Cellulitis and erysipelas
are both infectious conditions of the skin. These infections can cause redness,
pain, and swelling of the affected part of the body. The difference between
cellulitis and erysipelas is that erysipelas tends to affect the upper layers
of skin (upper dermis) and
superficial lymph nodes and lymph
vessels, whereas cellulitis is known to affect deep layers of skin (deeper
dermis) and sometimes the layer of fat underneath the skin (subcutaneous fat).

Cellulitis and erysipelas may occur if bacteria go inside
the layers of the skin. Normally, the outer surface of the skin is populated by
a myriad of non-harmful (or commensal) bacteria, also known as normal skin
flora. Most of the time, these bacteria do not cause any health problems.
However, if a person sustains an injury such as a cut/break, a puncture wound,
or even an insect bite in the skin leading to a breach in the skin barrier,
these bacteria may access the skin layers and cause an infection.

Certain conditions can increase the likelihood of developing
cellulitis or erysipelas. These include:

●Having a cut (even a tiny one)

●Having another type of skin infection or a long-term skin
condition

●Having swelling of the skin or swelling in the body

●Being overweight

Both cellulitis and erysipelas cause very similar symptoms.
Either infection can cause the infected area to become painful, red, swollen,
or warm. Some people with cellulitis or erysipelas can sometimes additionally have
fever or chills. It is also possible that people with these infections
experience no symptoms whatsoever, or report only some, but not all of these
symptoms.

Most of the time, cellulitis and erysipelas affect the legs
or arms, which are more exposed to the outside world than other parts of the
body, but these infections can also occur in other locations, such as the
belly, the face, in the mouth, or around the anus (if there are cuts known as
anal fissures that allow fecal matter to get into the layers of the skin).

Treatment of cellulitis of erysipelas is usually with oral
antibiotics; if caught very early on, they can be managed with topical
antibiotic cream only, as long as the patient follows up closely with his/her
doctor on the progress of symptoms.