Illustration of a checklist with a tick and a speech bubble, representing an NHS Pharmacy First consultation

Impetigo: treatment, and how long it’s contagious

ByZain Rajabali

Impetigo spreads fast, which is exactly why it causes so much worry, especially when the nursery or school rings to say your child can’t come in. The reassuring part is that it’s usually not serious, it’s very treatable, and you can get it treated at a pharmacy without waiting for a GP appointment.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. If you’re not sure what a rash is, get it checked.

The short answer

  • Impetigo is a skin infection that’s very contagious but not usually serious. The NHS says it’s more common in young children, and with treatment it often gets better in a few days.
  • A pharmacist can give the same medicines as a GP to treat impetigo, for anyone aged 1 or over, through NHS Pharmacy First.
  • It stops being contagious 48 hours after starting treatment, according to the NHS. Without treatment, it can take 7 to 21 days.
  • Stay off school, nursery or work until it’s no longer contagious.

What does impetigo look like?

The NHS describes it like this:

  • it starts with red sores or blisters (the redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin)
  • the sores or blisters quickly burst and often leave crusty, golden-brown patches
  • the patches can look a bit like cornflakes stuck to the skin
  • they can get bigger, spread to other parts of the body, and be itchy or sometimes painful

It can look like other things, such as cold sores, eczema, or the itchy blisters of chickenpox or shingles. A pharmacist can tell you which it is.

How is impetigo treated?

The NHS says a pharmacist or GP will first check it isn’t a more serious skin infection, like cellulitis. If it’s impetigo, treatment may be:

  • hydrogen peroxide cream
  • antibiotic cream or tablets

Finish the full course, even if it starts to clear up. The NHS says not to stop using the cream or taking tablets early.

What a pharmacist can do

Impetigo is one of the seven conditions covered by NHS Pharmacy First, for anyone aged 1 or over. At MediPill, you can walk in or book. The pharmacist will look at the skin, ask how it started and how it’s spreading, and check your medical history and any medicines you take. Then they’ll:

  1. Supply treatment if it’s impetigo.
  2. Give advice on stopping it spreading while it heals.
  3. Refer you to a GP if it needs a doctor.

Cost: the consultation is free on the NHS. If you’re given a medicine, the standard NHS prescription charge applies, unless you get free prescriptions. Children under 16 always do, as do people aged 60 or over and 16 to 18 year olds in full-time education.

How long is impetigo contagious?

The NHS says impetigo stops being contagious 48 hours after you start hydrogen peroxide cream or antibiotics from a pharmacist or GP. Without treatment, it can take between 7 and 21 days, which is usually when all the patches have healed, dried out and crusted over.

It spreads through skin-to-skin contact, and by touching things that have been in contact with it, like towels and bedding.

How to stop it spreading

While it’s still contagious, the NHS advises:

  • stay away from work, school or nursery
  • wash affected areas with soap and water and dry them well
  • wash your hands often, especially before and after using any cream
  • wash flannels, towels, sheets and pillowcases at a high temperature, and wash toys in warm soapy water
  • don’t touch or scratch the sores (this also helps stop scarring)
  • don’t share towels or bedding, prepare food for others, go to the gym or play contact sports
  • avoid close contact with children, and with people who have diabetes or a weakened immune system

Impetigo usually infects skin that’s already damaged, like a cut, scratch or insect bite, so keeping small wounds clean helps prevent it.

When to see a GP

The NHS says to see a GP if you or your child have symptoms of impetigo and:

  • your child is 11 months old or younger
  • you’re breastfeeding and the sores are on your breasts
  • you have a weakened immune system, for example from chemotherapy
  • you’ve had treatment but the symptoms have changed or got worse
  • you’ve had impetigo in the past year and it has come back

Because it’s so infectious, check with the GP surgery before you go in. They may suggest a phone consultation.

Common questions

When can my child go back to school with impetigo? Once it’s no longer contagious: 48 hours after starting treatment, according to the NHS, or once all the patches have healed and crusted over if it isn’t treated.

Can a pharmacist treat impetigo? Yes, for anyone aged 1 or over, through NHS Pharmacy First. The NHS says a pharmacist can give the same medicines as a GP.

My baby is 9 months old and has sores like this. Can you help? The NHS advises seeing a GP for impetigo in babies aged 11 months or younger. We can help you work out where to go.

Can I be seen at the weekend? Yes. Botley is open Saturdays 9 to 2, and Summertown and Deddington 9 to 12. Headington is closed at weekends.

Pharmacy First at MediPill

All four of our branches offer NHS Pharmacy First. Walk in, or book a slot so you’re seen without waiting:

More on the service is on our NHS Pharmacy First page. Questions first? Get in touch and a pharmacist will come back to you.

More Pharmacy First guides

Sources

  1. Impetigo – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/impetigo/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  2. How pharmacies can help – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/pharmacies/how-pharmacies-can-help/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  3. Free NHS prescriptions – NHS Business Services Authority. https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/free-nhs-prescriptions (accessed 23 September 2026)

Written by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist – GPhC #2219769
Medically reviewed by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist, Independent Prescriber – GPhC #2219769
Last reviewed: 23 September 2026 · Next review due: September 2027

This article is general health information and is not a substitute for a consultation. It does not diagnose your symptoms. Whether treatment is appropriate, and which, is decided at an individual assessment with a pharmacist, in line with NHS Pharmacy First criteria.

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