Folliculitis

Folliculitis facts

• Folliculitis is a very common, benign skin disorder that appears as pinpoint red bumps, each one involving a hair follicle, occasionally with a small dot of pus at the top.
• Folliculitis affects people of all ages, from babies to seniors.
• The numerous smooth little tender red bumps involve the hair follicles commonly on the face, scalp, chest, back, buttocks, and legs.

• Folliculitis is often seen in otherwise healthy people; it's easily curable in most cases, and frequently clears on its own without treatment although it may require ongoing maintenance therapy.
• Antibacterial over-the-counter medications containing benzoyl peroxide are often used to treat folliculitis, but resistant cases may need antibiotic pills to clear the skin.
• Good skin hygiene and proper shaving techniques have been shown to prevent folliculitis

What are the causes of folliculitis?

Folliculitis can be caused by a large number of infectious organisms. However, frequently folliculitis is sterile and seems to be induced by irritating chemical substances, drugs and physical irritants like shaving. Differentiating these causes is very important if the physician is going to be able to treat the condition successfully.

Symptoms

You’ll find that they vary based on the exact type of folliculitis you and how bad it is. You may have:

• Groups of small red bumps like pimples, some with white heads on them
• Blisters that break open, ooze, and become crusty
• Large areas of red, swollen skin that may leak pus

These areas of your skin may be itchy, tender, and painful as well.

Treatments

Mild folliculitis might go away without any treatment. To help yourself heal and ease symptoms, you can:

Clean the infected area: Wash twice a day with warm water and antibacterial soap. Be sure to use a fresh cloth and towel each time.

Turn to salt: Put warm saltwater -- 1 teaspoon table salt mixed with 2 cups of water -- on a washcloth and place it on your skin. You can also try white vinegar.

Gels, creams and washes: Use over-the-counter antibiotics that you rub on your skin. If you’re itchy, you can try oatmeal lotion or hydrocortisone cream. It also helps to avoid shaving, scratching, and wearing tight or rough clothes on the infected area.If these self-care treatments don’t work, your doctor may give you:

• Antibiotic cream if the folliculitis is caused by bacteria (pills for very severe cases only)
• Antifungal creams, shampoos, or pills if it’s caused by fungus
• Steroid cream to help reduce swelling