Does folliculitis hurt?

Folliculitis is a skin disease that mostly occurs in women. In drier seasons, the skin will peel due to lack of water, and many skin papules will appear. It will not feel painful when the disease occurs, but there will be slight itching. The enlarged pores can be clearly seen with the naked eye, and red liquid accumulates inside. Ointment must be applied to soften the skin and do a deep repair before the skin can be restored to its original healthy state.

Bacterial infection of hair follicles causes purulent inflammation. Initially it appears as red papules, which gradually evolve into papular pustules, which are isolated and scattered, and cause mild pain. In adults, it mainly occurs in hairy areas, and in children, it is more common on the head. The rashes can sometimes merge with each other, and small bald spots may remain after healing.

It initially appears as a red, solid papule consistent with the opening of the hair follicle, or it starts with follicular impetigo, and then rapidly develops into a papule-pustule, with the hair running through the middle and redness and inflammation all around, followed by drying and scabbing. It heals after about a week of scab falling off, but there are also cases of recurrence and no healing for many years. Some may also develop into deep infection, forming furuncles, carbuncles, etc., which generally do not leave scars. The number of rashes is large, isolated and scattered, and the patient feels mild pain. In adults, it mainly occurs in hairy areas, and in children, it is more common on the head. The rashes can sometimes merge with each other, and small bald spots may remain after healing.

Antibiotics can be used as appropriate. 1% neomycin ointment, mupirocin ointment, fusidic acid ointment or 2% iodine tincture can be applied topically. Ultraviolet radiation can also be tried. For patients with recurrent attacks, autologous vaccine or polyvalent staphylococcal vaccine can be tried.

The hair follicles start from the lower part of the dermis, pass through the upper part of the dermis and then to the epidermis, ending at the surface of the skin, where the hair follicles open. Bacteria infect different parts and to different degrees, so there will be different disease names, but in fact they are all folliculitis.

On the surface of the skin, where the hair follicles open, there are some Staphylococcus aureus infections, which are called follicular impetigo, also known as folliculostomy. The main symptom is a mung bean-sized pustule surrounded by a red halo. The scab will fall off on its own and improve in about 7 to 10 days. The most common sites are the head, legs, and buttocks.

If the entire hair follicle is inflamed, that is, from the beginning of the hair follicle, the dermis to the end of the hair follicle, both parts are inflamed, this inflammation is a staphylococcal infection and is called simple folliculitis. It manifests as a small red hard nodule that is painful to the touch. It often occurs on the face and can heal in about a week, leaving a slight scar. However, if Staphylococcus aureus not only infects the hair follicles, but also the tissues around the hair follicles, the sebaceous glands, and some sweat glands, the entire surrounding tissue will become inflamed, and this can be called a furuncle.