What is it?

Your skin acts as a valuable shield, protecting you from the external environment. Nevertheless, there can be instances where this protective function gets weakened, leaving your skin vulnerable to an array of infections, such as bacterial (impetigo, boils), viral (shingles, warts), fungal (athlete's foot, ringworm) and parasitic (lice, bedbugs). Symptoms vary depending on the type of infection; however, the common symptoms are rashes, swelling, itching and pain. Inflammation can also occur in the folds of your skin or under your nails due to yeast infections.

How is it treated?

The good news is that most skin infections are highly treatable. To receive a skin infection diagnosis, visit one of our board-certified dermatologists in Adrian, Battle Creek, Dowagiac, Hillsdale, Jackson, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Sturgis, Michigan, or Angola, Elkhart, Goshen and Plymouth, Indiana.

Our team will conduct a physical exam, ask about your symptoms and—if needed—take a skin culture to identify the type of infection. If the infection doesn’t clear up on its own, goes deeper into the skin or spreads across the body, it’s essential to come in for a consultation so we may evaluate its severity. Most of these infections will go away on their own. Still, if severe, we can provide antibiotics, antiviral, antifungal or antiparasitic medications to help regain your confidence.