Folliculitis?...or something more serious

[seekingrelief]

Hello Doctors,

I'm a 32 year-old male.

I have been getting recurring bouts of what seems to be folliculitis, but with other adverse side effects.  I got treated with a bad case of folliculitis on my face about 7 months ago (antibiotics) and it mostly cleared itself up, but I have a recurring problem that has been around for a few years that hasn't gone away.  I get really painful inflamed follicles on my scalp, and generally all over my body.  Normally, I just pop the pustules that are on my head (ooze yellow puss)and they eventually heal after a week or so, but the ones on my face and body I usually treat by popping the pustule and plucking the hair.

I've noticed that when I pop the pustules and pull out the hair, the hair is often white (I have no white hair on my head or my body at all)...regardless of where the inflammation is.  My mother was diagnosed with a mild case of Lupus and I'm wondering if perhaps I have it too and it's causing this.  I get regular barber's rash whenever I shave, but I use an astringent that keeps my face clear.  But I will regularly get these extremely painful inflammed follicules on my face, not necessarily where I shave and as I mentioned, on my head and my body.  Dermatologists have been less than helpful. I've also noticed that the head on my hair has thinned quite rapidly.  I can't help but think this is an autoimmune reaction and that my follicles are being attacked by my own body's defense system.

Could you please advise on what I should do, or at least what I should specifically ask dermatologists to test me for.

Many thanks,
seekingrelief