ineffective folliculitis treatment

I am diagnosed with folliculitis decalvans few years ago. During this time, my doctor was prescribing me many different drugs and treatments to cure it. However, I realized this must be a chronic condition, since I cannot get rid of it. Can you tell me is it normal that I have experienced ineffective folliculitis treatment. Could it be that just I cannot find appropriate therapy?

It is true that folliculitis declavans is chronic condition that can last many years to decades. Once the hair has been lost due to scarring, regrowth is not possible and you should not blame your doctor. The goal of treatment is to prevent further scarring. Treatment also has to diminish the pain and drainage associated with active lesions. I have found that a combination of Rifampin 300 mg with Cephalexin 500 mg is very beneficial in achieving these goals. Some doctors initially treat patients with the antibiotic combination for one month. I have heard most of their patients experience a marked decrease in disease activity with this treatment. Some of these patients continued treatment for one month after the disease has become inactive. Eventually the patient is able to keep the disease under control by intermittent courses of the antibiotic combination, so you cannot say this folliculitis treatment was completely ineffective. A typical regimen might be one or two months on the treatment alternating with 3 months off therapy, so you have to be patient. However, you have to know that topical therapy, including steroids and antibiotics, and intralesional steroids have all been ineffective in treating my patients with folliculitis decalvans, so you could ask your doctor about it.

As a dentist, I wore a mask everyday to treat patients. I noticed red and soreness on the area under the mask. Vessicles and lesion would appear and not go away. My skin grew thicker. Dermatologists said I had adult acne. I insisted it was the mask. I tried different kinds. My skin looked so bad I had to wear one all the time at work. I was prescribed antibiotics and acutane. My face hurt so much, I had to quit. Shortly after it got better, I researched possible causes. Allergy seemed to fit. I was tested and had a latex allergy. Unfortunately, excessive antibiotics and the allergy caused a chronic fungal folliculitis, causing track like patterns under my chin and neck with deep cysts and ingrown hairs. After 11 years of skin problems, and 5 years after discovering my allergy, I have finally beaten what believe to be a rare type of Folliculitis Declavans.
What has worked for me is washing with Hibiclens 2-7x week, salicylic acid everday, most importantly baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste a few times until I nipped it in the bud. Retin A is helping with the Keloid formations. Now I need help with the scars.

Try NEOTIGAZON ( acitretin ) . Is very similar to Accutane ( both from Roche ) but is more effective agains Folliculitis Decalvans . Also , it is safer to use it for long period of time .
ALso , give it a try to the new topical antibiotic by glaxo , Altagro . Use both medicines if you can .
Good luck

I have reached the point of desperation with my particular case of folliculitis. I was prescribed Cephalexin 500mg for an upper respiratory infection and that has been the only treatment that has made it disappear (temporarily), and once I finished the bottle the red spots reappeared on my body in no time. The only problem is attaining it without a prescription, as I don't believe a doc around here will prescribe it to me to treat my folliculitis. Any suggestions?

Hello.I had this mysterious skin disorder for more than 13 years with ernormous hair loss.I visited many top dermatolists in Germany, Russia and France but they couldn't help me. Early this year I visted BUMPSCENTRE in London , where I got this skin disorder cured permanently
good luck

Can folliculitis be a chronic condition? I thought it was caused by inflammation due to an ingrown hair while shaving, or else a bacterial infection.

Alique wrote:

Can folliculitis be a chronic condition? I thought it was caused by inflammation due to an ingrown hair while shaving, or else a bacterial infection.

Hi Alique, it definitely can be. Either an ingrown hair or a bacterial infection, both can lead to a chronic condition that you will have to battle for an extended period of time. Does that help?

I've had this condition for 15yrs now. The last 8 yrs its slowly taken my hair leaving me with bald spot on top of head and spots on my sides and now taking my front slowly. There is no cure and my Dr seems defeated when i walk into his office. I've gone to many so called gurus in the NJ/NY area and all i hear is it will eventually burn out. Well i would sign up for that right now even if it meant taking all my hair cause the dryness and the flair ups are awful. I used to take cortisone cream to calm my scalp but a Dr told me my scalp got addicted to the cortisone so i just take antibiotics now...i've tried every drug out there that you all have read about but only a couple have kept me at bay...i currently take doxycycline which makes my scalp manageable although i need to shower daily or my scalp becomes really dry and irritated. I used to take minocycline which really kept it at bay, but my skin in certain areas started changing color...really scary but since i got off my skin color went back to normal(took that medicine for 3+years). I have taken cortisone shots to the scalp when i've gotten bumps and have tried different diets, etc to get rid of this condition to no avail. I have become defeated knowing this will never go away. The only hope i have, all be it a terrible one, is this will be like a tornado...do its damage than go away....this condition has turned me from a confident person to a timid person tryin to coverup my condition. i cant even shave my head cause of the damage to my scalp. I dont wish this condition on anyone but if a person of high importance got this condition, i believe we'll find a cure. This condition is torture..my scalp is so sensitive tonight, i cant even brush my hair.