Folliculitis definition

Folliculitis is an infection of a hair follicle. It looks like a tiny white pimple at the base of a hair. There may be only one infected follicle or many. Each infected follicle is slightly painful, but the person otherwise does not feel sick.

Sometimes stiff hairs in the beard area curl and reenter the skin (ingrown hair) after shaving, producing irritation without substantial infection. This type of folliculitis (pseudofolliculitis barbae) is particularly common in black men. Each ingrown hair results in a tiny, mildly painful pimple with a barely visible hair curling into the center.

The hair follicles in the beard region are red and inflamed caused by infection with Staphylococcus and aggravated by shaving. This infection brings blood vessels in the area dilate to bring in extra white blood cells to eat the bacteria and other foreign particles gathering at the site of injury. As a result, dead cells begin to accumulate thus forming papule that turn into pus during the healing process. Any hair in the area gets bound under this formation, cannot exit the skin properly, and worsens the affected area. The hair must be removed to ensure proper and complete healing.

Some people develop folliculitis after exposure to a poorly chlorinated hot tub or whirlpool. This condition, sometime called "hot-tub folliculitis" or "hot-tub dermatitis," is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa , It begins anytime from 6 hours to 5 days after the exposure. Areas of skin covered by a bathing suit, such as the torso and buttocks, are the most common sites.

Folliculitis & Ingrown Hair Treatment

Doctors diagnose the condition by its typical appearance.

The best preventive treatment is to grow the beard: When the hairs are longer, they do not curl back and puncture the skin.

If bumps are already present, all ingrown hairs must be removed preferably by using tweezers. Then the area should be thoroughly cleaned or scrubbed with a good soap and hot water.

Don't pull the skin when you shave; don't put too much pressure on the blades; shave with the grain and use a single-blade razor and if you must shave you should shave in the same direction in which the hair grows.