Swelling
When you have cellulitis, the first visible sign is often the reddening of the affected area. This red area gradually becomes swollen [4]. The swelling begins in one place and gradually spreads to other areas of the skin. Depending on the site of your cellulitis infection, you may also develop swelling on your lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are bean-shaped tissues that form an integral of the immune system. They are located a short distance from the skin surface at specific parts of the body and sometimes become enlarged due to infection.
If your swelling is caused by cellulitis, it will cover most of the reddened parts of your skin and feel painful to touch. Cellulitis infection that has spread into the lymph nodes is potentially life-threatening and should be attended to immediately.