It's important to remember that lots of us have strep and/or staph on our skin at some point in our lives, and it rarely causes problems -- unless you get a break in your skin, which then allows these bacteria to enter your body. Breaks in the skin can occur with cuts, insect bites, eczema/psoriasis, or even repeatedly scratching your skin with dirty fingernails.
Cellulitis is easily treatable with a 7-to-10 day course of antibiotics if you catch it early. It can become life-threatening, though, if left untreated and it enters your bloodstream (sepsis).
You’re more likely to get cellulitis if you:
- smoke
- are obese
- are diabetic
- have poor circulation or a weakened immune system
- have lymphedema
Chantal says she's never had cellulitis before (I know ALR has had it several times). Hard to believe, considering she has all the above risk factors, but maybe she's telling the truth. If so, it's just another example of how the advantages of youth as a protective factor start waning when you reach your 40's.
There are two bacteria which are usually the cause of cellulitis, one starts with Strep and the other one starts with Staph. I'm not a medfag so I can only wonder if either of those can survive chlorinated pool water.
Chlorine
can kill staph and strep in pool water. However, there are several factors that affect it's ability to do so, such as water pH level, addition of chlorine stabilizers, and even the number of people in the pool. So chlorination is not an absolute protectant or preventative.