Folliculitis is the term given when our hair follicles become inflamed, resulting in painful red bumps.
This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as:
- blocked hair follicles
- excessive sweating
- being exposed to friction
- or having an infection.
Acne, on the other hand, results from a combination of:
- having clogged pores
- excessive sebum production
- an overgrowth of the bacteria P. acni, resulting in inflammation.
They appear as blackheads, whiteheads, or painful red bumps. Acne can be associated with the inflammation of hair follicles, and it may not be possible to differentiate them clinically.
There are various treatments available to help acne and folliculitis, depending on the cause.
Before consulting a doctor regarding folliculitis, some home remedies that you can try are:
- applying warm compress to the affected area
- avoid shaving irritated skin
- and reducing the exposure of skin to harsh chemicals and skincare products.
At consultation, you doctor might prescribe various medications including antibiotics, anti-virals, or steroids. Laser therapy for hair retardation/removal also helps improve folliculitis as it reduces the number of hair follicles.
Acne treatments are usually multi-modality, because there are various contributing causes.
Before consulting a doctor, some tips you can practise at home are:
- reducing your stress levels
- using over-the-counter acne products
- avoiding heavy make-up
- and minimise picking or squeezing your pimples/blackheads.
Your doctor might use a mixture of medical skincare and oral medicines, as well as treatments like lasers, peels and facials.
From the image, it seems like there are spots of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and possibly areas with sensitive skin. It is difficult to advise here on what creams were given based on the written account, therefore I think it is best to consult your doctor for a more comprehensive review. Hope this is of help to you!
