Skip to main content

Folliculitis

David Cadena, MD and Mayra A Perez, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Common skin condition involving inflammation of the hair follicle

  • Most frequent symptom is pruritus.

  • Painless or tender pustules, vesicles, or pink/red papulopustules up to 5 mm in siz...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Recent use of hot tubs, swimming pools, topical corticosteroids, certain hairstyling and shaving practices, antibiotics or systemic steroids

  • HIV status

  • History of STDs (specifically syp...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Lesions usually resolve spontaneously.

  • Avoid shaving or waxing affected areas (1)[C].

  • Warm compresses may be applied TID.

  • Systemic antibiotics are typically unnecessary.

  • Topical...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Resistant cases should be followed every 2 weeks until cleared.

  • Consider prompt system therapy for worsening cases.

DIET

Caloric monitoring for obe...

REFERENCES

1
Khanna  N, Chandramohan  K, Khaitan  BK, et al. Post waxing folliculitis: a clinicopathological evaluation. Int J Dermatol.  2014;53(7):849–854. [View Abstract...

SEE ALSO

Algorithm: Rash, MRSA 

CODES

ICD10

  • L73.9 Follicular disorder, unspecified

  • L66.2 Folliculitis decalvans

  • L73.8 Other specified follicular disorders

  • L01.02 Bockhart’s impetigo

SNOMED

  • 13600006 Folliculitis (disorder)

  • 53593008 Follicul...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Folliculitis lesions are typically 1- to 5-mm clusters of pruritic erythematous papules and pustule surrounding hair follicles.

  • Most commonly due to S. aureus. If community has increase...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

 
×