How can I get rid of folliculitis on my chest and back?

Doctor's Answers 3

Thank you for the question. It must be frustrating to be having recurrent folliculitis on the chest and back.

The are a few possible causes of recurrent red bumps on the chest and back, including folliculitis, truncal acne and pityrosporom folliculitis (a type of folliculitis caused by a fungal infection). Sometimes, it can be a combination of the above which can make treatment tricky as treatment for one condtion can aggravate the other eg.truncal acne treatment can aggravate pityrosporum folliculitis. Pityrosporom folliculitis is also aggravated by heat and sweat.

The appearance can also look very similar and requires some experience to tell the difference.

I would suggest seeing a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Further tests like fungal scraping can be done in some cases to confirm the diagnosis.

Hi Javier

It is hard to say whether it is truly folliculitis or not based on your description. Rash unfortunately needs to be seen (sometimes real life better than photos) before a diagnosis is made.

You could give a little more information on

  1. how long has the issue been?
  2. Any new drugs or medications?
  3. Change in shower gel and even clothes washing? I have seen patients who had an overhaul of products or change in detergents which had a contact dermatitis or irritation.

My honest opinion is – see someone you trust and has time to consult you thoroughly for your history. Rash is 80% history 20% examination.

Take care!

Thank you for the question. It must be frustrating to be having recurrent folliculitis on the chest and back.

The are a few possible causes of recurrent red bumps on the chest and back, including folliculitis, truncal acne and pityrosporom folliculitis (a type of folliculitis caused by a fungal infection). Sometimes, it can be a combination of the above which can make treatment tricky as treatment for one condtion can aggravate the other eg.truncal acne treatment can aggravate pityrosporum folliculitis. Pityrosporom folliculitis is also aggravated by heat and sweat.

The appearance can also look very similar and requires some experience to tell the difference.

I would suggest seeing a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Further tests like fungal scraping can be done in some cases to confirm the diagnosis.

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