How to get rid of impetigo

Despite not usually being serious or life-threatening, impetigo is a highly contagious condition that can be alarming for children and parents alike. Associated with visible symptoms including red sores and golden, flaky patches on the skin, impetigo is more commonly found in young children, but it can affect anyone.

Fortunately, impetigo is rarely serious and can be easily treated. Below, we discuss what to do if you think you or your little one has impetigo.

Does impetigo go away on its own?

Since impetigo is rarely serious, you may be tempted to handle it at home without consulting your GP. Impetigo can go away on its own as your body fights off the infection, but it’s worth knowing that treatment can help you to feel better quicker and reduce how long you’re contagious for. If you don’t get treatment, you’ll need to wait until the patches crust over completely before mixing with others in order to avoid infecting them.

It’s also the case that avoiding treatment may not be a viable choice for everyone. If you or your child have had impetigo before and it’s come back – especially if this isn’t the first time it has come back – that could be a sign that something else is going on and making you more vulnerable to the condition. You should seek medical advice if you are unsure about any aspect of your impetigo, including if you’re not sure whether it is impetigo or not.

Important! As impetigo is a very contagious condition, it may not be advisable to visit a GP surgery or pharmacy in person, as you could infect vulnerable members of the community. Make sure to phone the pharmacy or surgery before leaving the house and follow their advice.

How to treat impetigo

If you or a loved one has impetigo, we strongly advise you to seek treatment, as this is the fastest way to get back to your usual health while also reducing the risk of passing the condition on to others. Becoming less contagious quickly also means you can get back to work or school sooner, limiting the disruption to your life and routines.

Impetigo doesn’t have to mean a trip to see your GP. You can also access diagnosis and treatment at your local Day Lewis pharmacy via the Pharmacy First scheme, where you’ll receive the same high quality service and treatment options as you would with a GP.

First, the pharmacist will examine your impetigo symptoms visually to check that it is impetigo and not another, easily confused condition such as shingles or cold sores. If it’s decided that impetigo is what you have, then the treatment will depend on the severity and progression of the condition.

For less serious, localised cases of impetigo, you’ll likely be offered a hydrogen peroxide 1% cream to be applied for five days, as well as being advised on self care techniques to help look after the affected skin and avoid contamination or infecting others. If that doesn’t work, or if for whatever reason the hydrogen peroxide cream isn’t suitable for you, you’ll be given a fusidic acid cream instead.

If your impetigo is more widespread, or becomes so while you’re trying to treat it with medicated creams, then the treatment will be antibiotics. Most people will be given a five-day course of flucloxacillin to help clear up the condition in conjunction with self care techniques. However, if you’re allergic to penicillin antibiotics, you’ll likely be offered clarithromycin or erythromycin instead.

For the majority of cases, these treatments will clear up your symptoms and get you feeling your normal self – though it’s important to complete any antibiotic treatments even after you start feeling better. Whether you’re given antibiotics or a medicated cream, you should stop being contagious roughly 48 hours into your treatment, meaning you can head back to work or school as needed.

In the rare event that these treatments don’t resolve your symptoms, or if your symptoms get worse quickly or significantly, then you will be referred to a GP or other healthcare provider such as a dermatologist to get you the treatment you need.

Impetigo can look alarming, but in the vast majority of cases, it’s nothing serious. Speak to your local Day Lewis pharmacy today to find out more about accessing treatment.