How Long Are You Contagious With Impetigo?

Impetigo is a skin infection caused by two common bacteria: group A Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus. Impetigo is easy to spot because it looks like a red rash that scabs over with a yellow crust. But the main thing most people know about impetigo is that it’s highly contagious. 

Impetigo can spread rapidly in group settings — like day cares, schools, dorms, and military facilities. And chances are, if someone in your household comes down with impetigo, the rest of your family may get it too. Here’s what you need to know about how long you’re contagious and when it’s safe to go back to your daily routine.

How long is impetigo contagious?

It depends.

Impetigo is a bacterial infection. So antibiotics can cure it. People who get antibiotic treatment stop being contagious faster than people who do not.

With antibiotic treatment

You’re no longer contagious with impetigo after you’ve used antibiotics for 24 hours. Then you can safely go about your usual routine without passing the bacteria to others. You can also be around your household members without worrying about them picking it up. 

But your rash won’t completely go away after 24 hours. It will take a few days for the rash to completely fade. Experts recommend covering your rash with clothing or a bandage until your rash starts to fade. While this might not be possible if the rash is on your face, you can still go back to work and school. 

Without antibiotic treatment

If you don’t start antibiotics, impetigo will usually improve on its own in about 2 to 3 weeks. You can spread impetigo if you see new spots forming on your skin. You'll also be contagious until your rash starts fading and completely dried out. This can take up to 3 weeks. So if you don’t start antibiotics, you may need to stay out of work or school for several weeks. 

How do you treat impetigo?

Impetigo treatment is pretty easy. Most people can use topical antibiotics like mupirocin or retapamulin. You’ll need to apply antibiotic ointments 3 times a day for 5 days. 

If you see a lot of lesions or the rash spreading to other areas, your provider may recommend that you take oral medications for 1 week. These can include cephalexin, amoxicillin, or clindamycin.

Most people notice that their skin starts to clear up within 3 days. And their skin goes back to normal after about 1 week. 

How does impetigo spread?

The bacteria that causes impetigo spreads from person to person and on your own body through touch. 

Impetigo spots start to appear about 10 days after you come in contact with the bacteria. So if you’ve been around someone who has impetigo and develop any new spots on your skin, chances are you also have impetigo.

You’re more likely to pick up impetigo from shared personal items, like:

• Towels

• Clothes

• Toys

• Gym equipment

You can also get infected by bacteria through direct contact, including:

• Hugging

• Kissing

• Changing diapers

• Helping with bathing

How do you prevent the spread of impetigo? 

You can keep impetigo from spreading to the rest of your friends and family by taking these steps:

• See a healthcare provider right away. The sooner you start antibiotics, the quicker you’ll stop being able to spread impetigo. Your provider can usually diagnose impetigo by looking at your rash. So you may be able to get an antibiotic prescription through a virtual health visit.

• Keep your rash clean and covered. Wash your rash with regular soap and water two to three times a day. This helps wash off extra bacteria. Cover your rash to block the bacteria from getting onto other people and surfaces. Consider wearing long sleeves or pants.

• Wash your hands — especially if you touch your rash. It’s best to avoid touching your rash. But if you do touch it, wash your hands right away. This makes sure that you don’t accidentally spread it to other parts of your body. Always wash your hands after you put antibiotic ointment on your rash. 

• Rinse clothing, towels, and bedding with hot water. Any clothing, towels, or linens that touch your skin should be washed in hot water. This will kill all the bacteria that might be on the material. 

• Disinfect commonly touched surfaces. Bacteria that cause impetigo can live on surfaces for more than 24 hours. Until you’re no longer contagious, you should regularly disinfect commonly touched surfaces. This will lower the risk that your household members will pick up the bacteria. 

• Avoid skin to skin contact and don’t share personal items. Until you’re no longer contagious, don’t share items that touched your skin. This can include towels, clothes, or razors. Make sure your rash doesn’t directly come into contact with other people’s skin through hugging or kissing. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Meredith Grace Merkley, DO, FAAP

Dr. Merkley is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician who has over a decade of experience working in community health. She is currently a National Health Services Corp scholar, and is serving as the medical director of a school-based health clinic at a federally funded health center.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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