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Impetigo

Impetigo spreads fast — through the daycare, through the household, and across your child's face. The sooner it's treated, the sooner it stops spreading: at our Orleans pharmacy, a licensed pharmacist can assess it and prescribe a topical antibiotic like mupirocin the same day, with no doctor's appointment. Free with your Ontario health card.

Impetigo is a common, contagious bacterial skin infection, most often around the nose and mouth. The classic sign is small blisters or sores that ooze and dry into a yellow-brown, honey-coloured crust.

How impetigo starts and spreads

The bacteria (usually Staph aureus, sometimes Strep) get in wherever skin is broken — cuts, scrapes, insect bites, or eczema patches. It's most common in children and spreads through direct contact or shared towels, cups, and bedding. The reassuring part: mild, localized impetigo responds quickly to a topical antibiotic and good hygiene, and it's generally no longer contagious after about 48 hours of treatment.

Impetigo is one of the most common skin infections in children worldwide. After about 2 days of effective antibiotic treatment it's typically no longer contagious — which is what gets kids back to school and daycare fastest.

Common signs and symptoms

Small blisters or sores, most often around the nose and mouth
Sores that ooze and dry into a honey-coloured crust
Itchiness (usually more itchy than painful)
Spreading to nearby skin or other household members

Treatments our Orleans pharmacist can prescribe

For your information only: in Ontario, our pharmacist can assess this condition and, when appropriate, prescribe from the medications listed below. This information is provided for educational purposes — it is not an offer to sell. These are treatments that require a pharmacist assessment, and the right option is chosen for you.

Topical antibacterials: Bacitracin, Fusidic acid (Fucidin), Gramicidin, Mupirocin (Bactroban), Ozenoxacin (Ozanex), Polymyxin B

Self-care that helps

Gentle antiseptic cleansers and saline to soak and remove crusts
Sterile gauze and medical tape to lightly cover draining sores
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer to prevent spreading the infection
Soak crusts off with a warm, damp cloth before applying antibiotic; wash hands after each treatment
Launder clothes, towels, and bedding daily for the first couple of days

Browse related over-the-counter options in our Impetigo self-care collection, or ask us in store — our pharmacists will point you to what actually helps.

How the assessment works

1. Walk in or callNo appointment or referral needed. Drop by our pharmacy on St-Joseph Blvd in Orleans during opening hours, or call ahead.

2. Private consultationA licensed pharmacist reviews your symptoms, health history and medications in a short, private assessment.

3. Prescription in handIf appropriate, we prescribe and fill your treatment on the spot — you leave with what you need.

Frequently asked questions

When can my child go back to school or daycare?

Typically 24–48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment, once sores are covered or crusted and drying. Check your school or daycare's specific policy, but two days of treatment generally ends contagiousness.

Polysporin didn't clear it — why will a prescription work?

Prescription topicals like mupirocin (Bactroban) or ozenoxacin (Ozanex) cover the bacteria that cause impetigo — including many strains resistant to over-the-counter options — and are the guideline-recommended first-line treatment for localized impetigo.

What if the impetigo is widespread?

Widespread or deep infection may need oral antibiotics, which we'd refer to a physician. Part of the assessment is judging whether topical treatment is enough — most localized cases, it is.

Is the pharmacist assessment covered by OHIP?

Yes. The minor ailment assessment is free with a valid Ontario health card. You only pay for the medication itself if one is prescribed, and that is often covered by your drug plan.

Do I need an appointment at your Orleans pharmacy?

No. Walk-ins are welcome during all pharmacy hours — Monday to Friday 9:00 AM–6:00 PM and Saturday 9:00 AM–3:00 PM. You can also call 613-824-3111 ahead of your visit.

When to see a doctor instead: See a health-care provider if the skin hasn't started healing after about 3 days of treatment, the sores are spreading, or the area becomes red, warm, swollen, or painful — especially with a fever. (Redness can be subtle on darker skin tones — watch for warmth and pain as much as colour.)

Stop the spread today.

Skip the walk-in clinic wait. Our Orleans pharmacists assess and prescribe for impetigo — free with your Ontario health card.

Call 613 · 824 · 3111 Hours & directions

Serving Orleans and east Ottawa — Fallingbrook, Avalon, Chapel Hill, Queenswood Heights, Blackburn Hamlet, Navan & Cumberland. 2746 St-Joseph Blvd, Unit 100, Orleans, ON K1C 1G5.