Cellulitis:
Teen information

Cellulitis is the medical term for inflammation and infection of the skin. It is often caused by the bacteria Streptococcus or Staphylococcus (commonly known as strep and staph, respectively), which usually live on the skin of healthy people but when the skin is damaged (by a cut, scratch, or bug bite, for example), it can overgrow and cause cellulitis. Cellulitis causes the skin to look reddened, similar to a sunburn, and to be warm, tender, and swollen. The redness may spread quickly over the course of hours. The person may experience fevers or chills or feel ill. If left untreated, cellulitis can cause bacteria to enter the blood stream, which is potentially life threatening.