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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffMild cases of folliculitis aren't likely to cause complications. If complications do occur with mild infections, they may include:
- Recurrent or spreading infection
- Large, itchy patches of staph infection on the skin (plaques)
Severe folliculitis may include:
- Furunculosis. This condition occurs when a number of boils develop under your skin. Boils usually start as small red bumps but become larger and more painful as they fill with pus.
- Scarring. Severe folliculitis may leave thick, raised scars (hypertrophic or keloid scars) or patches of skin that are darker than normal.
- Destruction of the hair follicle. This leads to permanent hair loss.
References
- Folliculitis. American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/folliculitis.html. Accessed July 2, 2011.
- Folliculitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec11/ch129/ch129e.html. Accessed July 2, 2011.
- Baddour LM. Folliculitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 5, 2011.
- Bacterial infections. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00018-3&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&uniqId=269355909-8#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00018-3. Accessed June 14, 2011.
- Hot tub rash (pseudomonas dermatitis/folliculitis). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/illnesses/hot-tub-rash.html. Accessed July 2, 2011.
- Pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec11/ch134/ch134d.html?qt=pseudofolliculitis barbae&alt=sh. Accessed July 17, 2011.
- Browning J, et al. Cellulitis and superficial skin infections. In: Long SS. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Revised Reprint. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchhill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7020-3468-8..50078-X--cesec14&isbn=978-0-7020-3468-8&uniqId=269355909-9#4-u1.0-B978-0-7020-3468-8..50078-X--cesec14. Accessed July 17, 2011.
- Rajendran P, et al. HIV-associated eosinophilic folliculitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 5, 2011.
- Ferri FF. Folliculitis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Mosby; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00015-9--s1050&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&uniqId=269355909-12#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00015-9--s1100. Accessed July 17, 2011.
- Craft N, et al. Superficial cutaneous infections and pyodermas. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2994673. Accessed July 17, 2011.
- Superficial fungal infections. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0890&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=1185000175&uniqId=269355909-11#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0970. Accessed July 15, 2011.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 4, 2011.
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