Folliculitis

When folliculitis is an inflammation of the upper (outer) portion of a hair follicle, the infundibulum. Usually this is caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.

Folliculitis can occur at all hairy parts of the body. Preferred sites ( sites of predilection ) are hairy scalp, chest and torso area. Particularly hairy men are affected in the hot summer months, when increased sweating promotes the growth of bacteria in addition. A folliculitis can be very painful, but the papules or pustules developed thereby heal mostly without consequences; the follicle remains. By plugging the Follikelausganges by verquellendes horn material and especially in cases of reduced immune defense, inflammation can spread to the entire hair follicle and thus lead to the formation of a furuncle; an abscess generated by the spread in the surrounding tissue. Both need to be rehabilitated surgically.

Special forms

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis - syn:. Ofuji syndrome, Sterile eosinophilic pustulosis - is a first time in 1970 described almost exclusively in Japan ( in young men ) occurring skin disease with involvement of the face, trunk and extremities. Histologically, eosinophilic infiltrates can be detected. Noteworthy is the similarity to the other dermatoses in a AIDS. The cause of the disease is unknown.

Folliculitis barbae Candidomycetica is a very rare Candida infection that can lead to a Perifollikulitis. As infection deeper skin layers, they must be treated for several weeks systemically with fluconazole or itraconazole, in order to ensure complete healing ( restitutio ad integrum ).

Folliculitis decalvans is a rare, chronic folliculitis of the scalp, which leads to the destruction of the hair follicles. The result is a scarring alopecia.

The Gram-negative folliculitis is a chronic relapsing form, caused by the displacement of the normal bacterial flora of the skin with gram-negative pathogens such as Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas. Trigger may be a long-term antibiotic therapy with mainly grampositivem action spectrum ( eg, erythromycin topically in acne vulgaris ).