Help on how to treat what i dont know.

Hi dr. I'm hoping you can help me out trying to guess at what going on with me and a potential treatment.
1. I am having redish inflamed hair follicule on my inner thigh, they are red and no pus just looks irritated. They tend to go away pretty fast ( day or so) unless I try to squeeze it to get something out of it ( nothing comes out) and it leaves a red brown discolorization from squeezing. Next thing I'm getting is on my outter thigh from under butt cheek down behind thigh what looks like inflamed goose bumps that get redish enlarge and stay that way for day or so. If left alone looks like deflates and is normal, again if bothered it seems to swell bigger and if squeezed enough will break skin, bleed and it tends to take for ever for scar to leave. Once in great while I will get a little white head very tiny and usually seen in where hair is growing out from thigh other than that no pus.

What does this sound like to you? I see folliculitis online but no itchyness, pus, pain, etc for symptoms...only thing it gets red it seems.
What do you reccomend for treatment. My doctor gave me antibiotics that seemed to help but didn't do much. I've been using neosporin on legs for topical antibiotics and antibactarial soap and vitamens to help.
I would like to know what I can use to help what ever is going on and with brown discolorization
Last thing, I'm worried this is linked to hiv because I see online its stated its a subtle sign of infection, in your experience what kind of folliculitis is it and what point of hiv would this happen. This so called symptoms have been on going for over year now.

[Jasmina Jankicevic, MD, MSc, CCRP]

Welcome to the Dermatology Expert Forum!

Both affected areas are normally exposed to friction and, therefore, could get irritated. The best thing to do is to prevent irritation by using cotton underwear, avoiding sweating and prolonged friction, and keeping those sensitive areas clean and dry at all times.

From what you described, it does not sound like you have Folliculitis nor that it is linked to HIV infection.  Darker discolorations you mentioned are probably post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (inflammation caused by squeezing).

FYI – If you think that you might have been exposed to HIV, testing would be recommended. You can read more about it at the Center for Disease Control website: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/default.htm

Wishing You Optimal Health,
Dr. Jasmina Jankicevic    

[jitterbug65]

Ok, so there is no medication I can take or cream to get rid of discolorization? And its good if its just friction, that's what I thought it was as well...and how is it def not linked to hiv? And I have been tested. Thanks

[jitterbug65]

Also like to point out that the goosebump style bump on thigh that is red and gets bigger in size sometimes hurts a tad , still no pus from them. They just feel a little soreat times but again deflates and goes reg color and no soreness. That is my last comment and hopefully get back to me so I can know what messures I should take to get rid of it need be. And what would folliculitis be like if I DID have it, no further comments...thanks.