Impetigo
Impetigo is a skin infection. It's important to remember that while impetigo is a very contagious skin infection, it's also usually not serious. Fortunately, it's usually easy to treat and can get better in just 7 to 10 days with the right care.
Who can get impetigo?
Whether you're an adult or a young child, it's possible to get impetigo, so make sure to get it taken care of sooner rather than later.
Symptoms of impetigo
Impetigo starts with red sores or blisters which quickly burst and leave crusty, golden-brown patches.
It’s important to stop impetigo spreading or getting worse as it can easily spread to other parts of the body or to other people until it stops being contagious. Impetigo stops being contagious either 48 hours after you start using medicine or when the patches dry out and crust over.
You may be offered a phone appointment for impetigo with your GP as it is so contagious. They can prescribe antibiotic cream to speed up your recovery or antibiotic tablets if it's very bad.
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