Hey everyone!
I thought I'd give you guys an update on something that's slowly but surely working for my folliculitis issues.
I have bad folliculitis on my legs, and have had it for years. I say it's working slowly because I have a lot of scar tissue and long lasting spots that take a while to go away, but my mom said that my legs look better.
What I do:
I use a scrub brush on the area, preferably twice a day.
I scrub using Nizoral.
Yup, that's it.
There are definitely fewer new red/irritated spots, and the exfoliation probably also works for the ingrown hair problems, too.
Thought I'd lat y'all know!! 
This is driving me insane. I have what strongly appears to be malassezia folliculitis. I strongly suspect it, because it just fits: I am a teenager, I live in a humid environment, and it appears mainly on the back. However, my dermatologist told me it was folliculitis, and gave me doxycycline and Retin-A Micro for it. I ended up stopping the doxy, and when I went to the derm again, he said the improvement would be much slower unless I took the antibiotics with it. And one thing I noticed was that the folliculitis definitely seemed to get better when I was on the doxy. Now, I'm wondering whether I should go back on it. I hear some very bad things about the antibiotics/MF combo.
Update: apparently I don't have fungal folliculitis, although my derm still says I have folliculitis. He claims that my folliculitis is acneiform, and I believe him, because the antibiotics have helped (not completely, though). My question is: what the hell is the difference between what I have and acne? I mean, my treatments for it are RAM and doxycycline...
I'm glad I found this site. Many people believe their outbreaks are acne, but it is actually "Pityrosporum Folliculitis." I went back and forth with my derm for many visits.
After a new boyfriend and years of clear skin I had an itchy rash on my chest. It spread to my neck and face over the period of 4 months. I also had a bump on the side of my nose for 3 months.
I was diagnosed with tinea(ringworm) but it didn't look like ringworm. The rash scaled off, but appeared in my hair and in large circular patterns on my jawline and forehead.
So I did some internet research and found this site.
www.dermnetnz.org/fungal/pityrosporum-folliculitis.html
This site is great because it gives you pictures, treatments and definitions.
If you get a persistent bump on the side of your nose that won't go away, this is because malessezia or pityrosporum lives on the mucous membranes. Also, I would also get an enormous, painful bump on my chin that would stay for weeks. I treated it like a ringworm patch and covered it with a liquid bandage overnight. It went away in only two days, I was elated.
It also is contagious and recurs, because it lives in our clothes and linens. Surfaces should be cleaned with bleach and clothes and linens should be cleaned to prevent another outbreak. Also, antibiotics will only make the condition worse, if it is fungal.
My derm laughed at me because, I voiced my concerns and told her of I thought I had malessezia folliculitis. But if you are unsure of what you have read this article.
ezinearticles.com/?Phony-Acne-Causes-Needless-Scarring-in-Men&id=359600
Hey guys,
I had Pity foll. for about 6 months, the doc gave me a few topical things to try but it kept coming back. So i did my own research and found Propylene Glycol.
Mixed it 1:1 with water, put it in a spray bottle and twice a day gently exfoliated the skin and then dried it off and sprayed on the mixture. Within two weeks it was completly gone and hasnt come back since.
So while im sure some people have worse cases than i did, for those of you that havent had any luck so far, here is an extremly cheap and easy treatment.
You had it for 6 months until you used prop. glycol? what else had you tried before that?
I've had it for a year now and it drives me insane. It wasn't so bad for the winter months but now it is raging again so I went to a dermatologist and he put me on oral anti-fungal in addition to ketoconazole shampoo. This is really supposed to work but I doubt it all because I have had it for a year and I'm almost sure it will come back.
It's making me depressed...
Hey kc meow,
When i first went to the doc and got some recommendations, he just gave me the name of an effective anti fungal cream i could apply to the "rash" and it would get rid of it. I mean it was a daft idea for pity foll. This is often something you cant see until the skin is disturbed...by being rubbed or scratched. Thats to say in some places you may not think its there but it is, so applying the cream to the all affected area is impossible.
What was happening was id apply it to where i knew there was an infection, it would go away but then afew weeks or watever later it would come back and spread further. Eventually it covered my chest, stomach and back going down to the inner legs. It was impossible to get rid of this infection with a 20ml tube of antifungal. So i did my research and found propelyene glycol, and different anti dandruff shampoo's (the best one for this in aus is called selsun anti dandurff), and i THINK the active ingredient u want in the shampoo is called selenium sulfide.
Anyway, i bought all these different attack strategies to fight pity foll but ended up only needing a 500ml bottle of propylene glycol. If i remember correctly i got all of the stuff from the chemist and it was all pretty cheap, especially the prop. glycol.
Id give it a go, this stuff is absolutly 100% safe, i guess unless ur allergic to it which i highly doubt. I remember its regarded as safe to use in food by the FDA.
So wat i did with the glycol was mixed it with an equal amount of water in a spray bottle. Would have a shower and gently scrub the skin all over with a face towel or something kinda roughish, dry off, then just spray the glycol water mix all over, rub it in, wait about 10 minutes for it to soak in and thats it.
It took a couple of weeks i cant remember how long exactly. Any questions, just let me know.
Cheers,
Steve
Are most of you talking about havnig it on you body? I only had it on my forehead. Im off my oral Antifungal and it wiped it out good. I asked the doc (why he didnt tell me this the 1st time) if I needed to maintain with a was or cream he told me to wash my face with ZNP soap. I wonder if the Nizoral Shampoo can be used on the face. I wonder which workes best to keep it away.
Has anyone had a proper diagnosis of this?
I have and the best treatment that has worked for me is Oral Ketoconazole pills. I have had the PF come back multiple times, but after a few weeks on the Ketoconazole it goes away for a few months and slowly comes back.
I have it on my face sometimes along with my body but the Ketoconazole pills and the Nizoral Shampoo over all affected areas seems to help alot.
my observation is Stevo is from Australia and A Chemist (and please correct me if Im wrong) Might either be something we dont have here in the states OR is equivalent to say a Pharmasist. ?? I dunno. I mean we have Chemists but.. I cant imagine getting something from that kind of chemist for your skin. OR I may know nothing about this Chemist stuff. Id like to know where to get it myself. I thought Pro Glycol was just a vehicle in other products, soaps and deodarents, why does it help with fungus?
Any one have good luck controling mild cases of PF with ZNP soap? So far I like it but Ive only used it a few times so..
sorry guys i shouldve put my "international" hat on. When i say chemist i do mean drug store or a pharmacy. Here in Aus they have all types of chemicals and stuff so i dont see why they wouldnt in the U.S. Cant hurt to go in and ask if u wanna try it.
Btw, when i was looking for my cure to P.F i did it through dermatological organisations (official websites etc) and wat ive told u guys is wat i found to be a solid and recommended treatment.
They work by basically killing the excessive amounts of yeast built up in the skin.
And remember if u dont know why u got it in the first place, u will probably get it again even if these treatments work. So it might be antibiotics (my reason) or being in humid conditions etc.
Cheers,
Steve
nup sorry i wouldnt be able to find the website as it was more than a year ago. Just type in something like dermatology pityrosporum folliculitus treatments and im sure something will come up.
LK2507, im positive u can use propelyne glycol/water mix on the face, however ud obviously do a test patch on ur neck for example to be sure for urself.
HEYYYYYYY look at that i typed in my suggestion and got a site detailing it:
The thing is, I dont know what caused it. I have lived in Panama before (the hottest and most humid place on earth) and never had this. Then all of a sudden I go to NYC (in the summer) and it comes on. huh?? I think they also said it can be stress related, but come on, stress is a part of life. Could it really have caused this?
I only have it on chest/back and upper stomach. Has anyone hear of diet being a factor? Like too much sugar, carbs etc. I am not diabetic (or this might make more sense).
For those of you who have been on oral ketoconazole, how long were you on it? I have been on it for 2 weeks now with HUGE improvement but I'm positive this is going to come back once I'm off it. Right now I still get new little red spots even thou I'm on meds. I just get much less of them.
I will try the prop. glyc. Thanks for that suggestion!
k
I usually go on it for 2-4 weeks. My PF is usually not gone after 2 weeks, but my doctor is hesitant to keep me on it for longer because of the liver problems. I am considering trying Itraconazole, but it has a risk of Congestive Heart Failure. Even though it is incredibly rare, I already have a pre-existing heart condition and I don't know if I want to risk it.
well looks like i cant use ketocanozole. I tried the Nizoral shampoo on my body and the next morning i woke up with an allergic reaction all down my arms!!!
Is there anything else i can use???
I'm not even sure if this is what i have, but i will hopefully find out Tuesday.
Hi all:
I am brand new to these boards, but am so glad I found you all. I was just diagnosed with PF a little over a week ago. My primary affected area is my face - mostly my forehead, but also along the sides and jawline as well as part of my neck. It is very itchy and uncomfortable. I am 35 years old and frustrated that I am still dealing with skin issues. I had acne as a teenager and well into my 20s and early 30s. That seems to be gone, but now this!! I am definitely glad to have a diagnosis though so at least I can start treating it properly. The derm only prescribed Loprox 1% Shampoo for me. There was a different one she wanted to prescribe but could not since I am actively trying to get pregnant. The only thing worse than having this mess on my face, is not being able to treat it with the better stuff. The Loprox does not seem to be working. After a week of using it, I have not noticed any difference at all and my scalp is now itchy, whereas it was not before I started using it! I do not have dandruff. After reading this board and doing a little research, I have ordered the ZNP bar and will begin shampooing with Head and Shoulders daily. I am also going to try steaming my face with sea salt. Does this sound like a good way to start? Has anyone used the ZNP Bar on their face and had positive results?
Also, fruity, I read your post and see that you are pregnant. Please let me know what you do and don't do to keep yourself and your baby safe. I see that you love Tea Tree Oil and apparently that is a no-no while pregnant? As an aside, when I was pregnant with my first child (4 years ago) my skin was the BEST it had ever been in my life!!! Imagine that!! I guess my hormones kicked into gear for the better at that time. It stayed clear for almost a year after she was born, but she is now 3 1/2 and my skin is awful. I just can't take the itch anymore!! Any insight, advice, support would be fantastic. Thanks!
ASB