Folliculitis Pictures

Folliculitis Pictures

Pictures in this article show staphylococcal folliculitis. Links to pictures of other types of folliculitis.

Picture 1. Staphylococcal folliculitis appears as a red bump, or white pustule.
(source: Samuel Freire da Silva, M.D., Atlasdermatologico)

Picture 2. Staphylococcal folliculitis on the woman’s chest
Click to enlarge >> © Dermnet

Picture 3. Staphylococcal folliculitis on thighs
Click to enlarge >> © Dermnet

Folliculitis Pictures on the Web

Folliculitis Pictures on Dermnet
Folliculitis Pictures on Dermnetnz
Folliculitis Pictures on Visualdxhealth

What is Folliculitis?

Folliculitis is an inflammation of hair follicles – tiny pockets in the skin from which hair grow (Picture 4). Folliculitis occurs when hair follicles are damaged by shaving, clothes friction, scratching, or obstruction, and are subsequently inflamed or infected. Infected hair follicle appears as a red bump or white pustule which may crust over later (Picture 1). In this article, folliculitis due to infection with Staphylococcus aureus is described. Read about other types of folliculitis.

Picture 4. Folliculitis = inflamed hair follicle

Folliculitis is not the same as acne. Acne primarily involve only oil (sebaceus) glands which are clogged with overproduced oil (sebum) and shed skin cells. Acne may get inflamed and develop into folliculitis though (Picture 5). It may be sometimes hard to differ from acne or folliculitis only by inspection. Acne occur mainly on the face, neck and upper trunk, in teenagers, and may last for months or years. Folliculitis may occur anywhere on the body, at any age, and it usually lasts only for few days or weeks.

Picture 5. Infected acne plus non-infected comedones
Click to enlarge >> © Dermnet

Symptoms of Staphylococcal Folliculitis

Staphylococcal folliculitis usually appears as clusters of red bumps, surrounding hair follicles (with or without the hair), 2-5 millimeters in diameter, often with a white blister in the center (Pictures 1-3). Inflamed follicles may burst, release pus, and crust over. Skin in superficial folliculitis is itchy and tender; deep folliculitis may be painful.

Folliculitis most commonly occurs in:

• bearded area in men
• scalp
• upper trunk (chest, under breasts, in armpits)
• buttocks
• thighs
• groin

Folliculitis never appears in areas without hair follicles such as palms, soles, or mucous membranes. Superficial folliculitis affects only upper parts of a hair follicle, while deep folliculitis affects the whole hair follicle.

Folliculitis Barbae

Folliculitis barbae is superficial folliculitis of bearded area in men, caused by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria. It often appears in the skin around the nose or mouth because of hair follicles damage during shaving in men who are nasal staph carriers.

Picture 6. Folliculitis barbae
(source: Samuel Freire da Silva, M.D., Atlasdermatologico)

Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (Ingrown Hair)

Ingrown hair is a curly hair, which enters the hair follicle exit again and causes follicle inflammation. It may resemble bacterial folliculitis, but this is not an infection, it’s only an inflammation with a red razor bump. Prevention is by using electric razor instead of blades, shaving only every other day, or simply by leaving a beard to grow (3).

Pictures of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (Shaving Bumps)

Sycosis Barbae

Sycosis barbae is deep folliculitis of bearded area in men – it involves deeper parts of hair follicles. Sycosis barbae may leave scars.

Picture of Sycosis Barbae

Stye

Stye is inflammation or infection of a hair follicle on the eyelid.

Picture 7. Stye (staphylococcal folliculitis) on the lower eyelid
Click to enlarge >> © Dermnet

Risk Factors for Folliculitis

Folliculitis is more likely to occur in:

• nasal staph carriers
• diabetes
• dermatitis
• obesity
• topical steroid treatment
• lowered immunity (leukemia, AIDS)
• acne treatment with tetracycline
• infants with tight clothes
• athletes
• hot humid climates

Folliculitis Diagnosis

Folliculitis is usually recognized by a primary doctor without any test. In doubtful cases, swabs or biopsies of skin lesions are taken and sent to microbiological or pathological laboratory. In repeating folliculitis, blood sugar (diabetes) and HIV tests should be done.

Compare Pictures of Folliculitis with Oter Types of Rash

Folliculitis Treatment

Superficial folliculitis may heal on its own in 1-2 weeks. Applying over the counter antibiotic ointments Bacitracin, Mycitracin (bacitracin + neomycin + polymyxin B), or Bactrobam (mupirocin), or washing with antibacterial soaps may help in more resistant cases (2). If this doesn’t help, or in a deep folliculitis, oral antibiotics (dicloxacillin, cephalosporins) may be needed; folliculitis caused by MRSA requires treatment with clindamycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, minocycline, or linezolid (1).

Electric razors, which don’t cut hair so close as the blade should be used during folliculitis flare, or shaving should be avoided in this time.
S. aureus carrier state may be treated with mupirocin ointment in the nasal vestibule twice a day for 5 days (1). Family members may be also treated with mupirocin to eliminate their carrier state.

Is Folliculitis Contagius?

Staphylococcal folliculitis is very contagious. It spreads by direct skin to skin contact, or by sharing razors, towels, clothes, or sport equipment, mostly in athletes.

Prevention of Folliculitis

The following may help to prevent folliculitis:

• wearing comfortable, airy clothes
• washing and drying swimming suits and sport dresses after each use
• eradication of nasal staphylococci in carriers
• laser depilation
• disinfection of sport equipment and hot tubes
• not sharing razors and towels
• maintaining intact skin

Folliculitis Complications

Folliculitis may result in:

• furuncles
• cellulitis – inflammation of deeper layers of the skin
• scars or hyper-pigmentation
• permanent hair loss (alopecia)

Pictures of Other Types of Folliculitis

Several other types of folliculitis beside staphylococcal folliculitis are known.

Pictures of Pseudomonas Folliculitis,
also known as Hot Tub Folliculitis

Pictures of Folliculitis Decalvans,
also known as Tufted Folliculitis

Pictures of Scalp Folliculitis

Pictures of Malassezia Folliculitis,
formerly known as Pityrosporum Folliculitis, caused by fungi

Pictures of Tinea Barbae
(ringworm of the beard, barber’s itch, caused by fungi)

Pictures of Oil Folliculitis

Picture of Gram Negative Folliculitis
(often appears after prolonged acne treatment with antibiotics)

Pictures of Folliculitis Keloidalis

Pictures of Eosinophilic Folliculitis
(often seen in HIV positive people)

Picture of Herpetic Folliculitis
(in AIDS patient)

References:

1. Antibiotics for staphylococcal folliculitis  (emedicine.com)
2. Antibiotic ointments for folliculitis  (bestincosmetics.com)
3. Ingrown hair – shaving bumps  (aocd.org)