folliculitus

Dr. Rockoff,
I understand your answer, that it is hard to diagnose without seeing it. The problem is that when I went to the dermatologist two weeks ago, I was in a physically and emotionally in distress. She told me my face was raw and would take weeks to heal, and put me on the cortisone and erythromycin. The next opening to see her was in 3 1/2 weeks. I have tried to get in early on a cancellation to no avail. She told me that she knew that I wanted to get the white stuff out of my face, but that I shouldn't help it out. I should just leave it sitting on my face as it comes out. That she knew how to get it out, and that I don't. But, she didn't go into detail about exactly what was happening to me. So, two weeks later, I am sitting here with white strings (tiny) coming out everywhere. But, this morning, I put some erythromycin cream under my jaw to see what happened, and the same stuff is coming out. So, I wonder if, after two months on the keflex, this stuff is a sterile remain of folliculitus (folliculitis)? After reading your response, I tried several dermatologists in my area, and they too are all booked up until the end of the week. Though a week desn't seem long normally, I have three kids and a lot of stuff to do, and I am exhausted, after two months of this mess, and tired of looking wierd. If I don't put the cream on, the stuff won't come out, then I can carry on until I see her. Yet, I imagine that I should continue to use the cream. Julie

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Julie:

Your postings concern me very much.  The "white stuff" you keep referring to is sounds like sebum, or oil, not pus.  Erythromycin cream does not make sebum "come out."  It just doesn't.  If you are convinced it does, then just don't use it.

You will need to wait for an appointment, and a week does indeed seem reasonable.   You will also need to confron the possibility--the likelihood--that the doctor you see will tell you that you no longer have a facial infection and that you will need to live with your skin as it is.

I can't prejudge this from a distance, but I simply can't picture an ongoing "infection" like what you say you have--you appear to be interpreting normal facial phenomena as abnormal, and that is a very different kettle of fish, and a complictaed one.

Please listen carefully to the doctor's advice, leave the white stuff where it belongs, and get the help you need.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[julielefkowitz]

okay