Impetigo Treatment: How to Banish This Contagious Skin Infection for Good

Impetigo is a common and very contagious skin infection. It’s caused by two main types of bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (known as S. aureus, or “staph”) and group A Streptococcus. 

Young children are more prone to getting impetigo, but you can develop it at any age. You can pick up impetigo by touching the fluid or crusting from one of these blisters. People also pass impetigo by sharing objects that touch the skin, like clothes or towels. 

Treating impetigo is important. The treatment helps get rid of the infection and keeps it from spreading. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with impetigo, here’s what to know about your impetigo treatment options. 

Impetigo treatment

Prescription antibiotics can treat impetigo. And they’re usually the same for adults and children.

Topical antibiotics

Antibiotic creams or ointments can treat mild impetigo. They’re as effective as oral antibiotics and don’t have as many side effects. 

Topical antibiotic treatments approved to treat impetigo include:

• Mupirocin (Bactroban)

• Retapamulin (Altabax)

• Ozenoxacin (Xepi)

You apply these ointments to skin that has impetigo. Most people only need to use antibiotic cream twice a day for 5 days.

Dr. Maria Robinson, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist, as well as a GoodRx contributor, said: “Antibiotic ointments and creams both work well, but many people don’t like the greasiness of ointments." 

Robinson offers the following steps for using topical antibiotics to treat impetigo:

1. Remove any crust before applying the antibiotic cream to help it absorb better.

2. If there’s a thick crust, cover the area with a warm, soapy washcloth for a few minutes to loosen and remove the crust.

3. Apply the cream or ointment to the entire area, including a rim of normal skin around the area. This helps to make sure you’ve treated the entire area.

4. Cover the area with a bandage.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• What is scarlet fever? Learn about the cause, symptoms, and treatment of this rash that often affects kids. 

• Skin infections can become dangerous. If you have cellulitis, these signs could mean you should go to the ER for treatment. 

• Top rashes in kids: From impetigo to scabies, find out how to identify the most common rashes in children (with pictures).

Oral antibiotics 

There are several oral antibiotics that can treat impetigo. Most people take oral antibiotics for 7 days. The best one depends on which bacteria is causing your impetigo. Staph infection is the most common cause of impetigo. Experts usually recommend treatment with:

• Cephalexin

• Dicloxacillin

• Erythromycin or clarithromycin (if you have a penicillin allergy)

You may need to take antibiotics by mouth for impetigo if:

• You have impetigo in many areas, making it too difficult to use topical antibiotics.

• You’ve been using topical antibiotics, but your impetigo isn't getting better

• Many people in your home, work, or school have impetigo at the same time. In this situation, oral antibiotics can help stop the spread of impetigo faster.

If you have a history of infections with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), you may need a different antibiotic like:

• Doxycycline

• Clindamycin

• Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim

Soap and water

Soap and water won’t cure impetigo, but they’re an important part of impetigo treatment. Cleaning impetigo lesions with soap and water removes extra bacteria from your skin. This may help lower the risk of spreading the bacteria. You should also gently clean your skin with a mild soap and warm water before applying antibiotic creams. 

It’s a good idea to also wash your hands after you apply your antibiotic cream. This will keep the bacteria off your hands. And it’ll help you prevent it from spreading to other parts of your body or surfaces.

Use regular detergent to wash clothes, towels, and anything else that touches your skin. But try to opt for the hot water setting on your washing machine.

How is impetigo diagnosed?

A healthcare professional can usually diagnose impetigo just by looking at your skin and asking you about any symptoms. Sometimes, a swab from the crust is taken and sent to the lab. This can help determine which bacteria is present and narrow down the best treatment options. 

Do over-the-counter antibiotics or natural remedies work for impetigo?

Over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotic creams and ointments generally aren’t recommended for impetigo treatment. They don’t always work well against bacteria that cause impetigo. This includes popular OTC antibiotic creams like Polysporin, Bacitracin, and Neosporin. 

Some natural remedies people turn to for impetigo treatment include:

• Tea tree oil

• Olive oil

• Coconut oil

• Aloe vera

• Manuka honey 

• Garlic

Some of these natural remedies have antibacterial properties. And people have reported success using these remedies to treat many skin conditions. 

But Dr. Robinson urges caution: “There isn’t strong evidence showing that natural remedies work for impetigo, so they aren’t recommended as a treatment,” she said. 

“Even if a natural treatment works for one person, it may not work for someone else, so more research needs to be done looking at their effectiveness,” Dr. Robinson continued. “And all this is confounded by the fact that impetigo may clear on its own in some people.”

Remember: These natural remedies aren’t recommended for impetigo treatment. But if you’re interested in these treatments, talk to a healthcare professional. Together, you can decide whether you can add them to your antibiotic treatment.

How long is impetigo contagious?

Here’s some good news: The risk of spreading impetigo drops once you’ve used antibiotics for 24 hours. That means you can go back to work or school and not worry about spreading impetigo to others. It also means you don’t have to worry about new impetigo blisters popping up on other parts of your body. 

But without antibiotic treatment, impetigo remains contagious until the rash completely goes away. This can take anywhere from a week to a month. So getting the right impetigo treatment can get you back to your regular life faster. 

Frequently asked questions

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Christine Giordano, MD

Christine Giordano, MD, is board-certified in general internal medicine. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts