Impetigo

What is impetigo?

If you have children, you've probably dealt with an assortment of rashes and skin irritations over the years. One of the most common of these is impetigo — a skin infection that usually appears on the face, especially around the nose and mouth. Although anyone can develop the infection, it mainly affects infants and young children.

When does impetigo occur?

Impetigo commonly occurs when bacteria enter the skin through cuts, scrapes or insect bites, but sometimes it affects perfectly healthy skin. It starts as a red sore that quickly ruptures, oozes for a few days and then forms a yellowish-brown crust that looks like honey or brown sugar. Impetigo is highly contagious, and scratching or touching the sores is likely to spread the infection to other parts of the body as well as to other people.

What is the treatment for impetigo?

Impetigo is seldom serious, and minor infections may clear on their own in 2 to 3 weeks. But because impetigo can sometimes lead to complications, your child's doctor may choose to treat it with an antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics. If so, healing should begin in about 3 days. Most often, your child can return to school or a child-care setting as soon as he or she isn't contagious - usually within 24 hours of starting antibiotic therapy.

How can impetigo be prevented?

You can help prevent impetigo by taking good care of your child's skin. When you bathe your child, use soap and water and pay special attention to cuts, rashes, insect bites and allergic reactions, such as those from poison oak or poison ivy. If anyone in your family does develop impetigo, a few simple measures can help keep the infection from spreading.