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I am a 35 year old African American female. I have had scalp folliculitis and KP skin (chicken skin) for some years now. Both got worse after the birth of my 2 children. Not to mention a mild case of traction alopecia. It's as if my skin just hates life. I went to the dermatologist and I just keep getting cortisone shots in my scalp. I can't take it. Tea Tree oil seems to work best on the scalp folliculitis. I don't dilute it. After I wash my hair, I put it on. It really helps with the inflammation. I have shaved my hair off. They say it doesn't have much to do with diet, but I've found on days when I've had too much sugar and/or carbs, my scalp itches like crazy. I've done some research and found people who suffer with folliculitis may be producing too much DHT as well as too much protein is being clogged in the hair follicles. Try Salicylic Acid, Green Tea. Both have shown some improvements in folliculitis. Neutrogena has some products out there that have the salicylic acid in it. Natural food stores have some herbs that block DHT - I haven't tried yet, but when I do, I'll come back to this site and share what I've found.

I am a 53-year-old white male who is dealing with folliculitis for the first time. It started as a few bumps on the right side of my scalp near my ear. It has spread to about 50% of the right side of my head and a few bumps toward the back of my head. The itching is insane! I first thought it was a reaction to a change in shampoo, but after going back to my usual brand and having new bumps continue to crop up over a three-week period, I went to my family doctor yesterday and got this diagnosis. He is treating it with Doxycycline. I also have a yeast infection on my upper thigh/crotch that is itching badly. Because these two things are unusual in a man my age and in my condition, he is going to do blood work to check for diabetes, as he says these conditions could be a signal of that. I'm hoping it's just a fluke!

My African American husband has folliculitis that is constant due to ingrown hairs. He has been taking antibiotics for over a year since he first saw a dermatologist. He also used topical antibiotic creams. Yet, none of this helps because the real culprit is the ingrown hairs. The prescribed treatment is like putting a tarp over a hole in the roof. The hole remains until the roof is fixed. I am presently at the computer 4:57 am because he has been up since 2:00 am. He is constantly trying to pluck the ingrown hairs out. He is irritable, in pain, and frustrated. Is there something that can be done for my husband? He started with laser surgery, it became too expensive.

I have been dealing with folliculitis since an early teenager, going to the dermatologist at first thinking I had gotten something from a toilet seat. Then, as I got older, it got worse, moving from my inner thighs and buttocks to my stomach and now my arm pits. It is so incredibly painful to sit sometimes. Mine tend to be larger than pimple size, almost like boils. Sometimes they open up, leaving a hole and sometimes they just itch and go away. I have a particularly bad flair up right now so I'm heading to the dermatologist yet again. I've been before, getting a wash, cream for morning, another for night and oral antibiotic, but couldn't afford to keep doing all that. Now that I read what they recommend, knowing that it isn't going to be something that will likely be "cured.” I think I'm going to spend the money. It has to be worth it to prevent me from feeling this way when it flares up. I tend to get it more in the summertime which isn't fun because mine always scars, leaving dark spots in my bikini, butt, leg, underarm and breast area. It really sucks to be quite honest, but if this will help anyone who is suffering with the same thing to not feel so alone, then it's worth me writing! I'm going to the dermatologist tomorrow and if my treatment really works this time. I will post again what she recommended. Good luck to those of you out there with this it's no fun to say the least!

I have folliculitis from my waist down (mostly on my buttocks and my hips), and it's so painful to sit, let alone put pants and underwear on. I am always covered, usually from head to toe (sometimes even wearing sweaters during the summer), as I don't want anyone to see the pimple-like things on my body. It's embarrassing, and I wish they would go away, but nothing I have tried has helped. It seems that the more I try, the worse the situation gets. Anyway, I am looking for a dermatologist who would actually listen to me, as I have gone to several and the only thing they tell me is to exfoliate, which serves to no avail. So I hope that this time around I can finally find a doctor who can help me get rid of this nightmare.