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Impetigo Service

Impetigo is a skin infection that's very contagious but not usually serious. It often gets better in 7 to 10 days if you get treatment. Anyone can get it, but it's very common in young children.

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Details can be found on https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/impetigo/

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1 

Check if you have impetigo?

Impetigo starts with red sores or blisters, but the redness may be harder to see in brown and black skin.

The sores or blisters quickly burst and leave crusty, golden-brown patches.

The patches can:

  • look a bit like cornflakes stuck to your skin

  • get bigger

  • spread to other parts of your body

  • be itchy

  • sometimes be painful

2

Treatment for Impetigo

  • If it's impetigo, they can prescribe antibiotic cream to speed up your recovery or antibiotic tablets if it's very bad.

3

How to avoid Impetigo

Impetigo usually infects skin that's already damaged.

To avoid spreading the infection to other areas of your body and to other people:

  • keep cuts, scratches and insect bites clean – for example, by washing them with warm water and soap

  • get treatment for skin conditions, like eczema

4

Cost

The pharmacist consultation is provided by NHS England and is free of charge. If you require antibiotics you will have to pay the standard NHS prescription charge of £9.35 or get them for free if you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions.

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