What is the difference between abscess and cellulitis? Can you tell which one is it in a retail setting?
What is the difference between abscess and cellulitis? Can you tell which one is it in a retail setting?
Plus, abscesses can occur anywhere in or on the body, whereas cellulitis is considered a skin disease, I'm pretty sure. At least, I've always seen it in that context. At one time, it was known as "erysipelas".
Plus, abscesses can occur anywhere in or on the body, whereas cellulitis is considered a skin disease, I'm pretty sure. At least, I've always seen it in that context. At one time, it was known as "erysipelas".
I dont agree that cellulitis and erisypelas are synonymous, I think there are some real, albeit small/subtle distinctions between them.
Cellulitis is infection of the underling fat tissue, it has a nondistinct, hazy border. Erisypelas is an infection of the lower layers of dermis (above the fat tissue level) and has a much sharper area of demarcation. Erisypelas is classically caused by strep, cellulitis can be caused by several organisms including strep.
Abscess is a localized, separated compartment of pus than can exist in any layer of skin or any other organ. Most common cause is staph for skin abscesses.
Interestingly several studies have shown that I&D by itself may be sufficient to treat many skin abscesses and that antibiotics may not be necessary. However, in clinical practice the de facto "standard" is still I&D + oral abx.