What causes folliculitis?

Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
Updated on September 27, 2024
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Folliculitis is a very common skin condition that most people have experienced. It is primarily caused by the infection of the hair follicles and the surrounding areas by bacteria, predominantly Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. The scalp, due to its developed sebaceous glands and abundant hair, secretes a lot of oil and is particularly prone to bacterial growth, making it a common site for folliculitis. It is crucial to treat folliculitis with timely anti-infection measures.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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Can you drink alcohol with folliculitis?

Folliculitis generally requires abstaining from alcohol, as well as spicy foods like chili peppers, lamb, and seafood. These should be avoided as much as possible because folliculitis is related to consuming spicy and irritating foods, frequently staying up late, and similar habits. Therefore, during the treatment or recovery phase, it is advisable to strictly avoid these, as well as avoiding staying up late, stress, and anxiety. It is also recommended to avoid public baths and swimming pools. Folliculitis is commonly treated with some oral and topical anti-inflammatory medications which can completely cure it. If individual lesions are particularly prominent or painful, local disinfection can be performed, and the pus and blood can be drained by piercing with a needle. For larger, more stubborn folliculitis that does not subside over time, surgical removal may be recommended.

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home-news-image
Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
34sec home-news-image

What causes folliculitis?

Folliculitis is a very common skin condition that most people have experienced. It is primarily caused by the infection of the hair follicles and the surrounding areas by bacteria, predominantly Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. The scalp, due to its developed sebaceous glands and abundant hair, secretes a lot of oil and is particularly prone to bacterial growth, making it a common site for folliculitis. It is crucial to treat folliculitis with timely anti-infection measures.

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home-news-image
Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
48sec home-news-image

How to treat folliculitis scabs?

When scabbing occurs in folliculitis, it generally indicates that the follicle has almost completely healed, and no special treatment is necessary. However, some cases of folliculitis, especially severe ones, may still have underlying inflammation despite the surface being covered with a scab. In such cases, you can disinfect with iodine and then remove the scab to further clean out any pus or blood underneath. Generally speaking, folliculitis is relatively easy to treat with oral and topical anti-inflammatory medications. In severe cases, lancing or surgically opening the follicle to drain pus might be necessary. After recovery, it is important to regulate one's diet and lifestyle habits, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and not stay up late.

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Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
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What medicine should be applied for folliculitis?

Folliculitis is a disease caused by an inflammatory infection, generally associated with excessive secretion from the sebaceous glands, frequent consumption of spicy and irritating foods, or staying up late. It commonly affects the scalp, face, or buttocks. For treatment, topical antibiotics can be applied, and taking oral anti-inflammatory medications may also be appropriate. If individual follicles are particularly painful and swollen, they can be disinfected and lanced with a needle to drain the pus and blood. This condition has a high recurrence rate, so after recovery, it is important to avoid spicy and irritating foods, refrain from staying up late, engage in regular exercise, avoid public baths, and minimize exposure to infectious bacteria.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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What are the symptoms of folliculitis?

Folliculitis is a common purulent inflammatory skin disease, usually caused by bacterial infection. The symptoms of folliculitis initially manifest as small red papules which, after several days or weeks, develop small pustules at the center with a surrounding erythema forming pustules. These dry out or rupture later to form yellow crusts. Generally, there are no scars left after the crust peels off.