Our son Sean, is 3 and a half years old. He has what you call
impetigo. One person I told about this said it was a third world
nation childhood disease that came from unhealthy or dirty
living conditions. Well I don’t have a dirty son, and I don’t
live in a third world nation, and my son is not unhealthy
(besides this annoying impetigo)! My husband tells me that he
had it as a little guy himself. Elocon and Bactroban really
don’t help. I am very curious about this disease. Exactly what
is it? How did he get it, and how can we avoid getting it in the
future? Is it contagious? Anything you can tell me about this
would be greatly appreciated. Martha Perez-Goodall – Pacifica,
California Dr. Greene’s Answer: In those last precious moments
that Sean was inside you, before labor began, his skin was pure
and unspoiled, untouched by any bacteria, protected by your
womb. As he entered this world, his skin picked up organisms
from your birth canal. Over the next week, these hitchhikers
gradually multiplied. Within 10 da