Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Problem

Hi, I am from the United Kingdom, am male, and 23 years old.

For the last couple of years I have had a problem which has caused me great discomfort.

Whenever I grow a beard, my skin around my beard (in the SAME certain areas) are sore and itchy. Whenever I apply a HOT towel to those areas, the feel of relief is tremendous, but also causes excess itchiness (especially in hot climates)..

Whenever I shave, the area on my skin is mainly clear with a few red spots on both cheeks (similar to red bumps and without whiteheads). My skin once shaven feels great and I have zero irritation or soreness.

So the problems arise when I grow out my beard. The left cheek (in a SPECIFIC area) and the right cheek (in a MIRRORED SPECIFIC area) plus under my chin is sore and constantly in need of an itch.

Can someone give me a guess/diagnosis to the problem and some possible cures..

Cheers

3 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Hi,

In most individuals there are outbreaks of folliculitis from time to time.

Folliculitis is infection and inflammation of the hair follicles. The condition may be superficial (i.e., on the surface of the skin) or deep within the follicles.The most common cause of folliculitis is infection by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus.

Folliculitis symptoms can appear independent of infection. Exposure of the skin to certain chemicals, especially oils and tars, can trigger an outbreak. People with depressed immune systems, diabetes, or obesity have a greater risk of contracting folliculitis than the general population.

Patients with chronic unresponsive folliculitis may require investigation into the source of the infection. S. aureus bacteria can live in the patient's nostrils, periodically triggering a folliculitis outbreak.

Individuals who are predisposed to folliculitis should be extremely careful about personal hygiene. Application of antiseptic washes may help prevent recurrences. A topical antibiotic cream, mupirocin (Bactroban®), has been effective at reducing bacterial colonization in the nostrils. It is applied twice daily for a week and is repeated every 6 months.

If there any of the mentioned medical causes then treating those will reduce the occurence of the condition.
http://www.dermatologychannel.net/follicle/folliculitis.shtml

Some stubborn cases of folliculitis have been responsive to laser-assisted hair removal. This process uses a laser to destroy the follicle. This reduces the scarring that results from folliculitis.

Let us know if you need any other information and consult a skin specialist if the lesion is persistent.

Regards.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
BUMP
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
PS I know it is a type of folliculitis, but I'd live some prevention and cure tips and even an accurate diagnosis.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Dermatology Community

Top Dermatology Answerers
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Learn to identify and prevent bites from summer’s most common pests.
Doctors argue for legislation to curb this dangerous teen trend in the latest Missouri Medicine report.
10 ways to keep your skin healthy all winter long
How to get rid of lumpy fat on your arms, hips, thighs and bottom
Diet “do’s” and “don’ts” for healthy, radiant skin.
Images of rashes caused by common skin conditions