What is Folliculitis?

What is Folliculitis?

Folliculitis is an infection in the hair follicles. Folliculitis is a skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become infected with bacteria and can appear on any part of the body where hair is present.

Symptoms of Folliculitis-

• Red pimples with a hair in the center of each one
• Red and inflamed skin
• Itchiness or tenderness
• Pus-filled bumps
• Mild fever
• An upset stomach

Causes of Folliculitis-

• Friction from shaving or tight clothing
• Using antibiotics or steroid creams for long periods.
• Inflammatory skin conditions, including dermatitis and acne
• Injuries to your skin, such as abrasions or surgical wounds
• disease such as diabetes or HIV that lowers your ability to fight infection
• Coverings on your skin, such as plastic dressings or adhesive tape
• Risk factors of Folliculitis
• Diabetes, organ transplantation and HIV/AIDS
• Acne or dermatitis
• Trauma to your skin from injury or surgery
• Long-term antibiotic therapy for acne
• Topical corticosteroid therapy
• Overweight or obesity
• Wearing high boots or tight clothes
• Exposure to hot water, such as a hot tub or a heated swimming pool

Complications of Folliculitis-

• Recurrent or spreading infection
• Large, itchy patches of staph infection on the skin
• Furunculosis
• Thick, raised scars or patches of skin
• Destruction of the hair follicle

Diagnosis of Folliculitis-

Your doctor will diagnose your skin by looking at the skin and ask about your health and activities. Your doctor may send a sample taken from one of your pustules to a laboratory and may remove a small tissue sample (biopsy) from an active lesion for testing.

Precautions & Prevention of Folliculitis-

• If you own a hot tub, clean it regularly and add chlorine when recommended.
• Avoid constrictive clothing
• Shave with care
• Gently wash the infected skin twice a day

Treatment of Folliculitis-

• Homeopathic Treatment of Folliculitis
• Acupuncture & Acupressure Treatment of Folliculitis
• Psychotherapy Treatment of Folliculitis
• Conventional / Allopathic Treatment of Folliculitis
• Surgical Treatment of Folliculitis
• Dietary & Herbal Treatment of Folliculitis
• Other Treatment of Folliculitis

Homeopathic Treatment of Folliculitis-

Homeopathy relieves inflammation, itching and pain. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution, family history, presenting symptoms, underlying pathology, possible causative factors etc. Some of the homeopathic medicines for folliculitis are:

• Asar
• China
• Cinnab
• Apis M
• Selenium

Conventional / Allopathic Treatment of Folliculitis-

Allopathic treatment of folliculitis includes antibiotics such as mupirocin or clindamycin which are applied 2 to 3 times per day. Large areas of folliculitis may require antibiotics, such as dicloxacillin or cephalexin taken by mouth. Severe or recurrent infections may require a seven- to 10-day course of treatment with penicillin or other oral antibiotics.

Dietary & Herbal Treatment of Folliculitis

• A diet rich in green, yellow, and orange vegetables
• Drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day

Other Treatment of Folliculitis - A wet compress made with white vinegar may help ease your folliculitis symptoms.