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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Foliculitis or STD??
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
Foliculitis or STD??
by crdman, Feb 15, 2007 12:00AM
35 year old/white male/not allergic to any meds/take 50mg Zoloft daily for 8 years. Facial acne as a teenager. Middle Dec. 2006(2 weeks after unprotected intercourse with a woman,I noticed red pimple-like marks(look like whiteheads) on both sides of my buttocks(no itch)(none on genitals). Waited two weeks(late December) and saw Dr. diagnosed as Foliculitis (folliculitis)(never any issues with my skin in this area until now). Prescribed DOXYCYCLINE HYCLATE 100MG CAPSULES. No response. Then prescribed METHYLPREDNISOLONE 4MG DOSPAK 21'S. No response. Began noticing pimples spreading to lower back and to upper shoulder and chest. Began becoming uncomfortable..itching, burning. Saw Dr. again middle Jan. 2007..still Foliculitis (folliculitis)(gave me HIV and Syphillis blood test(6 weeks post unprotected intercourse), both came back negative. Prescribed SULFAMETH/TRIMETHOPRIM 800/160 TABS. Provided slight assistance, once I stopped taking these meds...the marks returned. The interesting thing about them is that they will go away for maybe 24 hours and then come back. And I can tell when they are returning because I feel an uncomfortable itching, burning in the area they pop up in. More prominent on buttocks and lower back, but do have a few on my shoulders. I have also noticed that my face seems to be breaking out a bit more in the past two weeks and I just feel a general feeling of itchiness. Woman I slept with supposedly has had a test for all STD's and is negative. I haven't had anything noticable in the genital area. I haven't been running any temperature.
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Feb 15, 2007 12:00AM
, Feb 15, 2007 12:00AM
Spots on the buttocks like the ones you describe are usually folliculitis. This is generally caused by staph bacteria, and has nothing to do with STD's. This is hard to treat, but it's not an important condition, and I usually suggest that people ignore it and let it go away by itself. Cleansing with an antibacterial soap (Dial, etc.) may help a bit. But ignoring it is better, especially after all those treatments you tried didn't work. The facial breakouts sound like acne, which has nothing to do with the buttock folliculitis.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Member Comments (2)
by roasted_monk, Feb 28, 2007 12:00AM
Two words. Tanning bed. I had what sounds very similar. Bunch of red bumps on one side of my haunch. Kind of localized. Looked like pimples but not really. Couldn't really pop them either. etc etc. Went to tanning bed (not because of them...I just wanted to get some color). I went about 2 times per week or less. (so not very often). Poof all gone. And have not come back.
