r/Folliculitis

I started getting these spots over a year ago when I started using Cetaphil, I discontinued use of this about 8 months ago. New ones appear within a day and they can easily be scratched off. I’ve tried Acnecide benzoyl peroxide cream which cleared it for a few months then it came back. I’ve used Nizoral wash which irritated my skin, so then I started using the Nizoral 2% cream but I still get these spots. My skincare routine consists of fungal safe products, I’m genuinely loosing hope now as nothing seems to get rid of it fully. Please if anyone has any advice on what this could be and what I can do to fix?

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping someone has been through something similar because I’m getting really frustrated.

I recently started shaving my head very close. The first shave was completely fine, but after the second shave I developed lots of small red bumps and whiteheads. I then had another shave by my SMP technician a few days later.

The strange thing is:
The spots heal, but new ones keep appearing.
They are only on the back and sides of my scalp where I still have hair growth.
The top of my head is bald (SMP area) and I don’t get any spots there.
I also don’t get them in my beard.
They’re centred around the hair follicles and are quite itchy.
The spots actually started before my SMP just as I did my second ever skin shave so I don’t think the pigment is the cause.

So far I’ve ordered from
Amazon (not yet started):

Nizoral (ketoconazole)
Chlorhexidine 4% wash
Acnecide (benzoyl peroxide)

I’m seeing my GP on Monday.

My questions are:
Has anyone developed folliculitis just from switching to shaving their head really close?
Did it eventually clear completely?
What treatment actually worked for you?
Were you able to go back to shaving every 2–3 days without it coming back?
Did changing from a rotary shaver to a foil shaver make any difference?
Should I ask my GP for a skin swab or specific medication?
Does using these 3 products sound sensible. I am uk based

I’m worried I’ve got stuck in a cycle where every close shave causes another outbreak, but because I have SMP I really need to keep my head shaved.
Any advice would be hugely appreciated. I’ve added a couple pictures so you can see the extent of the spread and spots.

Hello all,

I’m a 27 year old male who has struggled with acne, I’ve been accutane twice now and this latest time does not seem to be helping. I’m thinking it may be folliculitis but my breakouts look different than the small uniform whiteheads that I typically see for folliculitis.

My skin breakouts sometimes after shaving, I’ve tried using a single blade which helped a little maybe, but not that much. My skin seems to breakout sometimes after shaving always on my sideburn/jawline area but it’s usually small red marks with the rare small whitehead.

Do head pictures look like folliculitis? My skin is not necessarily itchy like I hear about.

I'm only posting this as I need someone else's opinion on the matter, not a diagnosis.

I have struggled with the issue for about 2 years and it's really affecting my mental health. I get red flakey patches along my nose, lips and chin area and whiteheads on cheeks.

I took antibiotics for about 8 months straight for folliculitis on the scalp (which is still there) and I've read that can cause Mallezzia to thrive.

I use nizoral shampoo 3x a week on my face and scalp and then moisturise after I'm unsure if it is working. How do I stop it looking so red and inflamed all the time?

Thanks

First 2 photos are my face, third is my neck… For a little over a year now I’ve struggled with my skin- I’m 23f, and this is the first time I’ve ever had real skin concerns. Some of the bumps rise to the surface as white heads, sometimes areas look like every pore is a blackhead, it’s not itchy (except when I was off antihistamines, then it was horribly itchy)…

I’ve had my hormone levels tested and they ruled out PCOS. The derm initially assumed it was just regular acne and I used tretanoin and clindamycin for about 2 months. At our follow up, we agreed that pretty much nothing had changed, and we scheduled allergy patch testing to see if that was potentially the root of my issue. Well, my neck hadn’t been as affected as it is now (see third pic) but when I went off my allergy meds for testing not only did my whole face break out into these small bumps as opposed to just most of my face (and they got bigger), but my neck turned into this mess as well… and has stayed that way. They ended up cancelling the allergy testing (🫩) and I’ve been back on all my allergy meds for 3 weeks now, but not much improvement since- honestly, this is the worst my skin has ever been. They had me come in for a brief appointment to check in after cancelling the tests, since clearly I’d had such an extreme reaction to going off my antihistamines, and took a biopsy from a spot on my shoulder. It came back as folliculitis (for some reason they can’t seem to determine if it’s fungal/bacterial/both?) and they suggested a benzoyl peroxide wash. I used that for about a week (no changes) and went back in this week. As a Hail Mary we decided I should try an antifungal wash, which I’m now on day 2 of- and my skin is so dry and flakey. I don’t know if I’m supposed to expect to see improvement in a week or if I should have seen it right away, but I’m feeling so defeated and insecure, and the dermatologist is also at a loss- she literally said “you’re a really interesting case!” which is like, yeah😭 any insight would be greatly appreciated, I’m at a complete loss

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone here might have some insight because this has been affecting me for years now.

Several years ago I accidentally shaved my scalp way too aggressively with clippers. I basically gave myself a lot of small cuts and irritation. Shortly after that I started developing inflamed bumps on the back and crown of my scalp. Ever since then, the inflammation has never completely gone away.

My doctor diagnosed it as folliculitis, but it has become chronic. The inflammation is mainly on the crown and back of my scalp, although I occasionally get a few lesions elsewhere.

The worst part is that it has started leaving scars, which honestly scares me much more than the bumps themselves. I'm worried that if I can't stop the inflammation, I'll continue getting more permanent scarring over time.

So far I've tried:

Oral lymecycline/tetracycline

Topical clindamycin/dalacin

Benzoyl peroxide (Basiron)

Ketoconazole shampoo (Fungoral)

Tea tree oil

Aloe vera gel

Gentle cleansing

Avoiding close shaving

I'm currently using Differin (adapalene)

I've ordered Clinisoothe Skin Purifier, which I'll start using daily.

One thing that has frustrated me is that no biopsy or bacterial/fungal culture has ever been taken. My doctor felt it wouldn't change the treatment, but I'm seriously considering insisting on both a biopsy and cultures because I really want to know exactly what I'm dealing with.

The frustrating thing is that oral and topical antibiotics work, but only while I'm using them. Once I stop, the folliculitis gradually comes back again.

After giving Differin enough time to work, I'm planning to try Hibiclens (chlorhexidine). If that still doesn't fix it, I'm strongly considering photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Isotretinoin (Accutane) has also been suggested, but I'm honestly very hesitant because of the potential side effects. My biggest concern is dry eyes, since I already feel like I have mild dry eye symptoms, and I'm worried Accutane could make them significantly worse. That said, if it's ultimately the best chance of stopping the inflammation and preventing further scarring, I'm willing to consider it.

My questions are:

Does this sound like "just" chronic bacterial folliculitis, or could it be something like folliculitis decalvans, acne necrotica, or another scarring scalp condition?

Has anyone else developed persistent folliculitis after a traumatic shave or skin injury?

Would you recommend insisting on a biopsy and bacterial/fungal cultures before trying isotretinoin?

Has anyone had success with PDT for chronic scalp folliculitis?

If you've taken Accutane for scalp folliculitis, did it clear it long-term, or did it come back after stopping?

Is there anything else you would try before moving on to Accutane?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through something similar. This has been going on for years, and while the inflammation itself is frustrating, it's the progressive scarring that worries me the most. I really want to stop this before I lose more hair follicles and end up with more permanent scars.

I prioritize clean eating and an active lifestyle.

Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences!

This is not itchy but some inflamed bumps itch

Tried anti dandruff shampoo but it further irritated it without any result

This has been consistent from months

How to treat it

I have both been recommended and seen people say that Hibiclens has really helped get rid of their Folliculitis. I want to try, but I’m seeing that Hibiwash is the exact same thing just rebranded for Europe.
Should I go with that?
Or is Hibiclens in America the only one that will really work for it?
(Sorry if this is a stupid question)

I’ve had folliculitis decalvans for several years and was diagnosed by a dermatologist in 2023.

I was treated with rifampicin and clindamycin, but after treatment it returned. Since then I’ve mainly been managing flare-ups myself.

It’s mostly at the nape of my neck, where I get recurrent inflamed bumps, redness and l scarring hair loss from the inflammation.

At the moment I’m using BP 10% wash during flares and also Hibiclens

The BP / Hibiclens definitely helps calm things down, but I know it isn’t a long-term treatment

A few questions:

• Has anyone found a treatment that worked after rifampicin/clindamycin didn’t?

• Has anyone had success with isotretinoin or other medications?

• Once your foliculitis was under control, did your hair loss stop progressing?

• Can anyone recommend a dermatologist in London (NHS or private) with a particular interest in folliculitis decalvans or scarring alopecia?

This has become my biggest insecurity and I feel like the flare ups have gotten worse in the heat, so I’d really appreciate hearing about other people’s experiences and any recommendations.

Thanks in advance.

Hi just wanted to share what’s helped me.

About 2 months ago started suffering with a flare up of folliculitis.

I’m UK based, originally my GP prescribed Clarithmocyn, this did absolutely nothing, if anything made it spread like wildfire.

I then got prescribed clindamycin and I used acnecide 5% benzoyl peroxide and dermol.

For the first week I still felt like it was getting worse, but slowly realised less spots were forming. Fast forward to today this is the first time in 2 months I’ve truly felt comfortable again and I can say it’s completely calmed down.

So just incase anyone else is suffering and is UK based maybe try this combo 😊

So I have folliculitis all along my beard area, not sure which kind. I'm thinking bacterial, but I could be wrong.

This picture shows the worst of it. The whiteheads used to be bigger, but they've faded a bit.

This first showed up while I was a month in to an Accutane course for cystic acne.

Either way, I made a post on this subreddit a couple days ago and was recommended to try Hibiclens.

I wash with Hibiclens day and night, and I leave it on my face for around a minute each time. At night, I also use 10% BP wash.

Since then, my skin has absolutely exploded with whiteheads. They always have a hair in the center, too, but it's not an ingrown or anything.

I haven't shaved or plucked any hair in two weeks, either, so I have no idea why everything is coming to a head now.

A lot of them pop up in clusters, and they sprout from these red inflamed blotches in my beard area.

With Hibiclens, I was thinking my face would look better before it got worse, but that hasn't been the case and it's stressing me out.

Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you!

I haven't been on here for long but have been really interested to read people's stories. Massive empathy with everyone who is going through whatever variety of this condition you have as I know the stress it can cause. I thought I would share my situation as it is helpful for me to put it down in writing, and also to say how I have attempted to manage my condition.

Around ten years ago I first noticed itching and dryness on the top of my scalp, it was very sporadic and felt just like having a dry scalp, so it wasn't something I took particularly seriously. I had moved to an area with very hard water (water with a higher mineral concentration) from an area of very soft water (low mineral concentration). I had also started working a more stressful job for the first time. My habits in terms of immediately showering after exercise and washing towels/pillowcases were really poor, which, in hindsight was asking for trouble. I think also the fact that I couldn't see this part of my head when looking in the mirror meant that it was 'out of sight, out of mind'.

Over time the itching began getting worse to the point that there was a crusty layer of skin on top of this area and I regularly picked at it, often pulling out several hairs at a time. This provided temporary relief, and my assumption was that the hair would grow back. And that the crusts wouldn't keep coming back if I removed them properly. Obviously this was incorrect - the worst way to try to manage the condition. It led to occasions when I was on trips and I would wake up with dots of blood on my pillow which had come from small open sores my scalp - not ideal when you have to pay for replacement pillows for AirBnb hosts and hotels.

I tried Moogoo scalp cream which helped with the itching overnight. By this point I had also been to my doctor and was prescribed Nizoral ketoconazole shampoo, which also provided some temporary relief. Tar shampoo also seems to help lessen symptoms temporarily.

Usually in the sweaty summer months the condition worsens, or when I have heating on in the house during winter. I think I have a denser hair profile than average which means that sweat is trapped against the skin for longer, providing good conditions for bacteria to thrive.

As I became aware I was losing more hair, my scalp was scarring in the areas where the hair had been lost, and suffering from regular itchiness, I went to see a dermatologist in London last year. I was prescribed with lymecycline, a tetracycline antibiotic which treats acne. This helped with the inflammation I was suffering from, but did not provide a permanent solution. At that point it seemed clear from my research that I have folliculitis decalvans, though I appreciate it is often hard to provide an exact diagnosis.

As my symptoms had largely failed to clear, the dermatologist put me on isotretinoin (accutane) - I have been taking 20mg a day for around six months, and this is where I am currently. I have had some of the common side effects - dry skin and lips, increased sun sensitivity. I have noticed increased hair loss and slight expansion of the main scarred area, and the itchiness is still an issue. This doesn't give me much hope that isotretinoin will work for me, but I will see if a higher dose or different antibiotics may make a difference.

I have also recently started washing my hair with mineral water with low calcium / magnesium mineral counts (softer water), which does seem to help a bit with itching. There is some research out there which shows how hard water can cause scalp issues, and you can usually find reports from your local water company which show if you are in a hard or soft water area. The water's pH is also relevant apparently.

Overall I'm pretty frustrated but aware that others have it worse than me. I will keep trying with dermatologists - it is expensive as I am in the UK and paying rather than using the NHS, but I am fortunate to have access to some good specialists due to living in London.

Thanks for reading and best of luck!

Instead of my scalp folliculitis improving with age, with consultation, with antibacterial solutions and different attempts to resolve it once-and-for all, mine has gotten worse over the years.

I've tried several things; which surprises friends and family, and it gets so annoying when they suggest "so go see a doctor to resolve it". Oh, thanks I never thought of that!

I shave my head with a trimmer (quite close to the scalp but not full 0 shave or use a razor), but have taken periods of not shaving at all. Still get the bumps.

Most recently I thought I found the root cause - CSP (compulsive skin picking). However, even with strict control and two weeks of no CSP, still it doesn't improve.

The red bumps are one thing, but sometimes I get a puss filled one and after it pops it turns into a scab (and I've picked at it). Photo is one healing now.

I'm going to try topical antibacterial again, but at this rate I just can't deal with the embarrassment of it anymore and I have lost hope of anything improving. There are certain conditions (like the common cold and folliculitis) that i think will never have cures.

Hi reddit i just need some help with my laser hair removal concerns. I have completed about 8 sessions so far and i feel like my facial hair has reduced alot. However after my 6th session, my laser tech got switched out to a different laser tech and my skin has been getting folliculitis ever since. My new tech said she had been using the same settings on my face so idk what else to do besides maybe trying benzoyl peroxide or clindamycin after my laser sessions. The bumps you see are a week out after laser and become pus filled acne that leaves me with PIH :(. If you have any tips or similar experience please let me know!!

I've had these very painful bumps on my scalp for about a week now. My lymph nodes are also painfully inflamed from behind my ear to my neck. Is this foliculitis? it only seems to be on one side of my head. I've been using ketoconazole shampoo once every three days because I thought it was dandruff but the pain has gotten unbearable.