God, i've just about had it with folliculitis....!!!

I'm 26 and had it on my buttocks and sometimes back of my legs for the last ten or so years. Just there.

It's really embarrassing. I finally plucked up the courage to go to the doctors about two years ago, dropped my kecks and bared all. I was told, like many, it's acne.

I know it's not. try arguing... they told me it would go away. i said it wouldn't/hasn't. they prescribed an antibiotic which i knew would do nothing as i'd had it before. i was right.

in the mean time i tried nizoral, nothing. hot compress, nothing, moistruser, hell i even tried scrubbing it with a loofah, pumice- nothing. no change. it's so stubborn.

I went back to another doctor who told me that it's folliculitis- well duhh! he gave me some first line antibiotics, which again i knew would not work- its so stubborn. i was on the verge of giving up, and i went to a female doctor who told me "it's acne" and who looked at me like this was mere vanity and said " oh we all get a few spots before our period..." i'll prescribe antibiotics...

i don't know about you guys but i've felt like whenever i go to the doctors they treat me like some kind of hypochondriac, like " i've got real patients to see, with bigger problems than spots on their backside!!" lol, but really it's not funny at all. It's really affected my self confidence and NONE of my partners have ever seen me naked from behind, i got used to sleeping on my back because of it with my boyfriend. getting changed in changing rooms and swimming is a nightmare, i keep thinking people are going to go "what's that!!". i hate going to the beach in case anybody sees that area and i keep it covered. Once, i nearly died when an ex of mine saw a girl's backside on the telly and said " that's a bit like yours" i saiud " oh come on now it's not!" he said "well yeah without all those red spots but otherwise it is" i nearly DIED and started thinking oh my god if hes seen it maybe loads of people have! it's really making me self conscious.

There is one thing ive tried though... Tetrasil. it's very good. it claims to eliminate follicultis, but my experience is it clears it up a lot- but if you dont use it, it comes back, but a lot of people have had successes. google it. the only drawback is that its A15 ($30) ish, and its a tiny tube, it's silver and oxygen and beeswax. a friend told me ( a scientist) that some bacteria dislike oxygen and some thrive on it though, so i was a bit worried, but my bacteria obviously don't like oxygen as it did clear it up a lot, the best it's looked in years, but it is not cheap. but i would definitely recommend it, it's very good. it can be applied as often as you like and its a brown greasy texture. give it a go. I'm currently trying mandelic acid and i'll let you know how that goes- 3 days of it so far!

Mandelic acid works really well, I've been using a while, just a bit expensive.

Im gonna tey using some Propylene Glycol, that a few people are claiming works wonders (google it and confirmed this).

If you're interested, this is where I'm getting it from. Here

Good luck

Someone mentioned Tetrasil earlier, who thinks this could work?

Tetrasil Ointment with Active Tetrasilver Tetroxide TST suspended in soothing jojoba oil and organic wax base 14g Tube [Edited link out]

Notice the small print saying its not intended for prevention or cure of any disease etc

Well, the thing is, I was sceptical with tetrasil, but I did notice some great improvement- the most i've had with any treatment. The stuff on my legs went right away, and within, say a week, i would probably have let somebody see it- contrasted with the way i was before. its also very waxy so it doesnt dry out skin. i'd say its pricey, but the way i justified it to myself was "would i pay 15 pounds for the chance that i might get rid of it?" of course i would.

Hmm, good point, can't hurt to try, I'll be ordering some soon then

Hmm, good point, can't hurt to try, I'll be ordering some soon then

Hey guys. I'm a pharmacist in the US, you can just walk in to any pharmacy and have the pharmacist order you a bottle of propylene glycol. It's cheap too.

Tried that over here in U.K, they say you need a brand name :S

So I'm not sure if they do it at all for pharmaceutical needs over here.

Hi there! I'm new here and I think I have PF too, because my cheek and forehead acne have cleared up but I've been suffering for the past 2 weeks with horrible pin prick like dots on my jawline and hairline. I think this happened after I waxed the area and the follicle became infected while the hair was growing back.

I have used Nizoral (1%) in the past with success on my shoulder PF. I've been trying it for 2-3 days on my jawline too...keeping nizoral on my face for about 15-20 minutes. The dots seem a little flattened and the area feels so much calmer and completely non-itchy. I was also reading about something called 'Burow's solution' for a home treatment for folliculitus on the webMD and Cigna website:

[Edited link out]

It's essentially a mixture of water and 5% aluminum subacetate. I'm going get this from walgreens tomorrow to help with the bacterial infection while the Nizoral takes care of the fungal infection. Walgreens sells Burow's solution under the name of Domeboro.

[Edited link out]

A lot of websites also recommend the use of 50:50 solution of Propylene Glycol specifically for PF as one poster had said previously. I'll try that if all the above doesn't work out.

Oh, I'm also using undiluted Tea tree oil on my affected areas before I go to sleep and changing my pillowcase everyday and have stopped using sunscreen just for now, till this clears up. And aspirin mask to get rid of those pesky little red dots that PF leaves behind :\ atleast those marks aren't as hard to get rid of as the ones from full fledged acne!

So I have been using the Propylene glycol/water mix on my folliculitis for a couple of weeks now. It is working very well. I use that every morning, and also wash with Vivant Mandelic Cleanser. Every other night, I also use Face Reality's Mandelic Serum. The combo of the PG and the mandelic is keeping me pretty darn clear!!

Hi everyone,

Im 20 and have suffered from PF(almost certain its PF,know its not acne) for most of my life. A few years ago the PF got better(its basically gone with no new bumps),but left behind alot(very noticeable) of small red/brown dots on the outside of my arms and on my buttocks. I am new to this forum and was hoping the experienced mind on here can help me.

ddant (2 post above me) says that aspirin mask has helped remove the dots left behind by PF. Has anyone else used aspirin mask to fad these PF dots away? If you used another product with success,what was it? I have tried other acne fading products with little to no success.

I have tried so many commercial products to get rid of these PF marks with no success that I hope someone on here can help me. So please comment on if you tried the the aspirin mask or any other solution to get rid of the PF scars.

Thanks

I'm pasting my post in another thread to this one because I am far too tired to try and write it out again. It's very descriptive anyway, so it should at least get the answer I'm looking for:

In short: I was hit by a car and broke my neck in 3 places. It was a great risk to perform surgery on me shortly after the accident so they decided to take the safe route and place a "halo" on me, which is basically a type of neck brace. It consisted of a large vest that covered half of my chest, and on top of that vest were four metal struts that were surgically inserted into the skin on my head. I had to wear it for 3 months until roughly two months ago when it was finally taken off. It saved my life, yes, but unfortunately it didn't treat my skin well because alas, I couldn't bathe while wearing it.

I have moderate facial acne - mostly on my forehead and the sides of my face (near my ears) which were the most difficult to wash. My upper back is very problematic, and as is the back of my neck which appears to have accumulated a fairly large amount of cysts. I've been trying to treat the cysts, my forehead/face and my back with a Tea Tree Oil body wash from The Body Shop for almost 3 week but it hasn't made a substantial difference; the acne continues to appear. I should also mention that before I tried using the Tea Tree I was using 5% Benzoyl Peroxide in the form of a gel. It worked sometimes but mostly irritated my skin even more.

I also feel I should mention the fact that I am taking a medication - Fluvoxamine - to treat my Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder which I have had for 3 years. Around the time I started taking it I've had a bit of a problem with acne. Not an overwhelming one, but bad enough. I feel this medication is somehow making these problems worse. The acne on my back, chest and neck seems to persist regardless of what I use to try to diminish it, and as such I've suspected I have some form of Pityrosporum Folliculitis. I also admittedly have trouble keeping my hands away from them; they're bumpy and red and irritating, and I try to pick them (to no avail, of course). The bumps on my chest are smaller but are noticeable enough; it's the ones on my back that are most problematic. They're quite large, and they're becoming gray -- perhaps because they've been there for so long and they might even be bruised from being tampered with. After viewing the images on the article on Pityrosporum Folliculitis on this website the pictures do look very similar if not much less severe than the ones on that site, so I do have reason to suspect it being part of my problem.

My chest isn't very problematic; it seems that there are black heads in my hair follicles, and the occasional white head, but nothing serious. As I said, it's my back that's the problem. Even before the accident I used to get them frequently, but now the problem is greater than ever before. My back mostly has the large cysts that cannot be popped on my upper back and near my shoulder blades, and my lower back has little scabs that can easily be brushed away -- the latter of which was substantially worse than it is now, thankfully; it's the former that has worsened.

I'd really like something that I can buy without shopping online if possible--perhaps something that does not require a prescription--for light to moderate symptoms listed above that are terribly persistent.

I'd really appreciate any help.

Does lotion worsens acne or Pityrosporum Folliculitis? My skin is mildly dry and I keep seeing these lotions that keep saying that they will renew skin and help even skin tone. I have scars from acne/PF and was hoping that these lotions will help fade these scars.

Any help is appreciated.

Jackie White - sorry to hear about the accident, but luckily there are several methods which are quite effective for PF.

You can buy these over the counter aswell:

1. Ketoconazole Shampoo (Nizoral)
2. Ketoconazole cream (In U.K you can buy it under Daktarin GOLD)
3. Mandelic Acid
4. ZNP bar

You can also try propylene glycol, but I've not tried this so can't say from experience if it makes a difference.

Well, all of these will reduce the signs of PF, but probably not shift it because it is very persistent. 2 years of struggling to get rid of it, and I think I might be onto something that works wonders.

First of all, if you can tan, then I recommend it before trying this, because it will reduce the redness and irritation that you get from trying this. I tan quite religously, not only does it help out with PF, but also acne, and makes and irritation I get unnoticable.

O.K, well what I am doing at the moment is first of all washing the area with ZNP bar, then cleansing with Dans cleanser, then applying Ketoconazole shampoo, only a small pea sized amount, working it into a lather on the affected area (NO WATER SHOULD BE USED! Just apply it on its own) and leaving it for around an hour. Then apply ketoconazole cream over the top of the shampoo, and leaving it. You should see some good results from that, I'm currently seeing the best results out of everything I've tried. I'm still trying to decide whether to continue doing this, because I'm completely clear now, but PF has a habit of coming back when it looks like its gone.

Well, good luck and let us know how you get on.

EDIT: Only do that at night, in the morning I apply ketoconazole cream on its own aswell, but my PF is on my neck so clothes won't be rubbing against it.

I haven't had any PF bumps on my face for a couple of weeks now.

I'm not sure if it's the laser facials taking effect, or the propylene glycol in my Vitamin C serum .... but something is working!!!

And the laser facials are definitely getting rid of the old marks.

I'm starting to hope that this particular skin nightmare is over.

Hi LionQueen, where did you say you got those photo-facials again? I'd like to try them, but never heard of them in the U.K? Do they only do the face, or could they do the neck aswell?

Thanks

O.K, anyone wanting to try propylene glycol, I think I have found two good sites, one for delivering to the U.S and one for the U.K (They both deliver worldwide but at an increased cost)

U.S - Cuban Crafters

U.K - Simply Cigars

Both are cigar humidors, but also 50/50 distilled water/propylene glycol.

Hope this helps someone, I've spent ages on Ebay and other sites looking for propylene glycol in the U.K, but it's pretty hard to find.

Hi LionQueen, where did you say you got those photo-facials again? I'd like to try them, but never heard of them in the U.K? Do they only do the face, or could they do the neck aswell?

 

Thanks

I went to a local laser clinic.

Lasers are amazing .....

Hmm, never heard of them around by where I live, I'll look into it.

How much did it cost you? I hope its not too pricey I'm going on holiday soon

Quite pricey, I'm afraid. $1500 US for a series of 5 photofacials and 5 microdermabrasions (I get one treatment every 2 weeks, alternating between the 2).

WOW! I suppose thats not even an option for me then

Luckily I've found a cheap source of propylene glycol here in the U.K, gonna give that a try.

Congrats on getting clear aswell, I'm so envious right now!

I just wanted to say that I read this entire post about a month or so ago and started using ZNP for back and chest. Within a few weeks my back and chest were completely 100% clear of small little red bumps and cystic acne (suffered from this on and off for YEARS... accutane worked temporarily twice).

I felt it would be the right thing to contribute to this thread considering my results. Thanks!

Now I just need to work on my face... the ZNP was very drying... maybe I should just stick it out and give it a few weeks considering how well it worked on my body.

Hi, my propylene glycol arrived today, only thing I'm converned about is it says on the tub, polyglycol.

Is this O.K? Is it the same? I really havent got a clue here.

Thanks

Look at this thread.

I think these mites could have something to do with folliculitis. After all, these mites live in the hair folliculs.

I'm gonna give permethrin cream a try, once a week, and see if that helps. A G.P from Canada wrote an article about the link between these Demodex mites, and rosacea, and how he successfully treated rosacea with permethrin cream once a week for 6 months.

Ok, I think I finally got the bumps under control. This is what I've been doing for the past 2 weeks.

-I ordered the ZNP bar, and I use it 2 times a week (I wash my hair with it once a week too, follow up with conditioner if you don't want to look like you've a bird's nest on your head). The days I don't use the ZNP bar, I've been using Grandpa's pine tar soap.

-I first got the whiteheads to stop spreading by applying a little Persagel 10 on them before going to bed and changing the pillow covers every other day

-In the morning after I wash my face (with DHC washing powder) I apply a thin layer of Jojoba oil mixed with a drop of pure tea trea oil. I just pat it on my face, it's absorbed really quickly and doesn't leave me looking like an oil slick. This has been helping the most. But you have to be patient because it takes a while for results. AND, it's been great in preventing any new breakouts., and helps fade the old red/brown scars.

-I was taking Oil of oregano capsules, bit I think they were giving me really bad heartburn, so I stopped.

I just realized I have folliculitis..

First of all I believe that it's caused by Candida. Candida is a yeast in your stomach usually caused by a shitty western diet and the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics wipe out all the good bacteria in your stomach which feeds on candida thus keeping candida in check. Now if they're all killed it starts overgrowing.

Now what you peeps are doing is treating the symptoms of candida not the ROOT. Also I believe that candida is the reason a lot of you have persistent adult acne, because candida only gets worse with time.

Now this is just my theory but it makes perfect sense. I think combined with internal candida cleansing and natural anti fungal topicals it should clear.

Also the reasons why stuff stops working for you is because the yeast adapts to all the anti fungal stuff and becomes immune. That's why getting NATURAL anti fungals and cycle them is the key I think. The same theory should apply to your topicals. Get a few products that work on PF and cycle them