Staph infection: On skin, on face, symptoms, treatment - Insider

• Staphylococcus bacteria live on skin and can cause a staph infection if they enter the bloodstream. 
• Staph infections can involve a range of symptoms, like vomiting, rashes or inflamed skin, and fever.
• A staph infection may require treatment with prescription antibiotics, so talk to your doctor ASAP.

Staph infections are common infections caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus. While there are over 30 different types of Staphylococcus, one strain, Staphylococcus aureus, causes most of the millions of infections that occur in the United States each year.

Most staph infections remain relatively mild and involve a straightforward approach to treatment. In some cases, though, staph infections can become a serious medical concern.

Read on to learn the types, symptoms, and treatment of staph infections.  

What is a staph infection? 

Staph bacteria are often found on the skin or nose of healthy people. In fact, up to 30% of people are carriers of staph. Most of the time, the bacteria are harmless, but if staph enters the body through a small cut, for example, it can cause an infection.

If you have a staph infection or staph bacteria on your skin, you can also transmit it to other people — through skin-to-skin contact or on objects where the bacteria live, like towels or bed linens.

Staph infections are usually minor skin infections. If the bacteria enter more deeply into the body through the bloodstream, however, this can create a wide range of problems requiring medical treatment. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2017 nearly 20,000 deaths happened as a result of staph entering the bloodstream. Many of these cases happened in healthcare facilities and hospitals. 

Staph infections also can and do occur in the general community — often as a result of uncovered wounds — but a recent hospital stay increases your risk, according to the CDC.

Still, severe infections remain relatively rare in otherwise healthy people, says Dr. Viktoryia D. Kazlouskaya, a dermatologist and assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

Symptoms of a staph infection 

Though all staph infections are caused by the same type of bacteria, the symptoms can vary widely, depending on where in the body the infection occurs. 

Symptoms of a staph infection might include: 

Food poisoning 

Food poisoning caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria can happen when people who carry staph handle food. Symptoms typically begin 30 minutes to 8 hours after eating contaminated food and tend to last no more than a day. You might experience:  

• Nausea
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Stomach cramps

Bacteremia

Bacteremia is a serious complication of staph that happens when the bacteria get into your bloodstream. General symptoms include fever and low blood pressure.

It can affect your brain, heart and lungs, your muscles and bones, and any implanted devices, like a pacemaker or artificial joint. 

Toxic shock syndrome

Toxic shock syndrome, a condition caused by toxins produced by staph, can be life threatening.

The symptoms include:

• High fever
• A sunburn-like rash on your palms or across large areas of your body 
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Low blood pressure

Though it's most commonly associated with tampon use, toxic shock syndrome can also happen as a complication of skin wounds or surgery. 

Septic arthritis

Septic arthritis can happen when staph infects a joint, most commonly large joints like the hips and knees. Symptoms include:

• Swollen, warm joints with severe pain
• Fever 
• Limited range of motion in the affected joint

Staph infections on the skin 

Some skin infections commonly known by other names are caused by staph bacteria. Staph doesn't affect unbroken skin, but it can enter the body through small cuts or wounds and through mucous membranes, like the nose or mouth.

Staph skin infections more commonly develop in people who have frequent skin injuries, especially when they also have dry skin.

Most staph infections on the skin are treatable — but they can become dangerous if the bacteria enter your body more deeply. Some types of staph infections on the skin include:

• Furuncle: This type of staph infection, also called boils, shows up as tender spots or lumps that often contain pus. They develop when part of the hair follicle becomes infected deep within the skin. Boils can appear anywhere, but they commonly appear on the face, back of the neck, armpit, and thighs. 
• Cellulitis: This infection of the lower layer of your skin causes warm, swollen skin that feels painful to the touch. You may also have a fever and chills. Cellulitis usually affects the lower leg — an area away from your attention that can easily go unnoticed. But Dr. Eva Shelton, an internal medicine physician and content developer at Mochi, says it can also occur in other places like your face or arms. Cellulitis can cause serious complications, so it requires prompt medical treatment.
• Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome: This condition, which mostly develops in children under the age of five, starts with a fever and skin discoloration. Within 1-2 days fluid-filled blisters form and parts of the top layer of skin peel off. This infection is treatable, and children usually recover well with treatment.
• Wound infections: Any open wound on the skin is vulnerable to staph infections. These infections will involve symptoms similar to cellulitis — pain, swelling, and warmth.

Staph infections on the face

Certain types of staph infections more typically occur on the face. Potentially serious cases to pay attention to are those near the eyes and nose, Shelton says.

Since these areas are close to the brain and central nervous system, staph bacteria in those areas could cause serious health complications. 

• Folliculitis: This infection is caused when a hair follicle gets infected with staph. Both folliculitis and boils involve hair follicles, but folliculitis typically happens closer to the surface of your skin. Often caused by shaving, it usually presents as a white-headed pimple. It can happen anywhere hair grows on your body. 
• Impetigo: This staph infection can also be caused by a strep infection. It causes large blisters that ooze fluid and develop a honey-colored crust. While impetigo can affect people of any age, it's most common in young children. Kazlouskaya says it can quickly spread from the face to the rest of the body and can be transmitted to other children.  
• Stye: This type of staph infection affects the oil gland of the eye. Styes are painful lumps on the edge of your eyelid that often contain pus. They can cause a lot of discomfort, but they usually go away on their own within a few days. 

Treatment

Folliculitis and stye may clear up on their own, though the amount of time this takes can range from a few days to a few weeks. You can also treat minor infections by cleaning the area, using warm compresses, or applying over-the-counter topical antibiotics like Neosporin or Mycitracin.

Other staph infections require treatment with prescription antibiotics. Because staph can cause serious complications if it gets into your bloodstream, Kazlouskaya says you should promptly connect with a doctor if you have:

• A quickly spreading infection
• A fever
• Malaise, or a general sense of unwellness
• Swelling and pain in the affected area

A healthcare professional can test a swab of your skin, nasal secretion, blood, or urine to determine which antibiotics will most effectively treat your infection. They may prescribe topical antibiotics, oral antibiotics, or both. They may also lance and drain a staph skin infection.

Important: Some strains of staph called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics. 

MRSA is often transmitted in hospitals and other healthcare settings, but you can also acquire it in community settings. It often requires treatment with stronger intravenous (IV) antibiotics. 

Insider's takeaway

Staph infections are fairly common. Usually, they're minor skin conditions that improve with treatment. 

An untreated staph infection, however, can have serious medical complications, and it could even become fatal. If you think you may have a staph infection, it's always a good idea to check in with a healthcare professional for more guidance.  

Adam Barnes

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