Antibiotics for Folliculitis

Hope this helps others as it is an insidious disease.

All the doctors I have seen, and also the dermatologist they finally referred me to, basically did not believe me about the infection moving. I found if I applied helpful remedies then it would come out nearby, fight back by moving. Also if a larger lump that looked like a mole was rubbed to break it down little by little, infection would spread from it. Only my pathologist/haematologist who is helping with my immune system is helpful. All the others treat my like I am an idiot, basically tell my that what I tell them is impossible and prescribe things that make it worse, then wonder why I don't believe them when they try to tell me they are harmless things. My skin used to be perfect before this, then the infection developed in many different types of manifestations, from hard mole like things to pimply things to blotches varying from red to brown slightly raised ones, to white flat areas.

I have always had a defective immune system apparently (neutropenia) and that seems to be why I have succumbed to this, but now I am having injections to boost it, and that seems to be starting to make a difference, though early days yet. I used to have many bronchial infections as a kid but as I grew up and learnt healing, I was able to keep myself clear. However, now that I am post menopausal I have been having difficulties again, so my specialist and I decided it is time to boost the immune system through weekly injections.

The immune system tends to struggle more as you age due to levels of various other things declining in the body, and although I would prefer to stay with natural products only, it seems unfair of me to go on expecting my body to cope as it has done for quite a while now trying to fight off skin issues. I want to regain my strength and vitality, which although I have been eating really really healthily (I'm a nutritional therapist), still flags too much to be able to cope well with all the work I do.

Cutting down on sugar is really important as these kind of infections do feed on it.

general rules for id:

* "-azole" name: antifungals (fluconazole and itraconazole pills, ketoconazole 1st gen pill now topical shampoo Nizoral, clotrimazole athketes foot spray, miconazole vaginal yeast infection applicators)

* also: Nystatin (weak "maintenance" pill), Terbinafine (strong, but massive sidefx), Natamycin (food preservative mold inhibitor / gut yeast pill in Japan and Europe), Amphocetrin B (deadly dangerous! )

* "-vir" are antivirals - mostly HIV meds, herpes treatments, etc, and unknown to non-sufferers woth possible exception of controversial flu virus pill, brand name Tamiflu

* all others for "infections" are anti"biotic"s (actually, antibacterials), mpst widely known to anyone who has ever had sinus or strep problems, surgery, dental work, bronchitis, pneumonia, STIs, etc etc - most commonly recognized class of meds today, can hardly get treated for anything without these getting tried by doc "just in case" (reckless! ) - typical ones in USA are Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), Augmentin, Amoxicillin, etc.

* Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole) - DOUBLE EXCEPTION - is a non-mold-based antibacterial of a class called sulfa drugs. despite being an azole, it is against bacteria NOT fungi/yeasts

For ppl woth folliculitis starting at scalp and moving down (undiagnosed = "whoa why is there DANDRUFF on my eyebrow/beard/chest), fungal causes should be the PRIME suspect unless proven otherwise....bacteria suspicions are GP/derm's unprofessionalism, "looks like acne lets treat it as such"

To test for possible fungal/yeast infections: buy athletes foot creme clotrimazole or miconazole from monistat, dab on visible spot - compare effect to untreated area nearby.

ALCOHOL does NOT disinfect yeasts and fungi reliably, probably also why draining boils according to standard disinfection logic causes widespread reinfection.

Otc antifungals: athletes foot creme/spray, vaginal yeast cremes (caution! Anecdotal evidence of accelerated hair growth - may be undesirable on scalp face or body if you shave there, already a chore with folliculitis), jock itch and ringworm stuff (btw, avoid gyms, pools, lockers like the plague - for you, they ARE), pyrithione zinc (head and shoulders shampoo, btw see name for hint), sulfur (mexican or veterinary sulfur soap, veterinary "cureall" leavein conditioners like NuStock, MTG; btw, MTG also has zinc and is widely used to cure "cysts" under hairline on all mammals, sound familiar yet?)

OTC antibacterials w/ antiyeast, antifungal action: iodine (tincture & povidone), tea tree oil - proven; benzyl peroxide & salycilic acid, likely, too

He prescribed some anti acne medication, but I never used the prescription, as it was over $100. He also suggested I try Selsun Gold shampoo. As it's actually an anti dandruff shampoo (I don't have dandruff) I guess that there is an anti-bacterial componenet that also kills the bacteria that causes my problem.

I started using Selsun once every 2-4 days using other shampoos in between (I shampoo at least once a day, due to strenuous outdoor work & gym visits). There was a marked improvement.

I now use it pretty much daily and the problem has gone completely. It remains to be seen if this is a long-term cure.

I have recently taken a stronger antibiotic for a bad sinus infection that I had had for 4 weeks. Sure enough the folliculitis has gone away and I've been free of it for a month now. It remains to be seen how long it will be gone for this time.

One thing is for sure, the fact that it goes when I take antibiotics proves that my problem is related to a bacteria not a fungus or diet etc. That will not be the case for everyone.

I just have to find a permanent cure now, although I have no doubt that I will have to take antibiotics again for a sinus or chest infection, I have no deisre to take them for folliculitis.

Having had acne is my teens/twenties, I assumed it was just a side effect of a greasey skin/hair. I noticed that the only time it ever cleared up was when I went on a course of antibiotics. I am susceptible to sinusitis and bronchitis in the winter. Some years I can get away with no colds, but if I catch a cold and it hasn't gone of its own accord in 3 weeks, antibiotics are the ONLY thing to clear it. The infection could last for months otherwise. And the side-effect of taking the antibiotics was that the folliculitis went away.... usually for about 4 months.

More recently I was put on antibiotics after a tooth extraction. I hadn't had antibiotics for well over a year. The folliculitis went away but only for two weeks. I mentioned this to my doctor who put me on a course for a month - this time specifically for the spots. Spots went away after a week but came back before I'd finished the course. This had never happened before. I have been referred to a dermatologist now and am due to see him later this month.

I recently had a case of sinusitis which had the usual effect of laying me low for 4 weeks. Got tired really quickly. 1st batch of antibiotics started to work, then the sinus infection came back before I finished them, so I was put on a combination of amoxycillin & potassium clavulanate. The 2nd ingredient is meant to help antibiotics overcome resistant bacterial strains. It worked on both the sinus infection AND the folliculitis and I find myself free of scalp zits once again. It remains to be seen how long that lasts but I think I'm going to put the dermatologist visit on hold until the problem returns.... which I'm guessing it will.

Other remedies I have tried.... Medicated shampoo, T Gel.. Tea tree shampoo... Keeping pillow cases and towels as clean as possible. Cutting out wheat, alcohol, dairy produce from my diet. None of these had the slightest effect.

I'm sure my immune system is below par. I had glandular fever when I was 20 and, ever since, some colds can easily turn into a sinus or chest infection and lay me low with flu type symptoms for weeks/months when most people would recover without any real problems.

I'm loathe to take any antibiotic long term, even though it is the only thing to work... Albeit the problem has, so far, always returned. It is BLISS when it goes away!!

I'll try a few of the remedies suggested here. Turmeric? Well I eat curry regularly so get alot of this already. Not sure I want to smell of vinegar all day and, being on the scalp, creams/ointments are not easy to apply.

And I also get quite deep pernicious spots on the face - the cheek area specifically. These spots take months to clear and are much deeper in the skin than the scalp spots. Worst of all, they often leave a pock mark scar. These also go when I take antibiotics. They are also more prevalent in the winter. As with acne, UV does help to keep them at bay. When a teenager, I loved sunbathing because UV ALWAYS killed the acne. It was the only time it went away! I'll probably get skin cancer but as any acne infested teenager will tell you, it'd have been worth it!

My doctor put me on more antibiotics and I got worse. He switched me to Kflex and I took four rounds of that and got worse. I switched doctors and the new Dr. Put me on Cipra. After 10 days on Cipra, I started developing a rash on my chest, arms and legs. My face was flushed and I developed sores in my mouth. I found out I am allergic to sulfides so I decided to see a dermatologist. Before I saw him they took a culture of the blisters and tested them against different antibiotics. I took that report to the dermatologist and based on the report he put me on augmentin. I got a lot worse on augmentin.

I decided to research and I found this site. I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar and it made it worse. Tea tree oil helped and turmeric helped, but it was still spreading rapidly. Swimming made it worse. Sweating made it worse. I could feel it move and spread. It hurt and burned. I quit going to the gym.

Then I read a comment on this site about developing folliculits while on antibiotics and how it caused not a bacterial based infection, but a yeast based infection. I gave this info to my dermatologist and he took me off anitibiotics and put me on a 10 day oral antifungal medication and for the first time in 11 weeks my scalp is blister free. It is all healing up and drying up. I can't thank this site enough. I am going to continue to add turmeric to my daily vitamins because I believe that it will help prevent it from coming back. I would say that you might check into yeast even if you have had a culture taken. They took a culture of my blisters and it showed a high concentration of bacteria and the report didn't say anything about yeast, but the bacteria wasn't the problem. Good Luck!