Lima Memorial Health System Logo
Approximate ER WAIT TIME WAIT TIME MACRO

Health Library

Scalded skin syndrome
     
Print-Friendly
Bookmarks

Scalded skin syndrome

Ritter disease; Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome; SSS

 

Scalded skin syndrome (SSS) is a skin infection caused by staphylococcus bacteria in which the skin becomes damaged and sheds.

Causes

 

Scalded skin syndrome is caused by infection with certain strains of staphylococcus bacteria. The bacteria produce a toxin that causes skin damage. The damage creates blisters, as if the skin were scalded by heat. These blisters can occur at areas of the skin away from the initial site.

SSS is found most commonly in infants and children under the age of 5.

 

Symptoms

 

Symptoms may include any of the following:

  • Blisters
  • Fever
  • Large areas of skin peel or fall away (exfoliation or desquamation)
  • Painful skin
  • Redness of the skin (erythema), which spreads to cover most of the body
  • Skin slips off with gentle pressure, leaving wet red areas (Nikolsky sign)

 

Exams and Tests

 

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam and look at the skin. The exam may show that the skin slips off when it is rubbed (positive Nikolsky sign).

Tests may include:

  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Cultures of the skin, throat and nose, and blood
  • Electrolyte test
  • Skin biopsy (in rare cases)

 

Treatment

 

Antibiotics are given by mouth or through a vein (intravenously; IV) to help fight the infection. IV fluids are also given to prevent dehydration. Much of the body's fluid is lost through open skin.

Moist compresses to the skin may improve comfort. You can apply a moisturizing ointment to keep the skin moist. Healing begins about 10 days after treatment.

 

Outlook (Prognosis)

 

A full recovery is expected.

 

Possible Complications

 

Complications that may result include:

  • Abnormal level of fluids in the body causing dehydration or electrolyte imbalance
  • Poor temperature control (in young infants)
  • Severe bloodstream infection (septicemia)
  • Spread to deeper skin infection (cellulitis)

 

When to Contact a Medical Professional

 

Contact your provider or go to the emergency room if you have symptoms of this disorder.

 

Prevention

 

The disorder may not be preventable. Treating any staphylococcus infection quickly can help.

 

 

References

Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al. Cutaneous bacterial infections. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 706.

Paller AS, Mancini AJ. Bacterial, mycobacterial, and protozoal infections of the skin. In: Paller AS, Mancini AJ, eds. Paller and Mancini-Hurwitz Clinical Pediatric Dermatology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 14.

Pulia M, May LS. Skin and soft tissue infections. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 126.

BACK TO TOPText only

 

Review Date: 12/31/2023

URAC Seal
Health Content Provider
06/01/2025
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- 2025 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- 2025adam.comAll rights reserved.