Skin infections show up in different ways depending on their cause. Complications from skin infections are exceptional because today they are quickly treated with proper and effective medical care.
What is a skin infection?
Skin infections are impossible to generalize as there are so many. “We find bacterial infection, the best known of which is impetigo or boil or viral infection, so the most common is herpes“, explains Dr. Roland Viraben, dermatologist and venerologist. “When it is of viral origin, it may be a recurrent infection, such as herpes : the pathogen remains in the nerve net of the skin during the primary infection. Skin infection can also be caused by a parasite, causing scabies For example”illustrates the doctor. “Cutaneous fungal infections are caused by mushrooms. In the past, bacterial skin infections were the most common. Today, we are able to break the chains of infection thanks to antibiotics, which should not be abused, warns Dr. Viraben. Currently, the most common skin infections are fungal infections”.
What causes a skin infection?
“The skin is not a sterile environment, because we have normal germs on the skin. But when the skin shows signs of inflammation, bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, grow and profit from a lesion to infect the skin. Also, we live in a hygienic society. For example, during the Covid epidemic, we created extraordinary skin dryness: alcohol destroys good and bad bacteria in the skin and therefore we remove a natural defense from the skinwhich makes it more fragile and prone to infection“, details Doctor Viraben. Regarding fungal infections, there are two ways to contract a fungus.
► “It is contagious from human to human : the infection is transmitted in particular conditions of heat and humidity, often at the level of the inter-toe. When drying with a towel, the infection can move up and spread to areas other than the foot.”
► “The second type of infection is established between animals (dogs, cats) and humans. The latter contracts the fungus on the level of the hand, the arm or the neck, in contact with the animal, then the infection spreads. Once the man is infected with the fungus, it is no longer transmitted to another individual” complements the dermatologist.
What are the symptoms of a skin infection?
The symptoms of a skin infection are very varied. Depending on the type of infection and its cause, it manifests itself in different ways. “For example, staph infection looks a bit like honey (meleric form) or by bubbles in children and more like scabs in infected adults. Staphylococcus aureus can infect the pilosebaceous follicle. If we attack an acne pimple by pressure, for example, the staphylococcus will develop to form a painful nodule at the top of the pimple and form an operculum at the level of the follicle. Also, the simplest model of Staphylococcus aureus infection is the boil”, says Dr. Viraben. “Mycotic infection is manifested by itching, cracking, and flaking skin: the skin between the toes is peeling. When the fungus travels, it can infect folds, such as the inguinal fold, and forms circles around the infection: these are erythemato-squamous dermatoses. When it is of animal origin, there is a border marking the peripheral extension of the fungus.says the dermatologist.
Who to consult for a skin infection?
According to Dr. Viraben, “the general practitioner is the backbone of the healthcare system. This professional is very familiar with the antibiotics or other medications to be prescribed in the event of a skin infection. The dermatologist intervenes in recourse, in case of complications For example. In all cases of skin infection, the opinion of the general practitioner is required. Moreover, at the moment there is a shortage of consultations with dermatologists. And it is by consulting your attending physician that the consumption of the care system will be better” confesses the doctor.
There are as many treatments as there are symptoms of a skin infection. “In case of bacterial infection such as boils, we recommend general antibiotic therapy. However, we are becoming frugal on prescribing antibiotics because we are creating new antibiotic-resistant strains. In terms of pharmacological studies, scientific research on antibiotics is not very active. For example, we avoid antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis, because we are saving this antibiotic for this serious infection. We must save up antibiotics and the current trend is also to shorten the time for antibiotic therapy“, confesses Doctor Viraben. “We often use penicillin, a very widespread and effective treatment, especially on streptococcus. Penicillin can reasonably be proposed for first-line antibiotic therapy. Impetigo is easily treated with a antibiotic ointment to be applied locally. As for cutaneous mycoses, most of the time, these are local treatments, such as antifungal cream or ointment, to extend for about 3 weeks”.
What are the risks of complications from a skin infection?
Bacterial infections, such as impetigo, folliculitis or boils do not cause problems in the vast majority of cases, according to the dermatologist. “They can be a problem at the level of the face if the subject is in a bad general context (drug use, alcoholism, etc.). Today, complications from a skin infection are rare. They are in the form general and extensive ulcerations. Some locations are more at risk of complications. For example, a facial boil can cause cerebral venous sinus infection with a risk of contamination of the neuro-meningeal system. These complications are exceptional, but also known to doctors. But be aware that a dermatologist sees very few of these cases in his practice life, because they are exceptions. Regarding mycotic infections, there are no real complications, except a generalization if the patient presents poor ground, altered by toxic agents or in the event of immunosuppressive treatment“, says Dr. Viraben.
Thank you to Doctor Roland Viraben, dermatologist and venerologist, member of the National Syndicate of Dermatologists-Venerologists.