Impetigo: What It Looks Like, How It Spreads, and Getting It Treated

Impetigo is a common, contagious bacterial skin infection, most often in young children. It usually starts as red sores, often around the nose and mouth, that break open and form honey-colored crusts. It spreads easily by touch and through shared towels and toys. Impetigo is treated with a prescription antibiotic ointment or, for more widespread cases, antibiotic pills, and children can usually go back to school or daycare 24 hours after starting treatment.

What impetigo looks like

• Non-bullous impetigo (most common): small red sores or bumps that burst, ooze, and form thick, yellow-brown, honey-colored crusts. Common around the nose and mouth, and on hands and arms.
• Bullous impetigo: larger, fluid-filled blisters that break and leave a thin, yellowish crust. More common in babies and young children, often on the trunk, diaper area or skin folds.
• The sores may itch, but usually aren't very painful.
• On darker skin, the area around the sores may look brown or purple rather than red.

How it spreads

Impetigo is caused by staph or strep bacteria that get into the skin through a small break, such as a scrape, insect bite, eczema patch or a runny nose rubbed raw. It spreads through:

• Touching the sores, then touching other skin
• Sharing towels, washcloths, clothing, bedding or toys
• Close contact at daycare, school, and in sports like wrestling

Adults can get it too, often from a child at home or from a cut.

Treatment

• Antibiotic ointment applied two to three times a day for about five days, for a small area
• Antibiotic pills for many sores, bullous impetigo, or when ointment hasn't worked
• Gently wash the sores with soap and water and pat dry before applying ointment
• Cover sores loosely with gauze to keep from spreading it

Most impetigo heals within a week of treatment without scarring. Untreated, it can spread, last for weeks, and occasionally lead to deeper skin infections.

Stopping it spreading

• Keep fingernails short and try not to scratch
• Wash hands after touching the sores or applying ointment
• Don't share towels, washcloths, clothing or bedding, and wash them in hot water
• Clean toys and surfaces the child touches
• Keep children home until they've had 24 hours of antibiotics

When to get seen

Come in, or start with a telehealth visit, for sores that ooze or crust, spreading sores, or a rash that isn't improving after a few days. A clinician can usually diagnose impetigo by looking at it. At an AfterOurs clinic, a standard self-pay visit is $175, and a self-pay in-clinic visit never costs more than $330. Telehealth is $75. We contract with all major commercial and government plans, including Colorado Medicaid and Medicare. See our rashes page and the cost and insurance page. Our post on taking your child to urgent care has more for parents.

Get seen the same day if the skin around the sores becomes red, swollen, warm and painful, or red streaks spread from it, which can mean a deeper infection. Go to the ER if that comes with a high fever, or if a baby has widespread blisters, a fever, or seems unwell.

Where to find us

Four clinics across metro Denver, all ages welcome, se habla español:

• Hampden (Southeast Denver): 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Littleton: 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Thornton: 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Highlands: Mon–Fri 5–11 PM, Sat–Sun 8 AM–11 PM

Walk in, or book online.