Clinically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Najam-Ul-Arfeen, General Practitioner
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
AHPRA-registered
Last updated: 10 September 2026
A red, sore, swollen spot that’s gotten worse over a day or two- is it just a pimple, an insect bite, or something that actually needs treatment? Staph infections are one of the most common reasons people ask this question, and getting it right matters: while many staph skin infections are mild and easy to treat, some need prompt medical attention.
This guide covers what a staph infection is, what it looks like, what causes it, how it’s treated, and, importantly, which type of care is appropriate next: an online GP consultation, or urgent care.
What Is a Staph Infection?
Staph infections are caused by Staphylococcus bacteria, most commonly Staphylococcus aureus, widely known in Australia by its common nickname, “golden staph.”
These bacteria are carried harmlessly on the skin or in the nose of most healthy people, without causing any problems. An infection develops when the bacteria get inside the body, typically through a break in the skin, a cut, scrape, insect bite, or surgical wound, and begin to multiply.
Most staph infections are mild and affect only the skin. Less commonly, staph bacteria can spread deeper into the body, causing a more serious, invasive infection, which is why recognising the difference between a mild, localised infection and a more serious one matters.
Staph Infection Symptoms: What Does It Look Like?
Staph infection symptoms & signs vary depending on the type and severity of the infection, but common signs of a staph skin infection include:
- A red, swollen, warm area of skin
- Pain or tenderness at the site
- Pus or fluid-filled blisters
- A boil or abscess
- Skin that feels hot to the touch
- A wound that isn’t healing as expected, or is getting worse rather than better
More serious symptoms that suggest the infection may be spreading or becoming invasive include:
- Fever or chills
- Red streaking extending out from the wound
- Rapidly spreading redness or swelling
- Increasing pain out of proportion to how the area looks
- Feeling generally unwell, fatigued, or confused
What Does a Staph Infection Look Like? Differentiating It From Similar Conditions
This is one of the most common points of confusion, since several skin conditions can look fairly similar at first glance. Here’s a general guide, where physical assessment by a GP is what actually diagnoses a staph infection:
| Condition | Typical Appearance | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Staph infection (localised) | Red, swollen, warm area, sometimes with a visible pus-filled centre | Often starts at a cut, scrape, or hair follicle; can worsen over 1 to 3 days |
| Boil/abscess | A firm, red, painful lump that develops a pus-filled head | A specific, deeper form of staph skin infection, most common on the face, neck, armpits, groin and buttocks |
| Cellulitis | Spreading redness, warmth and swelling, often without a clear pus-filled centre | Involves deeper skin layers, can spread quickly, and is considered a more serious infection requiring prompt antibiotic treatment |
| Impetigo (school sores) | Small blisters or sores that burst and form a honey-coloured crust | Common in children, highly contagious, often around the nose and mouth, and can be caused by staph or strep bacteria |
| Insect bite | A small, raised, itchy bump, sometimes with mild surrounding redness | Usually itchy rather than painful, doesn’t typically develop pus, and tends to improve within a few days without treatment |
| Ingrown hair/folliculitis | A small red bump around a hair follicle, sometimes with a tiny visible hair | Usually less painful and smaller than a boil, and often resolves without antibiotics |
If you’re unsure which of these you’re looking at, that uncertainty itself is a good reason to get it checked rather than guess, particularly since a worsening boil and early cellulitis can look quite similar in the first day or two.
What Causes a Staph Infection? Is It Contagious?
Staph bacteria are already present on the skin or in the nose of many healthy people. An infection develops when bacteria enter through broken skin, which can happen through:
- Cuts, scrapes, or wounds
- Insect bites that have been scratched
- Surgical incisions
- Skin damaged by another condition, such as eczema
Yes, staph infections can be contagious. They spread through direct skin-to-skin contact, and indirectly through shared items like towels, razors, sports equipment, or bedding. An active, untreated infection can generally spread to others for as long as it’s producing pus or discharge; once appropriate antibiotic treatment has been started and the area is healing, the risk of spreading it to others drops significantly.
Because of this, staph infections are particularly common in settings involving close contact or shared gear, such as households, contact sports, gyms, and childcare settings among them. Certain factors increase the risk of developing a staph infection, including a weakened immune system, chronic conditions like diabetes, recent hospitalisation or surgery, and frequent skin injuries.
MRSA vs. Staph Infection: What’s the Difference?
MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a strain of golden staph that has developed resistance to some commonly used antibiotics, making it more difficult, though not impossible, to treat. MRSA can occur in both hospital settings and the general community.
It doesn’t necessarily cause more severe symptoms than other staph infections, but it does mean that treatment needs to be guided by testing (a swab) rather than assumed, since standard first-line antibiotics may not be effective against it.
How Is a Staph Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
Diagnosis typically involves a GP examining the affected area and, in many cases, taking a swab of any pus or discharge for laboratory testing. This helps confirm the specific bacteria involved, whether it’s a resistant strain like MRSA, which guides the right antibiotic choice.
Staph infection treatment depends on its severity:
- Mild, localised infections are often treated with a course of antibiotics, and sometimes with drainage of pus where a boil or abscess has formed.
- Some boils need to be drained by a doctor rather than antibiotics alone, since antibiotics don’t always penetrate a walled-off collection of pus effectively.
- More serious or spreading infections, including cellulitis, generally need prompt antibiotic treatment, and occasionally require hospital-based care.
- Invasive staph infections (where bacteria have spread into the bloodstream or deeper tissue) require urgent medical treatment, and can be serious.
Specific antibiotic choices and doses are a decision for your doctor based on the type, location, and severity of the infection, and whether resistant bacteria are suspected; this isn’t something to determine from general information alone.
What If Symptoms Don't Improve, Even After Starting Antibiotics?
This is a common and important concern, and it’s worth taking seriously rather than simply waiting it out.
If you’ve started antibiotics for a staph infection and, after a couple of days, the area is still getting worse (more redness, more swelling, increasing pain), a fever develops or persists, or you generally feel more unwell rather than better, go back to your doctor.
This can mean the specific bacteria isn’t responding to the antibiotic you’ve been prescribed (which may indicate a resistant strain like MRSA), that the infection needs draining, or that it’s progressing to something more serious that needs a different approach.
Persisting with a treatment that isn’t working, rather than following up, is one of the more avoidable ways a manageable infection can become a more serious one.
How Long Does a Staph Infection Last?
With appropriate treatment, a mild staph skin infections start improving within a few days and fully resolve within one to two weeks.
Boils that require draining may resolve faster once drained. More serious or invasive infections can take considerably longer and may require a longer course of treatment or hospital care.
If a wound or infection isn’t clearly improving within 2 to 3 days of starting treatment, that’s a reasonable time to seek follow-up review rather than waiting out the full course.
Preventing Staph Infections at Home
Good hygiene is the most effective prevention strategy, and it matters even more in households, sports teams, or shared living situations where staph can pass between people easily:
- Wash hands regularly and thoroughly, particularly after touching a wound or bandage
- Keep cuts, scrapes, and wounds clean and covered with a bandage until healed
- Avoid sharing personal items, towels, razors, clothing, and sports equipment
- Wash towels, sheets and clothing in hot water, particularly if someone in the household has an active infection
- Shower promptly after contact sports or gym sessions, and clean shared gym equipment before and after use
- Don’t pick at, squeeze, or attempt to drain a boil or pimple-like lump yourself; this can push bacteria deeper and worsen the infection
- If a family member has a diagnosed staph infection, avoid sharing bedding or towels with them until it’s healed, and keep any wound covered.
- In children, keep an eye on cuts, scrapes, and insect bites, since kids often can’t avoid touching or scratching a wound, see a GP promptly if a child’s wound looks infected or a fever develops alongside it.
If staph infections keep recurring within a household, mention it to a GP directly; sometimes a nasal swab and a short course of treatment can clear ongoing bacterial carriage that’s driving repeat infections.
When Should You See a GP for a Staph Infection?
Not every skin change needs urgent medical attention, but seek medical advice when symptoms worsen, persist, or are accompanied by signs of a more serious infection. Staph infections can cause red, swollen, painful skin areas, boils, or pus-filled wounds, and some infections can spread if left untreated.
See a GP if:
- A red, swollen, painful area of skin is getting worse rather than settling
- You’ve developed a boil or lump that appears to be filling with pus
- A wound isn’t healing as expected or looks infected rather than simply irritated
- You keep getting staph infections, as this may need further investigation rather than being treated as a one-off
- You’ve started antibiotics but aren’t improving after a couple of days
When Is a Staph Infection a Medical Emergency?
Call 000 immediately if you develop signs of a potentially serious infection, particularly:
- A high fever alongside red, painful skin
- Rapidly spreading redness or red streaking extending from the wound
- Confusion, extreme drowsiness, or feeling suddenly very unwell
- Skin that appears to be peeling or looks severely blistered, particularly in a child
If symptoms are mild but not improving, or if you’re unsure whether you need medical attention, speaking with a GP is a sensible next step.
Can an Online GP Help With a Staph Infection?
Telehealth can be a useful first step for some mild or moderate concerns, but it is not suitable for every type of skin infection. Understanding when online GP care is appropriate and when you need an in-person examination can help you get the right care sooner.
Telehealth Is Usually Suitable When:
- Symptoms are mild and localised, without fever
- You want a second opinion about whether a skin problem needs treatment
- You’re following up on an infection that has already been diagnosed and is improving
- You need a repeat prescription for an existing and established treatment plan
- You want advice on whether your symptoms or photos suggest that an in-person consultation is needed
What Can a Telehealth/Online GP Do?
A telehealth GP can review your symptoms and medical history, assess photos where appropriate, advise on next steps, and determine whether you need further treatment or an in-person examination. Where appropriate, they may also prescribe medication based on their clinical assessment.
What Can a Telehealth GP Not Do?
A telehealth GP cannot physically examine a wound, drain a boil or abscess, or take a wound swab. These situations may require hands-on assessment and treatment in person.
If you have rapidly spreading redness, a significant fever, other red-flag symptoms, or a boil that appears to need drainage, it is safer to seek in-person medical care or urgent care rather than relying on a video consultation.
An experienced telehealth GP will tell you clearly and promptly if that’s the case, rather than trying to manage something remotely that needs hands-on care.
How to Prepare Yourself Before a Telehealth Consultation for a Suspected Skin Infection
A little preparation makes a real difference to how useful an online consultation can be:
- Clear photos in good, natural lighting, taken from a couple of angles, including one showing the overall size and spread of the area
- A rough timeline: when you first noticed it, and how it’s changed day by day
- Whether there’s any pus or discharge, and if so, what it looks like
- Any recent cuts, wounds, insect bites, or skin damage in the area before symptoms started
- Recent hospital contact or surgery, if relevant, since this affects infection risk and antibiotic choice
- Whether you have any relevant health conditions, such as diabetes or a weakened immune system
- Whether anyone else in your household has had a similar infection recently
Having this ready before your appointment means the GP can make a more confident assessment quickly.
Frequently Asked Question
How is a staph infection different from a normal insect bite?
An insect bite is usually itchy rather than painful, stays relatively small, and improves within a few days without treatment. A staph infection tends to be more painful than itchy, often develops pus or a firm lump, and typically worsens rather than improves without treatment.
Can I treat a staph infection without antibiotics?
Some very minor, superficial skin infections may resolve with good hygiene and warm compresses alone. However, don’t rely on this without medical guidance, since staph infections can worsen quickly, and a GP is best placed to decide whether antibiotics or drainage are needed.
Is it safe to pop or drain a boil myself?
No. Squeezing or attempting to drain a boil yourself can push bacteria deeper into the skin or surrounding tissue and worsen the infection. If a boil needs draining, a doctor should do it using sterile technique.
Can staph infections come back after treatment?
Yes, some people experience recurring staph infections, often related to ongoing bacterial carriage in the nose or skin. If this is happening to you, it’s worth discussing with a GP, as targeted treatment can sometimes reduce how often infections recur.
Is golden staph the same as MRSA?
Not exactly. “Golden staph” generally refers to Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is a specific subset of golden staph that has become resistant to certain antibiotics. All MRSA is golden staph, but not all golden staph is MRSA.
Conclusion
Most staph infections can be treated effectively when assessed appropriately, but knowing when to seek medical advice matters, especially if symptoms worsen or don’t improve. Rather than trying to diagnose the infection yourself, getting the right advice can help you understand whether you need further assessment or treatment.
If you are concerned about a possible staph infection, need advice about a skin infection, or are unsure what to do next, HelloGP’s online GPs are available across Australia to provide guidance and help you decide what to do next.
HelloGP - Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and does not replace professional medical advice. Telehealth is not suitable for emergencies. If you have an emergency or are at immediate risk, call 000 or visit your nearest emergency department.