5 replies to this topic

[billbilllax67]

okay so basically im finishing up my course of accutane and while my acne has cleared of course i contracted folliculitis on my face during the course from an infection from a boil/shaving.

so my derm first gave me erythromicin for 2 weeks, and it seemed to work a bit but to be hones ti couldnt really tell cuz i was also using ACV on it at the time. basically after i ran out i stopped both acv and erythromicin, thinking it was okay. now the flares of folliculitus are back and taking control again

so my derm gave me erythromicin for 8 weeks more now, after telling me a swab they took of the area was indentified as staph something... so i just started the erythromicin again today but i read alot of people use nizoral and eventyually that takes care of it and it goes away? by washing the area with it. but i noticed this was for fungal infections. can i mix here? use the nizoral shampoo for topical and antibiotic? im not sur if mine is fungal or not but i guess my derm would tell me if it was but honestly i dont think shes very good since she told me i didnt need more than one blood test during accutane (from what i hear this is a load of bullocks and i should be getting them monthly)

so anyway, to use both or not? also im taking a pre and probiotic supplement to keep the good bacteria in check with the erythromicin.

its urgent because in like 12 days im doing to namibia...for a whole month and i literally will only be using face wipes. if i have to, i will bring some topical treat ment but i wont always be able to use it as for about 50% i'll be camping, and the rest staying in third world conditions...im kinda freaking out a bit and my derm really doesnt understand the urgency of the situation.

[changeofpace]

I don't exactly have an answer to your question because I'm not sure about the mixing of those two things. However, I wanted to ask what exactly your doctor said about folliculitis? It's treatable and actually goes away? Because my doctor basically told told me it was permanent because of the way my hair goes and nothing (short of stopping shaving altogether) would really help long-term. But if there is something out there to take, I would definitely want to be aware. Thanks.

[billbilllax67]

I don't exactly have an answer to your question because I'm not sure about the mixing of those two things. However, I wanted to ask what exactly your doctor said about folliculitis? It's treatable and actually goes away? Because my doctor basically told told me it was permanent because of the way my hair goes and nothing (short of stopping shaving altogether) would really help long-term. But if there is something out there to take, I would definitely want to be aware. Thanks.

no it shouldnt be permanent, you can treat it with antibiotics or anti-fungals depending on the type of infection it is, as your derm or doctor to take a swab and find out. have you done this? ..i know for some people it keeps coming back which scares the crap out of me because im almost done with accutane and now i havbe another skin problem...its like i can never get rid of this....its really depressing

[changeofpace]

He didn't take a swab at all. He looked at my face, said it was folliculitis, and perscribed an antibiotic. But when the problem persisted, he advised me to just grow a beard because the follicules will always get infected by shaving.

[incubus4284]

no stick with the antibiotics that she gave you, if she did a swab a aide of hers probably did it if you really dont trust her. Its better than a topical because its systemic so it'll even kill the bacteria thats deep inside the pore where even shampoo cant get to plus its designed for bacteria not fungus. Since its staph or staph aureus do make sure that you keep taking them even if the folliculitis disappears because even though you cant see it doesnt mean its not hiding under your skin. Also, since your takin antibiotics you might as well quit the probiotics chances are they'll be killed by the antibiotics as well and you may even have the folliculitis even longer.

[Wynne]

He didn't take a swab at all. He looked at my face, said it was folliculitis, and perscribed an antibiotic. But when the problem persisted, he advised me to just grow a beard because the follicules will always get infected by shaving.

Folliculitis is usually caused by a bacteria. The most common one is staph aureus (since it is normally present on everyone's skin ANYWAY) but there are other bugs (or fungi) that can cause folliculitis.

A swab test will isolate the particular type of bacteria or fungus that it is. If the doc does a culture and sensitivity test, that test will determine which antibiotic will kill that particular bug.

If your hair is exceptionally curly, that might be a problem for a future recurrence of folliculitis and might be why your doc said it wouldn't get better. But the right antibiotic (and some probiotics to help prevent colitis, etc) will help a lot. It might not even be a bacterial infection. You could try Nizoral or some other anti-fungal topical on your own and see if that helps. Make sure it is safe for use on the face.

okay so basically im finishing up my course of accutane and while my acne has cleared of course i contracted folliculitis on my face during the course from an infection from a boil/shaving.

so my derm first gave me erythromicin for 2 weeks, and it seemed to work a bit but to be hones ti couldnt really tell cuz i was also using ACV on it at the time. basically after i ran out i stopped both acv and erythromicin, thinking it was okay. now the flares of folliculitus are back and taking control again

so my derm gave me erythromicin for 8 weeks more now, after telling me a swab they took of the area was indentified as staph something... so i just started the erythromicin again today but i read alot of people use nizoral and eventyually that takes care of it and it goes away? by washing the area with it. but i noticed this was for fungal infections. can i mix here? use the nizoral shampoo for topical and antibiotic? im not sur if mine is fungal or not but i guess my derm would tell me if it was but honestly i dont think shes very good since she told me i didnt need more than one blood test during accutane (from what i hear this is a load of bullocks and i should be getting them monthly)

so anyway, to use both or not? also im taking a pre and probiotic supplement to keep the good bacteria in check with the erythromicin.

its urgent because in like 12 days im doing to namibia...for a whole month and i literally will only be using face wipes. if i have to, i will bring some topical treat ment but i wont always be able to use it as for about 50% i'll be camping, and the rest staying in third world conditions...im kinda freaking out a bit and my derm really doesnt understand the urgency of the situation.

Nizoral will not kill staph. Emycin will. The shampoo alone used as a body wash might not hurt, but be absolutely sure you wash all of it off.