Terrible shaving outbreak

Hello,

when I was seventeen years old, I shaved my private area completely and regretably broke out to the point that my hair won't grow back in and pus bumps come and go every now and then.  I am 26 years old now and sadly, the problem is still there.  Throughout the years, I've seen gynocologist after gynocologist and two suggested it may be Folliculitis.  I've tried home remedies, like soaking, applying ointments, and have tried two oral-antibiotics (cephalexin and Diclococlyne) and they didn't do anything, but give me a yeast infection.

I keep hearing how Folliculitis goes away on its own, but mine hasn't went away and I've never shaved myself there again since that time.

I'm begging for a diagnosis and an effective treatment if somone out there has a clue as to what I can do to help what seems like a curable yet stubborn problem.

Thanks for any comments and suggestions!

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
In most individuals there are outbreaks of folliculitis from time to time. Your one shaving episode may not have much to with their appearance now so many years later.

Folliculitis is infection and inflammation of the hair follicles. The condition may be superficial (i.e., on the surface of the skin) or deep within the follicles.The most common cause of folliculitis is infection by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus.

Folliculitis symptoms can appear independent of infection. Exposure of the skin to certain chemicals, especially oils and tars, can trigger an outbreak. People with depressed immune systems, diabetes, or obesity have a greater risk of contracting folliculitis than the general population.

Patients with chronic unresponsive folliculitis may require investigation into the source of the infection. S. aureus bacteria can live in the patient's nostrils, periodically triggering a folliculitis outbreak.

Individuals who are predisposed to folliculitis should be extremely careful about personal hygiene. Application of antiseptic washes may help prevent recurrences. A topical antibiotic cream, mupirocin (Bactroban®), has been effective at reducing bacterial colonization in the nostrils. It is applied twice daily for a week and is repeated every 6 months.

If there any of the mentioned medical causes then treating those will reduce the occurence of the condition.
ref:http://www.dermatologychannel.net/follicle/folliculitis.shtml




Some stubborn cases of folliculitis have been responsive to laser-assisted hair removal. This process uses a laser to destroy the follicle. This reduces the scarring that results from folliculitis.

[Yayah]

Thanks for the comments/information about Folliculitis.  Most of what you've written, I didn't know before, about this condition.

You mention using an antiseptic wash-what do you think about the soap, Hibiclens?  I've purchased it and will see what it can do, along with an antibiotic cream.

-Mya