Many patients with cellulitis experience a general ill feeling (malaise). Other common symptoms include:

• Skin redness or inflammation that may spread as the infection spreads
  
  
• Tight, glossy or stretched appearance of the skin
  
  
• Pain or tenderness in the affected area
  
  
• Skin lesions or rashes that may develop suddenly and grow rapidly with ill-defined borders
  
  
• Warmth over the area of redness
  
  
• Chills, fever or shaking
  
  
• Fatigue
  
  
• Muscle aches and pains, including joint stiffness
  
  
• Nausea and vomiting
  
  
• Hair loss at the site of the infection
  
  
• Blurred vision (when cellulitis affects the eye)
  
  
• Swollen lymph nodes
  
  
• Fluid drainage from the affected skin

Depending on the type of bacteria causing the condition, symptoms of cellulitis may appear anywhere from four hours to several days after the infection develops.

Patients who suspect that they have developed cellulitis are encouraged to contact their physician. Left untreated, the condition can lead to serious health problems.  

Patients should seek immediate medical attention if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms because it may indicate that the infection has spread or poses a serious health risk:

• Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), especially if chills are also present.
  
  
• A red streak from the affected area of the skin. This may indicate that a different medication is needed or the infection has spread.
  
  
• Significant pain not relieved by over-the-counter pain medications.
  
  
• Inability to move a limb or joint because of pain.