Folliculitis

Overview

Folliculitis is a common skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become infected or inflamed, resembling acne with small red bumps. It can appear on the face, arms, back, and legs. Mild cases of folliculitis can be managed at home, while more severe cases may require treatment from a dermatologist. This skin disorder often results in irritated pimple-like spots or pustules, typically due to an infection in the hair follicle.

What is Folliculitis?
Folliculitis is a common skin condition in which your hair follicles become inflamed. In the beginning, they look like small pimples around the tiny pockets from which they grow. They cause a lot of irritation, and sores and are often very itchy. There are different stages of Folliculitis; mild Folliculitis heals without any scarring if you do basic self-care, however more serious and repetitive infections may need medication and if left untreated they can cause permanent damage, loss of hair and scarring. They also have different types of Folliculitis like Hot tub rash and barber’s itch.

Two main types of folliculitis are the superficial ones and deep ones, the superficial ones involve a little part of the folliculitis while the severe one affects the entire part of the follicle.

Bacterial folliculitis is the common pus-filled bumps that occur when they are affected by a bacterium usually the Staphylococcus aureus (staph). The staph bacteria lives on the skin all the time and they only cause problems when they enter the body through a cut. Hot tub rashes are the round, itchy bumps that show up two to three days later and are caused by bacteria found in bathtubs like the pseudomonas. They also live in slides, and heated pools in which the PH levels are not correct. Razor bumps are another kind of folliculitis that are caused by the ingrown hairs and affect people with curly hair, people who get bikini waxes may also get these in their groin area. It is more noticeable on the face and neck of people.

Pityrosporum folliculitis is caused by yeast, Gram-negative folliculitis develops from long-term antibiotic therapy. Other types include Eosinophilic folliculitis, which affects people with human immunodeficiency viruses like AIDs. Boils (furuncles) and carbuncles are the ones affected by Staph bacteria and cause a cluster of bumps. Sycosis barbae people who shave.

Symptoms of Folliculitis

Symptoms of folliculitis can vary. You may not feel anything, but sometimes the infection causes itchy skin. It can also make your skin feel painful. The symptoms of folliculitis can vary depending on the type and severity of the condition. Common signs include:

Groups of small, pimple-like bumps, some with whiteheads
Blisters that may break open, ooze, and become crusty
Large, swollen areas of skin that may leak pus

Affected skin areas may be itchy, tender, and painful. The primary symptom is typically red bumps that resemble pimples, which may be filled with pus or have whiteheads. Folliculitis often causes itching and discomfort, and scratching should be avoided to prevent worsening the infection.

Other symptoms can include:

• Itching or tender bumps
• Pus-filled sores
• Crusty sores
• Inflamed skin
• Tenderness and pain

Folliculitis can affect a single follicle or multiple follicles and may be short-term or persist long-term.

Causes of Folliculitis

Folliculitis usually arises from an infection in damaged hair follicles. When hair follicles are damaged, germs can easily invade and cause infection. Staph aureus, commonly found on the skin, is a frequent culprit, though other skin organisms can also be responsible.

Damage to hair follicles can occur due to:

Frequent touching or rubbing of the skin
Wearing tight clothing
Skin rubbing against skin
Shaving
These actions can cause the follicles to swell and form uncomfortable bumps on the skin's surface. In many cases, the specific cause of folliculitis is not always identified.

Tests and Treatment for Folliculitis

You can detect Folliculitis just by examining it and to further determine the cause. Although this disease is curable and if the early treatment does not help, your doctor may suggest getting tests that will include, scraping your skin to look for yeast, a swab for culture and rarely a skin biopsy.

For treatment, they will give you a self-care measure that will either help clear your Folliculitis or control it. If the nonprescription products do not work, then they may move you onto medication like lotions, gels, or pills to control bacterial infections. Cream, shampoos or pills help with fungal infections and lastly, creams or pills help calm inflammation. You may require minor surgery like having a small cut to drain a large boil to lower your risk of scarring and speed up your recovery. Laser hair removal is also something your health care provider may ask you to do for pseudofolliculitis barbae but as a last option after nothing works. Make sure to ask about the possible side effects.