Do you ever find yourself picking your nose or scratching your feet whenever your hands are idle?
For some people, it is just a harmless little habit. But doctors are warning that constantly picking or scratching can cause tiny breaks in the skin, giving bacteria a chance to enter and cause serious infections.
Doctors at Shenzhen Longhua District People’s Hospital recently treated two patients who developed erysipelas after these seemingly harmless habits.
One patient, a man identified as Xiao Li, was 1.8 metres tall and weighed 100kg. He had a long-standing case of athlete’s foot and frequently scratched his feet without washing his hands afterwards.
The repeated scratching caused tiny, barely visible wounds on his feet, allowing bacteria to enter. His entire right leg became swollen, red, shiny and painfully hot. He was diagnosed with erysipelas.
Another patient, an elderly man identified as Zhang, developed swelling and pain on the left side of his face, accompanied by a persistent high fever.
Doctors found that he had a habit of picking his nose. He also had a 10-year history of diabetes, which affected his skin’s ability to heal. After his nasal lining was damaged by picking, bacteria entered and caused a serious facial infection.
The hospital also treated another man who developed erysipelas after standing in floodwater during heavy rain for a prolonged period. He failed to change his wet shoes and socks, developed a fever of 40°C the following day and experienced severe swelling and pain in his left lower leg.
Fortunately, all the patients recovered after receiving proper treatment.
Doctors said erysipelas is not simply an ordinary skin condition. It is an acute bacterial infection commonly caused by Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci. The bacteria can enter through even tiny breaks in the skin and spread through the underlying tissue.
Lower-limb erysipelas is often linked to athlete’s foot, wounds or ulcers, while infections affecting the head and face can be triggered by nose picking, rhinitis or inflammation of the ear canal.
People who are obese or have diabetes are considered more vulnerable. Obesity can lead to more skin folds, sweating and poorer circulation, while diabetes can weaken the immune system and slow wound healing, increasing the risk of severe or recurrent infections.
Doctors say erysipelas often develops quickly, with five key signs: rapid onset, redness, swelling, warmth and pain.
Patients may first experience fever, chills and body aches, followed by a clearly defined red patch that can quickly spread. The affected area may feel hot and become extremely painful. In severe cases, blisters and skin tissue death can occur.
If left untreated, the infection may lead to complications including lymphangitis and sepsis. Repeated infections can also cause chronic swelling and thickening of the lower legs.
Doctors recommend remembering three simple rules: don’t pick, don’t neglect, and don’t delay.
Avoid scratching athlete’s foot, picking your nose or scratching wounds, dry skin and insect bites. Treat athlete’s foot promptly, use saline spray for a dry nose, moisturise cracked skin and check your feet daily if you have diabetes.
Keep your hands clean, change your socks and shoes regularly, and keep your skin dry. Pay extra attention to skin folds and dry your feet thoroughly after being exposed to water.
Most importantly, if your skin suddenly becomes red, swollen, hot and painful, especially with a fever, seek medical attention promptly instead of relying on random creams or self-treatment.
Erysipelas itself can be treated, but the small habits that damage our skin barrier can give bacteria an opportunity to get in.
So, maybe it is time to keep those hands away from your nose and feet.
