A child with crackling feel on the underarm

Subcutaneous emphysema also called tissue emphysema, occurs when gas or air is present in the subcutaneous layer of the skin. Since the air generally comes from the chest cavity, subcutaneous emphysema usually occurs on the chest, neck and face, where it is able to travel from the chest cavity along the fascia. Subcutaneous emphysema can result from puncture of parts of the respiratory or gastrointestinal systems. The term spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema is used when the cause is not clear. Small emphysema usually does not require treatment, as small amounts of air are reabsorbed by the body.