Is folliculitis contagious?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Thi Thu Hang - Dermatologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Folliculitis is inflammation of one or more hair follicles. The disease occurs at any age, especially adolescents and young people.
The main cause is staphylococcus aureus and green pus bacillus, in addition, it is caused by fungi, Herpes simplex virus...

Signs of folliculitis include:
Small papules in the hair follicles, with scaly secretions, painless, after a few days of progress, the lesions can heal, leaving no scars. The amount of damage is more or less depending on the case. In most cases, there are only a few isolated lesions that are easy to ignore. The disease can recur many times, damage spreads, affecting quality of life. Location of lesions: can occur in any area of ​​the body except the palms and soles. When to see a doctor?
People should see a doctor if inflammation is widespread or signs and symptoms do not go away after a few days. You may need an antibiotic or antifungal medication to help control the condition.

Folliculitis is less contagious, but the causative agent is bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus, green pus bacillus or Herpes simplex virus that can be transmitted by sharing utensils such as razors, towels, or direct contact. ...
Some favorable factors easily cause folliculitis such as:
Wearing tight clothes Damp skin Increased sweating Scratching, scratching Shaving Shaving Pulling hairs Drugs or cosmetics that cause skin irritation Using topical corticosteroids for a long time Systemic diseases such as: obesity, diabetes, congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, kidney failure, hemodialysis, iron deficiency anemia...

Possible complications of folliculitis include:
Recurrent or spreading infection boils Permanent skin damage, such as scarring or macules, destruction of hair follicles and permanent hair loss

You can prevent folliculitis from coming back with these tips:
Avoid tight clothing to help reduce friction between your skin and clothing. Good personal hygiene Avoiding favorable factors such as hot and humid environment, greasy chemicals Early treatment when there is skin damage In case of recurrence, it is necessary to pay attention to good hygiene, remove the bacterial reservoirs on the skin such as nasolabial folds, inter-buttock grooves... Shave carefully. If you must shave, practice the following habits:
Limit the number of times you shave Wash your skin with warm water and antibacterial soap before shaving Use a washcloth in gentle circular motions before shaving Use pre-shave shaving cream Shave in the direction of beard growth Avoid shaving too close using an electric razor or blades that are protected and do not stretch the skin Use a sharp blade and wash it with warm water after each use Apply moisturizer after shaving Avoid sharing razors, towels and face towels At Vinmec International General Hospital, a Atopic Dermatitis examination and consultation package is available to all customers everywhere. ages. Customers at risk such as allergies, affected by ambient conditions such as weather, climate, humidity, ... will be examined and tested including:
Specialist examination Dermatology Perform tests such as: quantification of IgE, fresh mycobacteria, specific IgE for respiratory and food allergens (Panel 1 Viet), Rida Allergy Screen test (panel 1). ..

Thu Hang has over 10 years of experience in the field of dermatology. Especially experienced in the treatment of adult and pediatric skin diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, autoimmune and rare skin diseases. The doctor has obtained certificates and university degrees at home and abroad such as: Degree I - Dermatology, Hanoi Medical University, DFMS Degree - Dermatology, University of Paris XIII, France before becoming a doctor. dermatology at the Department of Internal Medicine, Vinmec Hai Phong Hospital today.

References: Healthline.com and Mayoclinic.org