Cellulitis is a skin infection that may appear with areas of redness, swelling, increased temperature and tenderness. If you develop these symptoms of cellulitis, seek medical attention as an antibiotic is necessary to treat the underlying infection. Keep the skin clean; if your cellulitis causes any breaks in your skin, at-home care is necessary to prevent the infection from spreading.
Step 1
Put on protective gloves and use a new pair every time you wash your cellulitis wound.
Step 2
Place the infected area under medium-temperature running water, in a bathtub or sink, and thoroughly wet the affected area using your hands to spread the water if needed. Wet your washcloth under the running water.
Step 3
Remove the affected area from the running water, but do not dry the wound. Put a mild soap, such as Ivory, onto your wet washcloth. Use gentle hand pressure to scrub the wound with your soapy washcloth for 30 seconds. Use medium pressure if your wound is dirty.
Step 4
Return the affected area to your running tap water, or use your sink sprayer to rinse the soap from your wound, but avoid spraying soap or debris into your eyes. Turn off the water and dry your wound with a clean towel.
Step 5
Cover any open wounds with a clean bandage daily until a scab forms. Remove your protective gloves.
Things You'll Need
- Protective gloves
- Soap
- Washcloth
- Water
