Skin infection & cellulitis risk
Redness and warmth spreading around a wound.
When the skin around a wound or break gets red, warm, swollen, and tender — and that area is growing — it may be cellulitis, a skin infection that needs prompt treatment.
Cellulitis happens when bacteria get past the skin’s surface, often through a wound, crack, bite, or swollen area. It can spread quickly and, untreated, can become serious. The good news is that caught early it usually responds well to the right antibiotics and wound care.
Our clinicians evaluate the area, help arrange appropriate treatment, and keep close watch on anyone whose wounds put them at higher risk — people with diabetes, swelling, poor circulation, or fragile skin.
Get seen promptly for
- Redness or warmth around a wound that’s spreading
- Increasing swelling, pain, or tenderness
- Skin that’s tight, shiny, or hot to the touch
- Red streaks moving away from the wound
- Fever, chills, or feeling generally unwell
What care looks like
How we help this heal.
We assess
A clinician examines the area, marks the borders, and assesses how far it’s spread.
We treat
We help arrange the right treatment — including antibiotics through your providers — and treat the wound that let it in.
We coordinate
We monitor closely to make sure it’s improving and not spreading.
We follow through
We address the underlying cause — swelling, a wound, fragile skin — to lower the chance it returns.
Related wounds we treat
We handle these too.
Diabetic foot ulcers
Foot sores in people with diabetes — treated early, before they become serious.
Learn moreVenous leg ulcers
Weepy ankle and lower-leg wounds with swelling — healed with proper compression.
Learn moreArterial & mixed wounds
Slow-healing wounds from limited blood flow — assessed with the right specialists.
Learn more
Where we visit
Care across the Illinois Metro East.
We’re built for the Illinois side of the river — every county and town below has its own page so you can see exactly how we help where you live. Pick your county or your town to get started.
We’re ready when you are
Have a wound that needs attention?
Call 314-325-0126 or request care. Tell us what’s going on and we’ll help you find the right next step.