5 replies to this topic

[B552299G]

So I went on Minocycline about a year ago. About 4 months in I got a little split in my chin that wouldn't heal so after dealing with it for 8 months I went to a plastic surgeon. He said it was gram negative foliculitus in the cut, so he cauterized with silver nitrate and scraped out the hair follicules. I'm freaking out that my derm didnt see this. Should I continue the mionocycline? Do you think it is the Minocycline that is casuing the foliculitus? I read that antibiotic use can cause gram negative foliculitus.

I'm totally new to foliculitus and never even considered it. Any one with any knowledge on this please help me out.

Thanks!

[Casablancaa]

well, looking online it says that it's caused by longterm use of antibiotics, you've been on it for only a year, so maybe your body is more susceptible to the side effects of the minocycline ...you would probably have to stop using it as it would worsen the symptoms but you should consult with whoever prescribed it to you.

[asburypark101]

Yeah that is rare to have gram negative folliculitis after a year or even at all. You can ask the derm to do a culture test on your skin, especially around the nose and mouth. This way you can know for certain if it gram negative folliculitis. With the cut on your chin that wouldnt heal, it could be gram negative folliculitis or it could have been a mild staph infection. Staph love cuts, and some people with antibitocs for acne are more susceptible to staph infections. Good luck.

[B552299G]

Thanks for the input! After a little more reading I think what I had was only folliculitus and not gram negative folliculitus. The doctor who said gram negative was a plastic surgeon, not a dermatologist. He said the inflamation in the hair follicules was what was causing the cut to not heal, and he didnt do a culture to confirm gram negative. My dermatologist did a culture of it about a month after I initially got it and it was not staph (although that doesn't mean I didn't get staph at some point in the next 7 months seeing as I play hockey and wear a mask, and I lift weights everyday). I'm going back to see my derm within the next few weeks and am gonna see what he says.

Also, would Bactrim be a better choice for an antibiotic if I am developing some sort of foliculitus (be it gram negative or not)? Minocycline has worked well, but I am willing to swicth if it makes me less susceptible to any form of foliculitus.

Thanks!

[asburypark101]

Bactrim is a very good antibiotic and from what I hear it has been more effective against acne than minocycline (I am on minocycline as well and it has worked really well for me too). But i do hear that bactrim has more severe side effects and there is a rare potential to develop Steven Johnson Syndrome (google it, it is scary!). Now with gram negative folliculitis bactrim wont be effective against it, but like I said before gram negative folliculitis is really rare and most individuals with long term antibiotics do not get it.

[B552299G]

Thanks for your help. I spoke with my derm and he also assured me it wasnt gram negative folliculitis. He described folliculitus as being similar to acne and wants to just keep on doing what I'm doing. We'll see...