Folliculitis: therapy and natural remedies

Signs and symptoms of folliculitis

Any hairy region of the body can be affected.
Usually these are:

• area of the beard,
• Shoulders
• Groin
• Legs
• Thigh
• Arms.

As a rule, ingrown hairs are formed, i.e. hairs that grow under the skin that do not come out of the hair follicle.
Pustules form around the hair follicles.
You can see several hairs emerging from a single follicle.
When the follicle is completely destroyed, the hair falls out at the end and a scar remains.

Symptoms of folliculitis

Signs and symptoms of folliculitis depend on the type of infection.

Superficial folliculitis, which affects the upper part of the hair follicles, causes: 1. groups of small red or pus-filled pimples that develop around the hair follicles
;
2. pus-filled blisters that can burst and crust;
3. red and inflamed skin;
4. itching on the skin;
5. Pain.

Deep folliculitis begins deeper in the skin and affects the entire hair follicle.
Signs and symptoms include:
1. A large, swollen bump or mass
2. Pus-filled blisters that burst and grind
3. Pain
4. Possible scarring after the infection has healed

Diagnosis and tests in folliculitis

The doctor can diagnose this condition by looking at the skin.
Laboratory tests can reveal which bacteria or fungi are causing the infection.

To determine whether the folliculitis was caused by infection, it is necessary to take swabs from the pustules for a laboratory culture.

Treatment of folliculitis

A mild case of folliculitis is likely to heal on its own.
In stubborn or recurrent cases, therapy becomes necessary.
The treatment a doctor advises depends on the type and severity of the infection.

Staphylococcal folliculitis. The doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, which is either applied locally to the skin or taken orally.
The doctor may also recommend not shaving the affected area until the infection is healed.
If the affected area needs to be shaved, an electric shaver or a fresh razor blade should be used each time.

Pseudomonas folliculitis. Rarely, the doctor prescribes a special treatment for this condition, but he may recommend an oral or topical medication to treat the itching.
In severe cases, oral antibiotic therapy can help.

Folliculitis in the beard area. Usually, self-treatment helps with this disease.
Here are some tips to avoid beard folliculitis:

• Shaving with an electric shaver, which does not shave the skin like a razor blade, can be helpful.
• When using a razor blade, lightly massage the beard area with a warm, damp towel or sponge to straighten the whiskers slightly so that they can be cut more easily.
• Use shaving gel instead of shaving cream, and it is better to shave in the direction of beard growth.
• After shaving, rinse the skin with plenty of lukewarm water and apply a moisturizing aftershave.

Pityrosporum folliculitis. In this type of folliculitis, treatment with oral or topical antifungal agents is indicated, which are very effective.
Since there is a high rate of recurrence with this disease after medical treatment, the doctor may recommend the preventive application of an ointment.
Antibiotics are not useful in the treatment of pityrosporum folliculitis, on the contrary, they can aggravate the infection because they alter the balance of normal bacteria on the skin.

Sycosis barbae (Tinea barbae).
It is a bacterial folliculitis caused by Staphylococcus aureaus. This infection exclusively affects the face of men. The doctor may recommend hot saltwater compresses and a locally applied antibiotic, but in case of severe infection, an oral antibiotic is better.

Gram-negative folliculitis. Although this type of folliculitis can be triggered by long-term antibiotic treatment for acne, it is usually treated with antibiotic-containing ointments and tablets, for example, minocycline.

Boils and pustules. Large boils can drain the doctor through a small incision.
That:

1. relieves pain,
2. accelerates healing,
3. reduces scarring.

Deep infections that can not be completely eliminated are covered with a sterile gauze so that the pus can continue to leak.
Sometimes the doctor prescribes antibiotics to help cure serious and recurrent infections.

Eosinophilic folliculitis. There are various effective therapies, but the drug of choice is cortisone-containing ointments.
In case of infection, the doctor may prescribe a short course of treatment with oral corticosteroids.
All cortisone preparations:

• can cause severe side effects,
• should be used only for the least necessary period of time.

If the patient suffers from AIDS and mild eosinophilic folliculitis, then the doctor may prescribe cortisone tablets.

Irritable folliculitis after depilation. Superficial folliculitis may occur, which is associated with depilation, especially of the legs.

Before depilation

Place envelopes with warm water. The heat softens the hair and reduces the risk of inflammation.

• Moisten a towel with warm water and attach to your legs.
• Let the envelope work for a few minutes.
• Dry the skin.

During depilation with hot wax

• Apply powder, because powder makes waxing less painful.
• Peel off the wax from bottom to top.

After depilation

• Remove the wax rights with special oil.
• Gently massage the area.
• Wash the skin with mild soap after depilation.

Apply a cream based on:

• salicylic acid (reduces the risk of ingrown hairs),
• Alukina (anti-inflammatory and soothing substance).

Considering that regrowing hair growth can worsen the disease, final hair removal with laser or pulsed light is usually helpful.

Natural remedies for folliculitis

The following home remedies can help and relieve discomfort, accelerate healing and prevent the spread of the infection:

• Several times a day, put a wet, hot and squeezed towel on the affected area.
• Do not share towels.
• Do not express pimples and pustules, because that aggravates the inflammation.
• Try an oatmeal lotion.
• When staying by the sea, avoid direct sunlight or tanning lamps.
• Wash the infected skin twice a day with an antibacterial soap or treat it with over-the-counter antibiotic-containing ointment.
• For oily skin, do not apply oils or oily creams after showering, because they block the exit of the follicles.
• In addition to natural products, you can use lanolin cream and zinc oxide ointment (for example, Fissan).
• One of the most effective natural bactericidal agents is tea tree oil. Apply to the inflamed follicle with a cotton swab and leave on for at least 15 minutes.
  • Make a paste of clay and water.
  • Apply to face.
  • Wait until the clay has dried.
  • Wash off with a sponge and warm water. On the area affected by folliculitis, a clay mask can be applied, which has antibacterial and detoxifying effect. As a rule, it shows good results, even if it leads to skin irritation in certain cases.
• Use a special peeling product to open the pores. Massage gently with circular movements, especially in the area under the chin.

How long does folliculitis last? When will it pass again?

The prognosis of folliculitis is very good, the times for healing extend from a few days to a few weeks.

Possible complications of folliculitis

Folliculitis can recur or spread to other zones of the body.

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