Folliculitis is a fairly common, often itchy problem for many people all over the world. For some, it is a mild problem that comes and goes without much notice. For others, it can become quite severe and have a major impact on their quality of life.
Fortunately, there are several different treatments that can be used to treat and prevent folliculitis once and for all. These include: applying some topical antibiotics to the area, using an antibiotic pill, using a laser treatment to kill the bacteria, and even removing the hair with electrolysis or laser hair removal.
The following article will discuss these different methods in more detail:
Antibiotics: Antibiotics are commonly prescribed by doctors to treat folliculitis. Oral antibiotics are typically prescribed if the infection becomes very severe or if there is an underlying medical condition that causes the infection to occur. Topical antibiotics can also be used but tend to work best when combined with laser treatments or other forms of treatment like electrolysis or laser hair removal.
Laser Treatments: Laser treatments are becoming more popular as they offer many benefits over traditional antibiotic treatments. One benefit is that they kill both the bacteria that causes folliculitis as well as any other bacteria that may be present
Folliculitis is a general term for a bacterial or fungal infection of the hair follicles. The follicle may be infected with one pathogen or several different ones. Folliculitis usually causes mild symptoms, but it can become severe and cause scarring if it isn’t treated. Folliculitis usually responds well to home treatment, but you may need prescription antibiotics if your condition is more serious.
Folliculitis often occurs on the scalp, face, neck, armpits, buttocks and thighs. It’s characterized by small red bumps, pimples or white-headed pus-filled pimples around individual hairs. The area of skin involved may be itchy and painful.
If the infection involves just a few hair follicles, it’s called superficial folliculitis. A widespread or deep infection is known as invasive folliculitis.
Folliculitis often improves on its own after a couple of days or weeks. You can help speed healing by following good skin care practices:
Shave carefully to prevent cuts and nicks in the skinUse an antibacterial wash twice dailyKeep the affected area cleanKeep the affected area dryWear loose clothing over affected areas
If you follow these tips and
Folliculitis is a common skin condition in which hair follicles become inflamed. It’s usually caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. At first it may look like small red bumps or white-headed pimples around hair follicles — the tiny pockets from which each hair grows. The infection can spread and turn into nonhealing, crusty sores.
Folliculitis can occur on any part of your body that has hair. But it’s most common on the neck, breasts, buttocks and scalp.
You can get folliculitis multiple times, especially if you’ve had it before or if you have a chronic skin condition. If it keeps coming back, your doctor may want to identify an underlying cause.
Sometimes folliculitis isn’t infected at all. Folliculitis decalvans is a rare form of the disorder that destroys hair follicles, causing permanent hair loss (bald spots) on the scalp and elsewhere on the body.
Folliculitis is a skin condition that causes small red bumps to form around the hair follicles. The bumps are often filled with pus. They may cause itching or pain. Folliculitis is most common on the scalp, face, armpits, buttocks, and thighs. It often affects men who shave their faces.
You can get folliculitis if bacteria or fungus infects a hair follicle (the tiny pocket where each hair grows). You can also get it if you have tight clothing that rubs against your skin, or if you sit in hot tubs or pools for long periods of time. Folliculitis isn’t serious and usually clears up in a few days with basic treatments. But it can spread and lead to infections of the skin, hair follicles, and bloodstream (sepsis).
You may be able to prevent folliculitis by avoiding things that irritate your skin and by taking good care of your skin. If you’re prone to getting folliculitis, take these steps:
Shave carefully – Shave in the direction that the hair grows and use an electric razor whenever possible.
Avoid tight clothing – Tight clothing can irritate your skin and increase your risk of getting infected
Folliculitis is a common disorder of hair follicles that may occur anywhere on the body. Folliculitis is not life-threatening, but it can be uncomfortable, unsightly and embarrassing.
What causes folliculitis?
Folliculitis occurs when bacteria or fungus enter the hair follicle through cuts in the skin, shaving or tight clothing. In some cases, long-term use of antibiotics can cause a fungal infection in the hair follicles.
Who gets folliculitis?
Anyone can get folliculitis, but people who get frequent heat rash, wear restrictive clothing like tight jeans or braids, shave and have sensitive skin seem to be at greater risk. Athletes also run a higher risk of contracting folliculitis because they sweat a lot and are exposed to contaminated equipment (gym mats and shower floors) that carry germs that cause folliculitis.
Folliculitis is a common skin condition in which hair follicles become inflamed. It’s usually caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. At first it may look like small red bumps or white-headed pimples around hair follicles — the tiny pockets from which each hair grows. The infection can spread and turn into nonhealing, crusty sores.
Folliculitis usually clears up on its own. But if it becomes severe or spreads, you may need medical treatment. Some types of folliculitis are contagious and may spread to other areas of your skin or to other people.
Folliculitis isn’t life-threatening and usually responds well to treatments. But sometimes it can be difficult to get rid of, especially if the infection keeps coming back.
What causes folliculitis?
A damaged hair follicle can lead to inflammation and infection. Folliculitis is often caused by a bacterial or fungal infection and can occur anywhere on the body that has hair follicles, such as the face, neck, armpits, trunk, groin area and buttocks. Other causes include:
Clogged pores that become irritated
Ingrown hairs
Friction from
Folliculitis is a very common skin condition in which hair follicles become inflamed. It’s usually caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. At first it may look like small red bumps or white-headed pimples around hair follicles — the tiny pockets from which each hair grows. The infection can spread and turn into non-healing, crusty sores.
Folliculitis can occur anywhere you have hair follicles, but it’s most common on the scalp, face, armpits, buttocks, legs and groin.
Folliculitis isn’t serious for most people. But if it affects your scalp, it can cause permanent hair loss in the affected areas. And if you have extensive folliculitis on your chest or back, clothing or seat belts can irritate it and make it worse.
It’s possible for folliculitis to return after treatment. But you may be able to reduce your risk of recurrence with good hygiene and by avoiding tight clothing that can irritate your skin.