Folliculitis

Description

Folliculitis is a common skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become inflamed. It is often caused by an infection with bacteria. In the first place, can be seen as granites around the tiny pockets from which each hair grows (hair follicle).

The condition may be itching, pain, and shame. The infection can spread and turn into ulcers with scabs.

Mild folliculitis is likely to heal without scarring in a few days with basic self-care. More serious or repeated infections may need prescription medicine. Left without treatment, severe infections can cause permanent hair loss and scarring.

Certain types of folliculitis are known as hot tub rash, and barber's itch.

Symptoms

Folliculitis signs and symptoms may include:

  • Clusters of small bumps or pimples around hair follicles
  • Pus-filled blisters that break open and crust over
  • Itchy, burning skin
  • Painful, sensitive skin
  • A bulge swelling

Types of folliculitis

The two main types of folliculitis are superficial and deep. The superficial type involves the part of the follicle, and the deep type involves the entire follicle and is usually more severe.

Types of folliculitis, with the most common ones are listed in the first place, include:

  • The folliculitis is caused by bacteria. This common type is a rash, itching, pus-filled blisters. Occurs when the hair follicles become infected with bacteria, usually Staphylococcus aureus (staph). The staph bacteria live on the skin all the time. And that can cause problems when they enter the body through a cut or other wound.
  • Hot tub rash (folliculitis pseudomonas). This type is a rash of round, itchy bumps that may appear 1 to 2 days after exposure to the bacteria that causes it. Hot tub folliculitis is caused by pseudomonas bacteria, which can be found in hot tubs, water slides and heated pools in which the chlorine and pH levels are not correct.
  • Razor bumps (pseudofolliculitis barbae). This eruption can be seen as folliculitis, but it is caused by the appearance of ingrown hairs, not infected hair follicles. It mainly affects people with curly hair who shave too close and is most noticeable on the face and neck. The people who get bikini waxes can get razor bumps in the groin area.
  • Pityrosporum (pit-ih-ROS-puh-rum) and of the folliculitis. This guy is a skin rash with itching, pus-filled blisters, most often in the back and the chest. It is caused by a yeast infection.
  • Gram-negative folliculitis. This kind of causes pus-filled blisters around the nose and mouth. Sometimes develops in people who are receiving long-term antibiotic therapy for acne.
  • Eosinophilic (e-o-sin-o-FILL-ik) folliculitis. This kind of causes intense itching and recurrent patches of pimples and blackheads that form near the hair follicles of the face, and upper body. It mainly affects people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The cause of this disease is not completely understood.
  • Furuncles (boils) and carbuncles. These occur when hair follicles become deeply infected with the staphylococcus bacteria. Boiling tends to appear suddenly as a painful lump inflamed. A carbuncle is a cluster of boils.
  • Sycosis barbae. This type affects the people that shave.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your health care provider if your condition is widespread or the symptoms do not go away after a week or two of self-care measures. You may need a prescription of resistance to antibiotics or antifungal medications to help control the condition.

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience signs of a spreading infection. These include a sudden increase in redness or pain, fever, chills, and a feeling of discomfort (malaise).

Causes

Folliculitis is often caused when the hair follicles are infected with bacteria, most commonly Staphylococcus aureus (staph). It can also be caused by viruses, fungi, parasites, medications, or physical injury. Sometimes the cause is not known.

Risk factors

Any person can develop folliculitis. Certain factors increase the risk of developing the condition, including:

  • Regularly wear clothes that trap heat and sweat, such as rubber gloves or knee high boots
  • Soaking in a hot tub, hot tub or swimming pool public that they do not keep well
  • Causing damage to the follicles of the hair through shaving, waxing, wearing tight clothes or hair style practices, such as traction, wigs and oils
  • The use of some medications, such as corticosteroid creams, prednisone, long-term antibiotic therapy for acne and certain chemotherapy drugs
  • Have dermatitis or excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
  • Have diabetes, HIV / AIDS or another disease that decreases your resistance to infections

Complications

The possible complications of folliculitis include:

  • Recurrent or spread of the infection
  • Permanent scars
  • Patches of skin that are darker (hyperpigmentation) or lighter (hypopigmentation) than before the condition occurred, usually temporary
  • The destruction of the hair follicle and permanent loss of hair

Prevention

You can try to prevent folliculitis by the use of these tips:

  • Wash your skin regularly. Use a clean washcloth and towel each time and not to share towels or washcloths.
  • Wash clothes regularly. Use hot water and soap to wash towels, hand towels, and any oil-soaked uniforms or other clothing.
  • To prevent the friction or pressure on the skin. Protect the skin that is prone to folliculitis of the friction caused by the backpacks, helmets and tight clothing.
  • Dry your rubber gloves between uses. If you use rubber gloves regularly, after each use, turn them inside out, wash with soap, rinse and dry well.
  • Avoid shaving, if possible. For people with the face folliculitis, growth of the beard may be a good option if you don't need a clean-shaven face.
  • Shave with care. If you shave, adopt these habits to help control the symptoms: Shaving least oftenWashing your skin with warm water and a mild facial cleanser (Cetaphil, CeraVe, other) before shavingUsing a bath towel or cleaning pad in a gentle circular motion to increase the embedded hairs before shavingApplying a good amount of lotion before shaving shavingShaving in the direction of hair growthAvoiding shaving very closely by the use of an electric razor or away from the blade, and by not stretching the skinUsing clean, sharp blade and rinse with warm water after each strokeAvoiding shave the same area more than twiceApplying moisturizing lotion after shaveAvoiding share razor blades, towels and washcloths
  • To shave less often
  • Wash the skin with warm water and a mild facial cleanser (Cetaphil, CeraVe, others) before shaving
  • The use of a bath towel or cleaning pad in a gentle circular motion to increase the embedded hairs before shaving
  • Apply a healthy amount of lotion to shave before shaving
  • Shave in the direction of hair growth
  • Avoid shaving too closely by the use of an electric razor or away from the blade, and by not to stretch the skin
  • Using a clean, sharp blade and rinse with warm water after every stroke
  • Do not shave the same area more than twice
  • The application of a moisturizing lotion after shaving
  • Avoid sharing razors, towels and cloths with
  • Treat the hair-removal products (creams), or other methods of hair removal. Despite the fact that they, too, can irritate the skin.
  • The treatment of related conditions. If you know that a distinct condition of the folliculitis is the onset of the symptoms, the treatment of this condition. For example, the excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) can cause folliculitis. You can try to avoid this by changing the sweat of the clothing, the daily bath, and the use of antiperspirants.
  • Use only clean, hot tubs and heated pools. The Centers for Disease Control, it is also suggested that after coming out of the water removes her bathing suit and shower with soap. Then wash your bathing suit as well. If you own a hot tub or heated pool, cleaned regularly, and add the chlorine as it is recommended.
  • Talk with your health care provider. If your folliculitis check back often, your doctor may suggest control bacterial growth in the nose. You might need a course of five days of a prescription of antibacterial ointment. And you may need to use a body wash with chlorhexidine (Hibiclens, Hibistat, other).
  • To shave less often
  • Wash the skin with warm water and a mild facial cleanser (Cetaphil, CeraVe, others) before shaving
  • The use of a bath towel or cleaning pad in a gentle circular motion to increase the embedded hairs before shaving
  • Apply a healthy amount of lotion to shave before shaving
  • Shave in the direction of hair growth
  • Avoid shaving too closely by the use of an electric razor or away from the blade, and by not to stretch the skin
  • Using a clean, sharp blade and rinse with warm water after every stroke
  • Do not shave the same area more than twice
  • The application of a moisturizing lotion after shaving
  • Avoid sharing razors, towels and cloths with

Folliculitis

Diagnosis

Your health care provider will probably be able to tell you if you have folliculitis look at your skin and asking about your medical history.

If the treatments did not clear up your infection, your doctor can run some tests. These tests may include:

  • The scraping of the skin to find the yeast under the microscope
  • Obtaining a specimen for culture to determine the cause of the infection
  • Rarely, the practice of a skin biopsy to rule out other conditions

Treatment

Treatments for folliculitis depend on the type and severity of your condition, what measures of self-care you haven't already tried, and how you would like to follow.

If you've tried the-counter products for a couple of weeks and have not helped, ask your health care provider about prescription-strength medications. A dermatologist can help you:

  • The Control of your folliculitis
  • Find out if a drug you are taking could be the cause of your symptoms and if you can stop taking it
  • To avoid scarring or other damage to the skin
  • To make the scars less visible

Even if the treatment helps, the infection may return. Talk with your health care provider about the risks of the treatments you are considering.

Drugs

  • Lotions, gels or pills to control the bacterial infection. For mild cases of the disease caused by infection with bacteria, your healthcare provider may prescribe an antibiotic lotion or gel. Infection-fighting pills (oral, antibiotics) is not routinely used to treat folliculitis, but you may need them for a severe or recurrence of the infection.
  • Creams, shampoos or pills to combat fungal infections. The anti-fungal are for infections caused by yeast rather than bacteria. Antibiotics are not useful in the treatment of this type of folliculitis.
  • Creams or pills to calm the inflammation. If you have mild folliculitis eosinophilic, your health care provider may suggest that you try a steroid cream to relieve the itching. If you have the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), you may see an improvement in your folliculitis eosinophilic symptoms after antiretroviral therapy.

Other interventions

  • Minor surgery. If you have a large boil or carbuncle, your health care provider may make a small cut to drain pus. This can ease the pain, speed recovery and reduce the risk of scarring. Your health care provider can then cover the area with a sterile gauze to absorb any leakage of pus.
  • Hair removal láser.Su doctor may suggest laser hair removal as an option for pseudofolliculitis barbae, especially when other treatments have not improved their symptoms. This treatment often requires several visits to the health care provider's office. Talk with your health care provider about possible side effects from the laser treatment. They include scars and skin whitening (hypopigmentation) or darkening (hyperpigmentation).

Laser hair removal. Your doctor may suggest laser hair removal as an option for pseudofolliculitis barbae, especially when other treatments have not improved their symptoms. This treatment often requires several visits to the health care provider's office.

Talk with your health care provider about possible side effects from the laser treatment. They include scars and skin whitening (hypopigmentation) or darkening (hyperpigmentation).

Self-care

Mild cases of folliculitis bacterial often improve with home care. The following self-care tips can help to alleviate discomfort, speed healing and prevent the infection from spreading:

  • Apply a warm, damp cloth. Do this several times a day to relieve the discomfort and help the area to drain, if necessary. Moisten the cloth with a solution of vinegar made of 1 tbsp (17 grams) of the table of white vinegar to 1 pint (473 ml) of water.
  • Apply an antibiotic without a prescription. Try one of the many that fight against infection, lotions, gels, and washes that are available in stores without a prescription.
  • Apply a soothing lotion or cream. Try to relieve the itching of the skin with a soothing lotion or without a prescription-strength hydrocortisone cream.
  • Clean the affected skin. Gently wash the infected skin, at least, two times a day with an antibacterial soap or cleaning product, such as benzoyl peroxide. Use a clean washcloth and towel each time and not to share towels or washcloths. Use hot water and soap for washing these items.
  • Protect the skin. If you shave, it will stop if you can. Barber's itch usually disappears in a couple of weeks after you stop shaving.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your primary care provider. Then, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions (dermatologist).

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

  • The list of your key medical information, such as other conditions that you are dealing with and medications, vitamins, and supplements that you are using.
  • The list of personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • List of questions to ask. Having a list can help you make the most of your time with your health care provider.

Below are some basic questions to ask your health care provider about the folliculitis. If any other questions for you during your visit, don't hesitate to ask.

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • What are other possible causes of the symptoms?
  • Do I need any tests?
  • What is the best treatment for my disease?
  • I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • What are the possible side effects of the treatment you are recommending?
  • Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
  • Do you have any relevant brochures or other printed material that I can take my house? What sites do you recommend?
  • What is going to determine whether I should plan for a follow-up visit?

What to expect from your health care provider

Your health care provider is likely to ask you a few questions. Be ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk in-depth. Your health care provider may ask:

  • How long have you had this infection of the skin?
  • Do you have a history of dermatitis?
  • Does your work or a hobby, the hands are exposed to heat and moisture, such as rubber gloves?
  • They were in a hot tub or a swimming pool, a day or two before they noticed that her skin rash?
  • The symptoms been continuous or occasional?
  • Does your skin itch? It is painful to the touch?
  • Does anything make your symptoms worse?
  • What treatments or self-care measures that have been tried up to now? Have any been effective?

What you can do in the meantime

Sometimes folliculitis goes away without medical treatment. Self-care measures can help relieve your symptoms. For example, it may help to apply a warm, moist washcloth to the affected skin, followed by an anti-itch cream.

Symptoms and treatment of Folliculitis