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Recently diagnosed with folliculitis, spreading fast. What should I do?

Posted , 5 users are following.

kendall55192
kendall55192

It seems the more I try to treat the problem it gets much worse. It originally started on my upper back, 15-ish spots. In a matter of weeks it's spread down my back, creeped it's way to my chest and shoulders. I have been on Doxycycline for 2 weeks and there is no change, it's gotten worse. The dermatologist advised that I be on this antibiotic for 3 months. 

Over the weekend I used a brand new loofah to exfoliate my chest area with Nizoral, the small patch that was there spread allllllll over my chest now. Should I just not wash the areas? I feel I am spreading it myself. 

I feel like just leaving it alone and hoping for the best as these treatments are not helping whatsoever.

Any advice would be appreciated. 

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • james18365
    james18365 kendall55192

    Posted

    Do you see anything that looks like in grown hairs

    • james18365
      james18365

      Posted

      I have a post I put up a few weeks back, I really think you should try it, stay on the doxy, any and everything to help

    • kendall55192
      kendall55192 james18365

      Posted

      No sign of ingrown hairs, just small little white heads all over, with the occasional inflamed bigger bump..flare ups I assume.
  • dannychiaccs
    dannychiaccs kendall55192

    Posted

    There is something triggering all this, we have to find what everyone has in common, like maybe stress or something we are eating. How is your diet? Do you drink enough water? Do you shower after exercise? 
    • kendall55192
      kendall55192 dannychiaccs

      Posted

      I live a very healthy lifestyle. Diet is good, workout 4x a week (showering afterwards), plenty of sleep. I could drink more water... which I have been trying to do the past week. Clean towels, sheets. Nothing seems to help.
    • dannychiaccs
      dannychiaccs kendall55192

      Posted

      What about sleep and stress? I had a little breakout recently and it was due do stress, lack of sleep and unfrequent stools (constipation). 
    • sadie46739
      sadie46739 dannychiaccs

      Posted

      I think a healthy diet and low stress levels help this condition but do not eliminate it for some people. Why does it persist? Because our skin is out of balance and our immune system can't overcome it or does an immune defect allow for imbalance? A chicken and egg situation.

  • james18365
    james18365 kendall55192

    Posted

    If they are White heads, pop every last one,.squeeze the.puss out, if there are hairs in, on, or around the bumps pluck and squeeze any puss out, clean with alcohol right after, clean the area multiple times a day with witch hazel, you can use a oil free cream, a steroid cream preferably
    • kendall55192
      kendall55192 james18365

      Posted

      Thank you for the information. I really appreciate it! Will popping them scar me? As for the oil free steroid cream - can I get this without a prescription? 
  • sadie46739
    sadie46739 kendall55192

    Posted

    Are you using a topical as well? The common denominator to this condition, in my opinion, is skin dysbiosis. You have an overgrowth of bad bacteria and not enough of the good ones to keep it in check. I'm hoping future research in topical probiotics holds promise on how to restore the skin microbiome to a healthier state.

    • kendall55192
      kendall55192 sadie46739

      Posted

      Currently, all I am taking/using is Doxycyline (100mg) and Nizoral Shampoo everyday. I did order the "Hibiscrub Solution 4%" off of Amazon, still waiting for it to be delivered.  

      I've been searching through forums for weeks now and everyone says something different. What is a topical and what does it do? Do I need a prescription? 

      Thanks for your help Sadie.

    • sadie46739
      sadie46739 kendall55192

      Posted

      Like Nizoral, which is a topical (something you can apply to skin), some people show improvement using benzoyl peroxide. You can Google products. It's over the counter. Also, be careful with exercising. Sweating can make it worse.

    • james18365
      james18365 sadie46739

      Posted

      I use benzoyl peroxide also, it's just to clean the area, it is ok to use, I wouldn't recommend no tee tree oils, and you may be able to use he a d and shoulders , t gel, or selsem blue on the skin too

  • sadie46739
    sadie46739 kendall55192

    Posted

    Did the doctor determine whether it was bacterial or fungal?
    • kendall55192
      kendall55192 sadie46739

      Posted

      No. She told me that if we sent cultures it was just going to come back saying the same thing as always "nothing found" which wasn't very reassuring for me. She said she treated me with fungual and it didn't work so now she's treating me for bacteria. I won't be able to see her for another three months.... Canada.... 

    • sadie46739
      sadie46739 kendall55192

      Posted

      At least she was honest about the culturing. I've been trying to research this condition for a while. Maybe there is an immune dysfunction component to it, not sure, but I believe keeping the integrity of skin microbiomes in check (organisms in balance) via good bacteria is the best long-term solution. The research regarding that is still young though.

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