Folliculitis is an infection of a hair follicle. If pus is visible, it is called a pustule or pimple. Folliculitis but not always accompanied by pus, and there are more than forms of pustules inflamed hair follicles.
Other causes
Folliculitis causes : Folliculitis by microorganisms
- Frequently occurring (mostly hidden) is an inflammation with gram-negative bacteria. These are scattered see 1mm large pusteltje surrounded by some redness.
- Pityrosporum follitculitis is a superficial infection with the yeast Malassezia furfur (formerly pityrosporum) looks just like this. The pus is often only more grainy.
- A carbuncle is a deeper localized inflammation of a hair follicle, caused by Staphylococcus aureus. It is formed much more pus. It is a large nodule centimeters, with redness and pain of the skin. If the pus once wegkan, the inflammation often heals spontaneously. A carbuncle is a chronic boil, producing subcutaneous corridors, allowing the immune system is unable to get rid of the bacteria.
- Dermatophytes are fungi that can cause skin infections (ringworm). Sometimes hair follicles are affected, and results in a folliculitis. This can also occur in the beard area (tinea barbae).
- In many people also live mites in the hair follicles, especially in the face, Demodex (Demodex folliculorum). Sometimes, an inflammatory reaction may occur directed against these mites. Demodex folliculitis is give redness and pustule formation in the face, similar to the symptoms of rosacea.
Other causes
- With curly hair that is shaved, can cause the hair (the theory) grow back into the skin and inflammation. That is called pseudofolliculitis barbae. 'Pseudo' because the inflammation is not against the follicle, but against the invading her.
- Also, in acne, there is folliculitis. Possible because accumulates in the horn follikelopening (= comedo), so that bacteria and tallow may start to grow into the cavity. On the other hand, according to recent articles already folliculitis arise before a comedo exists (and possibly the folliculitis would cause even the comedo). Something similar is the order in keratosis pilaris. This is a condition where around follikelopening hear what clots occur. In some cases, it may also be a mild folliculitis hereby created which is known as keratosis pilaris rubra.
- In discoid lupus erythematosus there is an auto-immune response directed against the hair follicles. This shows in the active phase redness around the hair follicle, hear clots spot the follikelopening, and scaling of the skin. This skin is scarring, with no new hair follicles more arise, so there arises baldness. Even when a variant of lichen planus and folliculitis may decalvans such folliculitis, leading to scarring and baldness, arise. In another autoimmune disorder alopecia areata hair follicles or be attacked, but there is no scarring. The hair loss is hereby temporarily in principle, although not everyone comes back hair.
- Eosinophilic folliculitis is a causative agent or folliculitis without obvious cause, whereby a lot of eosinophils to be found. Sometimes this also occurs in HIV patients.
- Certain medications create an inflammation of hair follicles. This is particularly evident with erlotinib and gefitinib (biologicals intended for cancer and directed against growth factors).