Folliculitis is the infection and inflammation of one or more hair follicles. The condition may occur anywhere on hair-covered skin. The rash may appear as pimples that come to white tips on the face, chest, back, arms, legs, buttocks, or head.
Although acne can often involve superficial infection and inflammation of some hair follicles, the condition of those follicles is usually not called folliculitis, as that term is usually reserved for the separate set of disease entities comprising infected and inflamed hair follicles with causes other than acne.<!--This is worth explaining because otherwise the use of the terminology is confusing to dermatological laypersons, along the lines that "If the definition of folliculitis is infection and inflammation of hair follicles, then logically, how is acne *not* one of the causes of folliculitis, and how is folliculitis not a feature/finding in acne?" The answer is in a restriction of how the terminology is used that is not explicitly signaled.-->
Signs and symptoms
thumb|[[Histopathology of folliculitis of unknown cause, with giant cells surrounding a hair follicle]]
- Rash (reddened skin area)
- Itching skin
- Pimples or pustules located around a hair or follicle; may be confused with chicken pox
- May crust over
- Typically occur on neck, armpit, or groin
- May present as genital lesions
- Spreading from leg to arm to body through improper treatment with antibiotics
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File:Sebaceaous Hyperplasia Chronic folliculits Right Mid Chest.jpg|Chronic folliculitis surrounding central sebaceous hyperplasia, right mid-chest
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Complications
This condition can develop into a more severe skin condition, such as cellulitis or abscess. blockage of the follicle, shaving, or braids that are very tight and close to the scalp. The damaged follicles are then infected by Staphylococcus spp. Folliculitis can affect people of all ages. Iron-deficiency anemia is sometimes associated with chronic cases.
Bacterial
- Staphylococcus aureus folliculitis The folliculitis usually occurs after sitting in a hot tub that was not properly cleaned before use. Symptoms are found around the body parts that sit in the hot tub – the legs, hips, chest, buttocks, and surrounding areas. Symptoms are amplified around regions that were covered by wet clothing, such as bathing suits.
- Sycosis vulgaris, sycosis barbae, or barber's itch is a staphylococcal infection of the hair follicles in the bearded area of the face, usually the upper lip. Shaving aggravates the condition.
- Gram-negative folliculitis may appear after prolonged acne treatment with antibiotics.
Fungal
- Tinea barbae is similar to barber's itch, but the infection is caused by the fungus T. rubrum.
- Malassezia folliculitis, formerly known as Pityrosporum folliculitis, is caused by yeasts (part of the fungus kingdom) of the genus Malassezia
Treatment
Most simple cases resolve on their own, but first-line treatments are typically topical medications.