Folliculitis: Causes and Natural Remedies

Folliculitis is a skin infection that affects the upper part of the hair follicle. The skin becomes inflamed and red, with itching and subsequent formation of pimples.

Folliculitis is when the classic pimples appear near the hair.

They can therefore appear on any area of ​​the skin except the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

In men, folliculitis tends to appear mainly in the beard area and in women in the skin of the arms, legs and buttocks, all areas often subject to shaving and hair removal.

Hair follicles

We are literally covered in over 5 million hair follicles: they are very small anatomical structures

The visible part of the hair, the one that emerges from the skin is called the shaft , the part rooted in the skin is called the root.

Each hair follicle corresponds to a sebaceous gland and an arrector pili muscle , which “stands up” the hair according to stimuli. (Do you know goosebumps?)

The follicle also has a bulb that vascularizes the follicle.

The causes

There are multiple factors that trigger folliculitis , the main ones for infectious folliculitis are:

• Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Fungi such as Candida albicans, Malassezia fungi and Trichophyton rubrum
• Viruses such as Herpes simplex

The most common form of infectious folliculitis is that caused by Staphylococcus aureus , which gives rise to multiple infectious problems including this one.

The main triggers are

• Excessive sweating
• Blockage of hair follicles for example when wearing tight clothing very frequently
• Shaving and hair removal against the hair
• Injuries
• Pathologies

In some cases, however, the causes triggering folliculitis may not be bacterial, fungal or viral in origin.

The most common of the non-infectious folliculitis is called beard pseudofolliculitis : before even emerging from the hair follicle, beard hairs push and penetrate the skin, irritating and inflaming it.

Then the "pimples" typical of folliculitis appear even though there is no bacterial infection.

Symptoms

Superficial folliculitis is characterized by the presence of small red or pus-filled pimples at the site of the hair follicle . The skin becomes red and the area itches .

If folliculitis involves the deeper layers of the skin, pain occurs and scarring occurs as a consequence.

Prevention and Natural Remedies

Superficial folliculitis requires careful hygiene and the exclusive use of extremely delicate soaps.

• • If possible, it is preferable to use an electric razor . Avoid shaving until the skin is healthy again.
    
    
  • Prefer nourishing and delicate shower gels with formulas compatible with the skin's pH.
    
    
  • Shower immediately when excessive sweating occurs to limit bacterial growth.
    
    
  • Expose the area to fresh air.
    
    
  • Do not share towels to avoid further sensitization of the reactive and irritated area and prefer a daily change of them.
    
    
  • Use soothing creams to calm and reduce redness in the area, ideal is Prima Pelle 30% di Latte e Lun a , a soothing and repairing ointment with a barrier effect for use even on sensitive skin and in cases of damaged and irritated skin.
    
    
  • Apply warm compresses , with a wet towel, to calm the area, relieve the discomfort and prevent the infection from spreading.
    
    
    
  • Follow a healthy diet , avoiding excessive use of fats or refined foods that could burden the liver, generating various skin reactions.
    
    
  • Use a Propolis ointment with a disinfectant and preventative action in the formation of scabs. Useful because it helps to dry the follicle and bring the reddened area back to normal.
    
    
  • Use a generous amount of Aloe Vera Gel , as soon as folliculitis appears, to refresh, hydrate, calm, soothe, reduce redness and perform a healing and antibacterial action. You will notice a valid improvement after just a few minutes.
    
    

Now that you know what to do in case of folliculitis, don't miss our guide to preventing and treating ingrown hairs !

Want to know more about body care? Discover all our body care guides !

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