Folliculitis Symptoms

Anyone with hair follicles on their bodies can develop Folliculitis. Look at your body – the arms, legs, buttocks, cheeks, neck, face, thighs and chest and back all have hair! There is no escaping this disease unless you are clean and hygienic. Folliculitis is a skin condition responsible for the inflammation of hair follicles. They appear like small bumps/blisters/boils all over the body and range from as few as around ten and can form in the hundreds. The boils are surrounded by light red ‘halos’ that are a sign of infection. Exposing the top of the scab will reveal a small coiled hairs within and sometimes even acne and whiteheads. Though this disease is not harmful in any way, it is definitely displeasing to the eye. This skin condition usually heals by itself or by simply applying antibacterial creams or lotions. Browse the sections that follow for more details on Folliculitis.

Signs & Symptoms Of Folliculitis

Risk Factors

Anyone who has hair follicles can develop Folliculitis. It is most often seen on the chest, legs, back and buttocks, thighs and face. Areas such as the mouth, palms, soles and eyes do not get affected by this condition however. People who have diabetes and are immunocompromised have a higher risk of contracting Folliculitis. Those suffering from HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, cancer, or those undergoing chemotherapy are more prone to this condition. Certain research studies have revealed that Folliculitis affect 10 -20% of people at some point in their lives, so you have nothing to really worry about!

Symptoms
There are different types of Folliculitis, and each one of these has varied symptoms depending on kind of infection.

Superficial Folliculitis

Staphylococcal Folliculitis

This occurs anywhere on the body and is manifested in the form of itchy, white, pus filled bumps that become infected with the bacteria called ‘staphylococcus aureus’. As long as the situation is external, it is harmless. But, as soon as the microorganisms enter the body through a wound, it can cause problems. This might happen while shaving or scratching.

Pseudomonas Folliculitis (hot tub type)
As the name suggests, this bacteria thrives in hot tubs where chlorine and pH is not regulated. If you see a red rash that later transforms into pus filled blisters, then you’ve contracted the infection. Wearing a well protected swimsuit helps in keeping the contaminated water out. However, one can still be at risk as rashes can form in unguarded areas.

Deep Folliculitis

Gram Negative Folliculitis

Long term antibiotics have an affinity towards acne and they also change the bacterial environment in the nose leading to excessive gram negative bacteria (harmful organisms). There will be several acne lesions on the skin till the antibiotics are stopped and nose flora returns to normal.

Boils And Carbuncles
When the hair follicles become very infected with ‘staph bacteria’, it leads to boils and carbuncles. The boil is usually pink or red and the surrounding skin becomes swollen and red. The bump gets filled with pus and grows larger and larger until it finally ruptures and drains. Carbuncles are basically clusters of boils. They are usually found on the neck, shoulders and back. This type of infection takes longer to heal and thus might leave scars as a result of itching.

Treatment is required only when the symptoms of Folliculitis doesn’t disappear after a few days and becomes extremely aggravating causing itching all over the body. It could be mistaken for some other disease and hence, a doctor must be consulted for a proper diagnosis.

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