My sister has cellulitis in her leg. She had an outbreak a few weeks ago, took antibiotics at home, and layed around with her leg elevated. Then she got a blood clot in the other leg. Now the cellulitis is back in the original spot.
She says the doctor told her she got it because she has thin skin on her legs. I looked on the internet and couldn’t find one site that referenced “thin skin” as a cause (or a way for bacteria to get in).
She is very overweight. I did find one site that said “stretched” skin can be a way in for the bacteria.
Have any of you dealt with this condition? What did your doctors say the cause was? Do you know of thin skin being a condition that would let bacteria in where there is no break in the skin?
I’ve had it, but can’t really help you … my doctor never was able to figure out what caused it. 
I’ll suggest the ‘thin skin’ gambit to him if it ever comes back, though, & see what he says. 
(It does have a tendency to come back, even months or years later, by the way. Your sis’ will need to keep her eye on that spot …)
I’ve had it. The cause was supposedly a cut on the foot that let in the bacteria. Cracking due to athlete’s foot can do it, too, I believe.
I’m surprised that they let her take antibiotics and lie around at home. They put me in the hospital for five days and treated me with IV antibiotics.
Well, she’s in the hospital now but I think they’re cutting her loose to go on vacation. They did put her on IV antibiotics the first time as well, but it was just for a few hours.
Everything I’ve read says it comes in through cuts and scrapes. I don’t understand this “thin skin” thing.
I am not aware of “thin skin” per se causing cellulitis, but thin skin may be more likely to suffer a cut or scrape providing a portal of entry for the infecting bacteria. Regrettably, I think the doc may be talking down to her.
As mentioned, a major factor in cellulitis is trauma (even a minor scratch) to the skin. And, yes, the cracks and lesions associated with Athlete’s Foot can be sufficient cause.
Some other risk factors for (arm or leg) cellulitis include:
- previous cellulitis in the limb
- varicose veins or previous vein surgery on the legs
- trauma (surgery) to the veins or lymph channels of the affected extremity eg. women who undergo lymph node “dissections” of the armpit for breast cancer, have a high chance of cellulitis of that arm
- insect bites
Often cellulitis is a mild illness that can be safely treated with oral antibiotics as an outpatient. If someone fails such treatment, and the cellulitis worsens or persists, or if they have an underlying health condition like diabetes, or if they’re very sick (high fever, “toxic”), hospitalization may be necessary.
I’ve heard it’s horribly painful
Mine isn’t horribly painful, it’s horribly ITCHY. There are days when I just want to have the whole area skinned, in hopes that the itch will stop. Of course, scratching only worsens the problem.
Karl Gauss said, "Some other risk factors for (arm or leg) cellulitis include:
- previous cellulitis in the limb
- varicose veins or previous vein surgery on the legs
- trauma (surgery) to the veins or lymph channels of the affected extremity eg. women who undergo lymph node “dissections” of the armpit for breast cancer, have a high chance of cellulitis of that arm
- insect bites"
Well, she had her first bout with the cellulitis a month ago. She also had vericose veins, and actually did have some sort of procedure done on them a long time ago. I don’t think it was full-blown surgery, but maybe injections or something?
Very informative – thanks. I really don’t think she should be running around in a resort town with a 9-year-old, but she’s going to let the doctor decide what she can do. I think she needs to lose weight. I think her blood clots have something to do with her being 120+ lbs. overweight.
I had cellulitis a few years ago, thanks to the worst case of poison ivy anybody at the camp I was working at had ever seen. The fact that our only shower facilities were buckets filled with lake water probably didn’t help either. A doc put me on antibiotics for the cellulitis and steroids for the p.i. but it was months before I completely healed. It was a nightmare.
Would the kind of skin stretching that causes stretch marks be enough to allow bacteria in? I thought stretch marks were the result of damage under the skin, but does rapid weight gain cause damage to the outer layers too? Just a thought.
Geez, I dunno. I can see stretch marks so I imagine the surface skin as well as the under skin is damaged. She has big legs.
You don’t have to be overweight to get celluitis.
I have hypersensitive skin that rashes easily, and breaks out. I’ve had celluitis several times from this sort of thing.
Never admitted to the hospital for it.
It IS horribly painful, and can be itchy. I generally feel not only pain at the site of the infeciton but generally sick all over. By now, I’m pretty famillar with the symptoms and go to a doctor first thing when I suspect it - like many things, the earlier you treat it the better off you are.
I went to a dermatologist, who helped me work up a skin care regemine that has helped me considerably. But with my skin frequently being broken to some extent I’m at high risk for it, even if I don’t have any of the other common risk factors.
It can also arise from an infected hair folicle, not necesarily a scratch or scrape. Anyhow, I think the “thin skin” line is bogus - maybe she should consider a doctor is more upfront and honest instead of one who talks down to his patients. Unless this is something she came up with.
And she’s going to Northwestern Memorial in Chicago! I thought they were supposed to be top notch! I feel it is bogus, too. Sorry to hear you’ve been affected by this. It sure doesn’t sound like a picnic! Now, with her blood clot, she’s got two bum legs.
In general, Northwestern docs ARE top-notch.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t an occassional bad apple.
Or the doc could be good but talking down to her.
Or maybe she’s the one who doesn’t understand and came up with the “thin skin” theory?