Folliculitis, is inflammation of one or more hair follicles. The condition may occur anywhere on the skin.

Causes

Folliculitis starts when hair follicles are damaged by friction from clothing, blockage of the follicle, or shaving. In most cases of folliculitis, the damaged follicles are then infected with the bacteria Staphylococcus (staph).

Barber's itch is a staph infection of the hair follicles in the bearded area of the face, usually the upper lip. Shaving aggravates the condition. Tinea barbae is similar to barber's itch, but the infection is caused by a fungus.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae is a disorder occurring primarily in men of African extraction. If curly beard hairs are cut too short, they may curve back into the skin and cause inflammation.

Symptoms

• rash (reddened skin area)
• pimples or pustules located around a hair follicle
  • may crust over
  • typically occur on neck axilla, or groin area
  • may present as genital lesions
• itching skin

Treatment

1. Topical antiseptic treatment is adequate for most cases 2. Some patients may benefit from systemic flucloxacillin 3. Topical antibiotics such as mupirocin ointment

External link

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000823.htm