Either way, it’s important to get your skin checked out by a doctor if you suspect impetigo. (1) Although it isn’t usually harmful and often clears up on its own, impetigo (in both kids and adults) is easily spread not only through skin-to-skin contact but indirectly, too. (2,3) Indirect transmission happens when you touch an item or surface contaminated with the infection. This is more likely to occur when you share personal items (towels, linens, or clothes) with an infected person. (3) If you believe you have impetigo, you might want to seek out advice from a medical professional. The thing is, you still might have trouble getting a diagnosis of impetigo due to the fact that its symptoms overlap with those of other common skin conditions. But still, it’s important to ask, says Rick Pescatore, DO, an emergency medicine doctor at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Horsham, Pennsylvania. To get a better idea of whether a rash is impetigo or something else, you must understand how impetigo differs from other skin problems. Here are eight unique features to keep in mind: On the other hand, skin rashes caused by an allergic reaction, like poison ivy, may itch relentlessly and don’t improve until you apply a topical anti-itch cream. (4) Scabies — a highly contagious skin condition caused by mites burrowing under the skin — can cause a rash that’s similar to impetigo. But scabies causes a severe, intense total-body itch that often worsens at night and is more commonly seen on the hands and forearms and genitals. (5) Ringworm can also itch, but this rash takes a different appearance than impetigo. In addition to tiny bumps along the skin, ringworm has a raised border around scaly patches of skin. (6) You may confuse chickenpox with impetigo. This infection has itchy and small, fluid-filled blisters too. But similar to scabies, chickenpox causes severe itching. The itch will also be accompanied by other symptoms. These include a fever, a headache, and loss of appetite. Fresh (or newer) blisters of chickenpox are often filled with a clear fluid on a red, round patch of inflamed skin and don’t often have the crust or ooze seen with impetigo. (7) Chickenpox has a shorter duration. It also clears up on its own, but lasts only about 5 to 10 days. (7) A scabies infection doesn’t clear up on its own. You will need to see your doctor and apply topical medicine to kill the mites. The good news is that this medicine works quickly, and one treatment applied from your neck down is usually enough to kill mites and their eggs. But while scabies treatment is fast, itching may continue for a few weeks. (5) A ringworm rash improves within two weeks with treatment. Over-the-counter medication is effective, but a prescription antifungal is often needed to treat stubborn ringworm. (6) Molluscum contagiosum is a viral infection that’s more common in children. Like impetigo, this rash disappears on its own. Unfortunately, it can take months and even years for these skin bumps to clear. (8)
3. The Underlying Cause of Impetigo Differs From Other Skin Rashes
Another factor that sets impetigo apart from other skin rashes is the underlying cause. Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection caused by either the staphylococcal (staph) bacterium or the streptococcal (strep) bacterium. (9) If you or your child has a cut, scrape, or insect bite, the staph or strep bacteria can invade the body and cause a superficial infection on the top layer of skin. (3) This cause differs from other skin rashes. Scabies is caused by a mite, whereas ringworm is a fungal infection. (5,6) Other rashes, such as poison ivy, are due to an allergic reaction. (4) And some sores and rashes result from a viral infection, such as cold sores and chickenpox. (7,10) This contagious skin infection can spread quickly in schools and daycare centers. (3) Adults who care for blisters and sores on their children are also at risk of infection. So it’s important to take precautions when caring for lesions. Impetigo sores and blisters should be cleaned daily, treated with a topical antibiotic, and covered. After touching an impetigo lesion, wash your hands with warm, soapy water to help prevent the spread of the infection. (1,2)
5. Impetigo Is Highly Contagious, Which Isn’t Always the Case With Skin Rashes
Some skin rashes are just as contagious as impetigo. These include cold sores, ringworm, scabies, and chickenpox. Impetigo is different from rashes that are caused by an allergic reaction. The latter aren’t contagious, and these rashes don’t spread from person to person. Take poison ivy, for example. A person must come in contact with a poison ivy plant to develop a skin reaction. A poison ivy rash also doesn’t spread over a person’s body. (4) This rash occurs only on parts of the skin exposed to the plant. Impetigo, on the other hand, can develop anywhere on the body and spread. Spreading happens when you scratch a lesion and then touch another part of your body. (11)
6. A Rash From Impetigo May Appear 4 to 10 Days After Bacteria Exposure
The time between exposure and the development of symptoms varies depending on the type of rash. In the case of impetigo, a rash may appear 4 to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria or contact with lesions. (12) Other rashes can have a longer incubation period. For example, a scabies rash can develop within days of skin-to-skin contact with a scabies mite. But sometimes, it can take up to six weeks for the first symptoms to appear. (5) A chickenpox rash will usually develop 10 to 21 days after exposure to the virus. (7) A rash caused by poison ivy, on the other hand, can take up to two weeks to cause a rash if you’ve never been exposed before, or a matter of hours if you have. (4) If you have a dry or itchy rash from eczema, chickenpox, or another similar ailment, scratching the rash can break your skin. This can provide a point of entry for the staph or strep bacteria. (9) Take steps to soothe itchy skin if you have any type of rash. This includes applying topical anti-itch cream or other soothing lotion. Keeping a rash covered with gauze can help prevent scratching and complications. (11) Keeping the skin covered can also prevent the spread of contagious rashes to other people.
8. Impetigo Can Cause Complications Itself, but You Can Prevent Them by Taking Simple Steps
The good news is that impetigo is generally harmless and doesn’t cause severe complications in most people. If you choose not to treat the rash with antibiotics, there’s the risk of developing ecthyma (when impetigo penetrates a deeper layer of the skin). (3) This can lead to permanent skin scarring, but these deep infections are more likely to occur in those with a weakened immune system. (3) Simple hygiene and topical antibiotics are all that are needed to speed resolution and prevent deeper infections, explains Pescatore. Other complications of impetigo can include cellulitis, which is when the infection affects the tissue underlying the skin. The strep bacteria can also lead to poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. This is when an immune reaction results in kidney inflammation and renal damage. (3) Once treatment begins with antibiotics, you’re no longer contagious after 24 to 48 hours. Even so, you must take steps to prevent recurrent impetigo infections. (2) Avoid sharing personal items, and wash your bath towels, linens, and any clothes worn during the infection in hot water. You can also help avoid recurrent infections by avoiding close contact with anyone who has a skin rash or lesions. (3)
One Last Note on the Importance of Getting an Impetigo Diagnosis
If you suspect impetigo, make an appointment with your doctor or dermatologist as soon as possible to begin treatment and clear the infection. Some skin rashes are minor and treatable with over-the-counter medication. But some highly contagious skin rashes and infections require prescription medication. So don’t ignore any unusual bumps, lesions, or blisters on the skin. A doctor can determine the exact cause (bacterial, fungal, viral, allergic) and recommend the most appropriate treatment. Quick action lowers the risk of spreading the infection to other parts of your body and to other people.
