False negative?

In late 2001, I saw a dermatologist for "pimples" on my scalp, back and chest.  He immediately thought staph. He told me to start using antibacterial soap.  Also, he wrote two scrips for keflex and bactroban (ointment for my nose) but told me not to fill them until the test results came back. The test came back negative.  I threw the scrips away.  He then prescribed tetracyline which I took for 5 months.  I stopped the tetracycline and I've been taking minocyclene for 2 months now. I still have the "pimples" but not as severe.   Dr. said I have folliculitis.   I think that perhaps the staph test was a false negative.  I've stopped taking antibiotics as 7 months is too much. Why not 1.) re-test for staph or 2.) treat as staph and see what happens?   This condition has plagued me for years.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I guess there's no harm in testing again, but most pimples of the kind you describe are sterile -- have no bacteria.  That's why the dermatologist recommended the cyclines, which help acne and similar sterile follicular conditions.

Still, if the cyclines haven't worked, it might be at leats worth considering a course of Keflex of the equivalent, whether or not a culture is positive.

Folliculitis is a very hard condition to have and to treat.

Good luck.

Dr. Rockoff

[primolev]

Thank you Dr.  I forgot to mention that I'm 40 yrs. old so the "pimple" thing is a little weird.  I had mild acne as a teenager but it disappeared by the time I was 18.