Clinical QuickieDermatology
Cellulitis vs Mimics
Not every red leg is cellulitis.
Cellulitis is usually unilateral
Warmth, tenderness, expanding erythema, and skin-barrier disruption support infection; bilateral lower-leg erythema should make you reconsider.
Venous stasis is a common mimic
Chronic edema, hyperpigmentation, scaling, and bilateral inflammation often point away from acute bacterial cellulitis.
Other mimics matter
DVT, gout, contact dermatitis, lymphedema, hematoma, and inflammatory conditions can overlap.
Reassess nonresponse
If presumed cellulitis is not improving as expected, reconsider the diagnosis, source, abscess, resistant organism, or deeper infection.
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