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Folliculitis - Treatment

Alternative Names

Pseudofolliculitis barbae; Tinea barbae; Barber's itch

Treatment:

Hot, moist compresses may promote drainage of the affected follicles. Treatment may include antibiotics applied to the skin (mupirocin) or taken by mouth (dicloxacillin), or antifungal medications to control the infection.

Expectations (prognosis):

Folliculitis usually responds well to treatment, but may come back.

Complications:

Folliculitis may return
Infection may spread to other body areas

Calling your health care provider:

Apply home treatment and call your health care provider if symptoms come back frequently, if they last longer than 2 or 3 days, or if the infection spreads.

Folliculitis, decalvans on the scalp

Folliculitis on the leg

Reviewed last on: 11/16/2008
Linda Vorvick, MD, Family Physician, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Habif TP. Bacterial infections. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2004: chap 9.

Swartz MN, Pasternack MS. Cellulitis and subcutaneous tissue infections. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2005: chap 86.

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