You can be vulnerable to cellulitis if you have experienced trauma to the skin or other medical problems such as the following:

• Poorly controlled diabetes.
• Skin disorders, such as eczema, psoriasis or severe acne.
• Obesity.
• Poor immune system, for example, if you have HIV/AIDS or take steroids.
• Circulatory problems, such as poor venous or lymphatic drainage or varicose veins.
• Athlete's foot.
• Foreign objects in the skin.
• Liver disease, such as cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis.
• Infections related to a surgical procedure.
• Have previously had an occurrence of cellulitis.

In children, cellulitis can result from chicken pox and any cuts or insect bites that are scratched and become infected.

Chronic venous insufficiency can lead to skin discoloration, inflammatory dermatitis, recurrent or chronic cellulitis and ulceration.

Although a break in the skin is found to be the origin of most cases of cellulitis, sometimes the infection occurs for no apparent reason without a break in the skin being found.