Some many different situations and conditions can affect the skin, including diseases brought on by bacterial infections, viral infections, fungal infections, skin irritation, and parasites.Two severe skin conditions include cellulitis and phlebitis.
The difference between cellulitis and phlebitis is that Biological infections that cause cellulitis include connective tissue inflammation.
On the other hand, phlebitis, which typically affects the legs, is an inflammation of a vein.
Let us learn the primary difference between cellulitis and phlebitis below:
Table of Contents
What is Cellulite?
Skin that is dimpled due to fatty deposits is called cellulite. Bacteria enter a crack in your skin to cause a painful skin infection known as cellulitis. Call your doctor immediately if you get a red, puffy, or sensitive rash. If left untreated, it might become life-threatening.
A bacterial skin infection is called cellulitis. Although it can occur anyplace else on the body, it keeps appearing in the lower limbs’ superficial dermal and deeper layers of skin.
Orange-peel skin, and cottage-cheese skin, are among the common names for cellulite.
Men and women can have cellulite, but it is more prevalent in women due to how fat, muscle and connective tissue are distributed.
Cellulite can occur in 80 to 90 percent of the lives of females at some point. This layer’s connective tissue and fat cells are oriented vertically in females. It appears as though the fat cells had swelled up into the layer of skin.
Men’s tissue has a crisscross structure, which may explain why they are less likely than women to get cellulite.
What is Phlebitis?
Phlebitis, also known as vein inflammation, can result from any injury to the blood vessel wall, reduced blood volume, or irregular clotting.
It causes redness on the skin’s surface and painful, hard lumps beneath it. The development of a blood clot in conjunction with phlebitis is referred to as thrombophlebitis.
Phlebitis frequently manifests as pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness. The diagnosis for superficial phlebitis is typically good and affordable to treat at home.
A medical diagnosis of phlebitis typically necessitates a lab and imaging test. Phlebitis can be treated and heals in a few days to weeks.
Difference Between Cellulitis and Phlebitis
The basic difference between cellulitis and phlebitis are below:
The primary difference between cellulitis and phlebitis is that the main difference between cellulitis and phlebitis is that cellulitis is a human disease, whereas phlebitis is an inflammatory venous disease.
Another difference between cellulitis and phlebitis is that fat deposits can build up under the skin’s surface and lead to cellulite. Phlebitis, on the other hand, is an infection of a vein.
Another important comparison between cellulitis vs. phlebitis is that cellulite results in “orange peel” skin, or dimpling, on the thighs, hips, buttocks, and occasionally the arms and back.
Phlebitis is the term for a vein’s sudden growth and redness and is caused by pain, soreness, swelling, and redness.
Phlebitis Vs. Cellulitis: Symptoms and Causes
The comparison between phlebitis vs. cellulitis in terms of symptoms is below:
Symptoms and Causes of Cellulitis:
The major symptoms of cellulitis are:
Redness, warmth, swelling, pain, and other signs of an inflammatory reaction are present, and fluid can be seen in the center of the wound.
Staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria, which enter through a minor cut or skin fissure, typically cause infection.
Symptoms and Causes of Phlebitis
The major symptoms of phlebitis are:
Puffiness, warmth, or a flushing appearance on the skin where a vein can be seen. People can feel a rope-like structure through the skin that has streaks on it and is sensitive.
Blood clots or damage to the vein’s walls are the two leading causes of phlebitis. It may result from any injury to the blood vessel wall, or poor venous flow.
Cellulitis Vs. Phlebitis : Types
The difference between the types of cellulitis vs. phlebitis are:
Types of Phlebitis
There are mainly two types of phlebitis.
1 . Superficial phlebitis
The skin’s surface-level veins are affected by superficial phlebitis. The illness is rarely severe when appropriately treated and usually gets better quickly. A medical evaluation is required because deep vein thrombophlebitis can occasionally occur in patients with superficial phlebitis.
2. Deep vein thrombophlebitis
Larger blood arteries are impacted by deep vein thrombophlebitis, which typically occurs deep in the legs. Massive blood clots may form and could separate, moving to the lungs. Pulmonary embolism is the medical term for this dangerous illness.
Types of Cellulitis
According to the location of the infection, there are many forms of cellulitis.
Some types consist of:
1. Facial Cellulitis:
The development of face cellulitis around the cheekbones, nose, and eyes.
2. Periorbital Cellulitis :
Around the eyes, periorbital cellulitis can develop.
3. Perineal Cellulitis:
The anal opening is affected by perianal cellulitis.
What is the Difference Between Cellulitis and Phlebitis?
Highlighting the main difference between cellulitis and phlebitis in the following table:
| Cellulitis | Phlebitis |
| A bacterial skin infection is called cellulitis. It commonly occurs in the skin’s superficial dermal layers | Inflammation of the nerves is called phlebitis. Blood clots in the veins can restrict blood flow and cause discomfort and irritation. |
| Bacteria called Staphylococci and Streptococci are the pathogens that cause cellulitis. | Blood clots, injuries, and damage to the vein are the main causes of phlebitis. |
Conclusion
The difference between cellulitis and phlebitis is that infected veins or blood clots cause phlebitis. On the other hand, cellulitis is due to a bacterial infection.
Phlebitis and cellulitis can be prevented with a few simple precautions. Typically, a lab and imaging test are needed to diagnose these two diseases. Cellulitis and phlebitis are curable conditions that go away in a few days to a few weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What does phlebitis look like?
The inflammation may appear as a long, narrow red patch that follows a superficial vein. It might feel warm, delicate, and hard here. Itchy and puffy skin may surround the vein.
2) What is the main symptom of cellulitis?
The primary symptoms of cellulitis are redness, swelling, warmth, and soreness.
3) How Is Phlebitis Diagnosed?
Phlebitis is identified based on physical observation, medical history, symptoms, and venous ultrasonography. Phlebitis symptoms should be reported to a doctor to evaluate the illness before it progresses to DVT.
4)Where is Phlebitis located?
A blood clot can cause a vein just below the skin’s surface to become inflamed, which is known as superficial thrombophlebitis. After recently utilizing an IV line or after a vein has been injured, this disease may develop. Other signs may include discomfort and tenderness around the vein and stiffening.
5) How does a person get cellulitis?
According to experts, it is unknown how the germs enter the bodies of many people who get cellulitis. Bacteria can occasionally enter the body through skin holes like wounds from surgery or injuries. In general, cellulitis is not communicable and cannot be contracted from another person.
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