Foliiculitus

[pingo]

the doctor says i have folliculitus (folliculitis) around my groin area.. itchy red bumps on thighs , butt and penis.. i have been prescribed novo cloxin 500 mg capsules.. the bumps on my head are darkened like a scab type after two days of medication.. does this mean it is healing?.. is this a sign of the infection going away? does this seem normal? is it possible to have the infection on the head of penis where there is no hair?..im still very itchy and i feel a tingling itchy type feeling inside my penis.. no burning when i pee.. is this just part of the healing process??my doctor said i should be fine in 2 weeks.. i really hope so.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

You should reconsult with your doctor and get a review clinical examination.

Folliculitis can get complicated leading to scarring. Severe folliculitis may leave thick, raised scars (hypertrophic or keloid scars) or patches of skin that are darker than normal.

On the other hand this could also be a part of the normal healing process.

Only a clinical examination would help with the exact cause.

The following suggestions may help relieve discomfort, speed healing and prevent the infection from spreading:
Apply a warm, moist washcloth or compress to the affected area several times a day.
Try an oatmeal lotion or an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to help soothe itchy skin.
Gently wash the infected skin twice a day with antibacterial soap or apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment.
Avoid shaving irritated skin. If you must shave, use an electric razor rather than a blade, and apply a soothing after-shave lotion when you're finished.

Apply calamine lotion at the site of the lesions and see if it helps. You could take some oral antihistamine medications like cetrizine or loratadine. You need to maintain a good personal hygiene . Use a medicated sunscreen and avoid sun exposure.

Anti-itch drugs, often antihistamine, may reduce the itch during a flare up of eczema, and the reduced scratching in turn reduces damage and irritation to the skin.

You could read the following link for more information -
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/folliculitis/DS00512

Let us know about how you are doing and what your doctor advises.

Regards.

[pingo]

thank you for your advice.. ok im almost done my anti biotics and i feel the infection has reduced but im still itchy and i am pretty sure im still infected.. the bumps on my penis sometimes release fluid than scab up and then turn to a sore / scar.. ive been using petrolium jelly and penaten cream.. not too sure if its helping... every day i shower and it seems as if there is still fluid in the bumps so i occaisionally try to pop them.. is that a bad thing?, because it seems like its taking longer to heal and maybe scaring..
I have some bigger type bumps on my buttocks that havent reduced much and are very irritating.. i try my best not to scratch.

is there anything that may reduce scaring or fade scaring? if there is fluid in them , will they have to pop for them to heal or will the infection just go away?.. should i let them pop on their own?  my doctor also prescribed me a type of cream .. he said once im done using the anti biotics and if the infection still occurs .. then to use it... i have about 2 days left of anti biotics supply... should i use the cream?

[BhumikaMD]

hi,

It is bad to actually pinch a heling lesion. this way youa re not only pushing back the healing process, also you may cause more such lesions as well as further scarring.

Scarring or hyperpigmentation after wound healing is common.

However, these usually resolve or grow less intense with time. In covered areas of the body, a treatment may not be necessary as the skin gradually comes back to normal. Nevertheless, there may be some residual scarring and you may choose to take therapy.

There are many methods to treat the scarring. These include, steroidal application, other chemicals such as heaprin derivatives which may be used. Microdermabrasion may also help in case of pitting.

However at the present time, it would be best that you try to keep the area clean and well moisturized. upon complete healing, you may also use anti-histamines for the itching.

It is difficult to say which cream you are refer to in your post. Please expand.

let me know if you may need any more information