, a well defined solution does not exist. Impetigo rash is highly contagious. There are some measures a careful person could take to try and stop the spreading of this annoying disease:

• Avoid shared bathrooms, pools and hot tubs: try not to bathe in a public pool or bath house, because you might be lucky enough to catch a bug or a mushroom and suffer the consequences.
• Do not touch open, suppurating wounds: if someone close to you has an impetigo rash, do not, under any circumstances, touch the pustules directly. The bacterium that causes this condition will attach itself to you and lead to your own skin problems.
• Do not wear the same clothes, use the same towels or the same bathing space as an infected person: this might seem a little unreasonable, at least the bathing area part, but think about it for a minute. These bacteria thrive in hot, sweaty, wet environments. Bathrooms have the perfect conditions. Now, if you do not have the possibility of using different bathrooms, the infected person should pour some sort of liquid antibacterial agent in the bathtub or the shower stall after bathing.

       There are two ways to treat an impetigo rash: keep the area clean or use an antibiotic cream. For the milder cases, keeping the infected area clean should suffice, the bacterium dying in a matter of days. Now, if the problem persists, you should schedule an appointment with your attending physician. He or she will test your pustules and determine what your problem is. In the end, the medical doctor will recommend you an antibiotic cream to use for a couple of days.