Folliculitis
Treatment Duration
30
Suggested Sessions
2-4 times/year
Folliculitis is an umbrella medical term under which many types of this skin condition are described. Folliculitis is inflammation, which develops in hair follicles due to infection, injury or irritation.
Folliculitis is generally considered a benign condition, which in many cases is self-limiting, while more severe, recurrent infections may require medication.
What is Folliculitis?
Folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicle, which can often affect the skin around it.
The inflammation in the hair follicle is the result of infection by various microbes, or injury (physical-chemical).
As a result we have different lesions appearing on the skin, depending on the stage at which the folliculitis is.
«If a deep folliculitis is not treated in time with the appropriate treatment it can develop into a very unpleasant rash»
Who does Folliculitis affect?
Folliculitis is a common skin condition and can affect men, women and children. Also, although there is no data on the epidemiological picture of folliculitis in the general population, scientists find that people who have a history of diabetes, obesity or take oral antibiotics on a long-term basis are more likely to develop folliculitis.
Body Areas of Appearance
Folliculitis can appear anywhere on the body, face and scalp.
Common areas where it is found are:
- Buttocks - Thighs
- Scalp - Neck
- Face
- Armpits
- Genitals
«Folliculitis can appear anywhere on the body where there is hair growth, with heavy sweating or friction with clothing»
Folliculitis Symptoms
Folliculitis and the inflammation it creates, which can affect the superficial or deeper layers of the skin, presents with symptoms such as:
- Red or white pimples around the hair.
- Blisters with pus that may break open, forming a crust
- Discomfort, itching or pain in the area.
- Sensitive skin.
However, you may not have any symptoms.
Superficial folliculitis
- Small red pimples around the hair follicle
- Irritation and sensitivity of the skin around the follicle
- Itching
- Small blisters with pus
Deep folliculitis
- Hard swelling that can develop into an abscess
- Pain
- Edema - swelling
«Superficial folliculitis may resolve on its own within 7-10 days, while deep folliculitis resolves more slowly and may leave scars»
Causes of Appearance
Folliculitis thrives when the hair follicle is “blocked or damaged, opening the way for germs to enter and cause infection.
Folliculitis can be infectious, that is, caused by a bacterial or fungal infection, or non-infectious, caused by friction or a blockage of the follicle.
We can also cause damage to hair follicles through our habits such as wearing tight clothing, skin-to-skin friction and shaving.
When the skin is warm and moist, damage to the hair follicles is much easier.
Common causes of folliculitis include:
- The not properly maintained hot tub
- Herpes virus
- The shave
- Tight clothes
- Medicines applied topically to the skin
- Medication
- Weight gain
Folliculitis Types
In folliculitis each is characterized by its own symptoms and gives its own image on the skin.
The most common types of folliculitis are:
- The bacteria of Staphylococcus is responsible for one of the most common causes of folliculitis, which appears as small red or white pimples with pus.
- The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa thrives in hot tubs, water slides and heated pools, etc., which causes folliculitis with a rash similar to that of staph.
- Folliculitis barbae and sycoss barbae is a type of folliculitis that refers to persistent irritation, which occurs after shaving and is mainly found in men from 20 to 40 years of age. In the second case, the folliculitis may become more serious and requires immediate medical advice.
- Gram-negative folliculitis can occur after prolonged use of antibiotics to treat acne. In this case the bacteria become resistant and the acne worsens.
- Malassezia folliculitis is caused by yeast that normally lives on our skin and creates a kind of acne-like folliculitis that gets worse with sweat.
- Eosinophilic folliculitis, the cause of which is not fully understood and occurs mainly in immunocompromised individuals.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of folliculitis is made by clinical examination and taking a detailed history by the dermatologist. Generally no diagnostic test or x-ray tests are required. A visit to the specialist is necessary to confirm that it is folliculitis and not some other skin condition.
Ask the doctor
Dr. Loizidis Christoforos
Dermatologist - Venereologist
210 69 29 999
Folliculitis Treatment
Mild folliculitis can sometimes go away on its own without taking any medication.The treatment your dermatologist will recommend depends on the severity of the folliculitis symptoms. Often folliculitis can go away, in mild cases, with topical treatment such as antibacterial skin cleansers, creams, ointments, etc.
In more severe cases, the doctor may recommend oral antibiotics, while in deeper infections, drainage may be needed to remove the pus and allow the area to heal.
In addition, a major factor in folliculitis onset and aggravation which is shaving no longer needs to be done.
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Folliculitis Prevention
By changing our daily habits you can get rid of or better manage folliculitis:
- Shave carefully, since shaving is one of the most common causes of folliculitis. The dermatologist can give you advice so that no problems arise with your skin.
- Keep your skin clean, it helps significantly in prevention as well as in the healing process.
- Choose loose and comfortable clothing when it's hot and humid to avoid chafing, which can injure hair follicles.
- Wash your swimsuit after each use and let it dry. This way you reduce your exposure to bacteria, which can cause folliculitis.
- Also change clothes after training or showering.
- Do not share personal items such as towels.
- Before using the pool or hot tub, make sure the chemicals in the pool are at the correct levels.
«The hotter a pool or hot tub is, the faster the sanitizing chemicals leave, making it less resistant to bacteria»
Frequent Questions
Can folliculitis come back after treatment?
Yes, folliculitis can come back if you don't follow basic hygiene conditions, as well as if you don't identify the cause of it so you can avoid it.
If I already have folliculitis, can I have Alexandrite laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal will remove the hair from the area, so shaving is no longer necessary. By stopping a practice that aggravates folliculitis, if it is in a mild stage, then it may go away on its own.
Which symptoms of folliculitis should lead me to the dermatologist immediately?
Seek medical advice immediately if the folliculitis you are experiencing spreads to other parts of the body, if you notice hard and painful lumps with fluid, if you feel chills, fever or fatigue.