Effective treatment of folliculitis: antibiotics, ointments, shampoos, home folk remedies

The doctor will first of all pay attention to the patient's dietary habits and give him appropriate useful recommendations. Alcohol, fatty foods, spices and sweets will be prohibited.

Local treatment may include the use of the following medications:

• antiseptics (chlorhexidine, potassium permanganate solution, furacilin, fucorcin, perhydrol);
• antibacterial agents (ointments and creams with disinfectant and healing effects);
• ointments and creams with antibiotics, antifungal or antiviral components.

The type of prescribed drug largely depends on the stage of the pathological process, as well as its localization - for example, not all external agents can be used in the facial area. However, the identification of the pathogen is of the greatest importance.

If folliculitis is caused by staphylococcus, then most often antimicrobial drugs are prescribed, both externally and internally. Before choosing an antibiotic, you must first take a test for the sensitivity of the infectious agent to antibiotic therapy.

Pseudomonas follicular lesions are most often treated with antibiotics from the cephalosporin group.

If mainly gram (-) microorganisms are identified, it is recommended to pay attention to preparations that contain benzoyl peroxide.

In case of fungal etiology of inflammation, it is necessary to use antifungal medications. These may be Fluconazole, Itraconazole, Terbinafine.

If the disease is of viral origin, Acyclovir is prescribed.

Medicines

	Dosage and method of administration	Side effects	Special instructions
Fukortsin	Use to lubricate affected skin 2-4 times a day.	A short-term itching or burning sensation.	The drug temporarily stains the skin. After the solution has dried, creams or ointments can be applied to the treated skin.
Cephalexin	Prescribed in a daily dose of 1-4 g, with a possible increase to 6 g. The treatment course usually lasts 7-14 days.	Dyspepsia, diarrhea, general weakness, hand tremors, allergies.	It is not advisable to use it simultaneously with nephrotoxic medications, such as aminoglycosides, as well as with diuretics and sulfonamides.
Ciprofloxacin	The drug is taken orally up to 0.75 g twice a day for 5-15 days.	Allergies, swelling, headache, insomnia, changes in taste and smell.	The drug is contraindicated for children under 15 years of age, pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding.
Fluconazole	Taken orally 200-400 mg per day (at one time). The duration of therapy may vary, depending on the situation - from 1 to 2 weeks, or up to one month.	Rarely – diarrhea, increased gas formation.	Fluconazole is not used during pregnancy and lactation, as well as for the treatment of children under 16 years of age.
Acyclovir	It is used mainly in the form of tablets, 0.2-0.4 g 5 times a day. Duration of administration is 5-8 days.	Nausea, diarrhea, headaches, allergies.	Additionally, the drug can be used in the form of a cream (as part of general treatment): the cream is applied to painful areas five times a day, for 5-10 days in a row.

Allochol for folliculitis

Skin diseases in most cases require a comprehensive approach to treatment. Moreover, the prescribed drugs may include not only those that affect the infection and slow down the development of inflammation. They may also prescribe drugs to strengthen the immune system and cleanse the circulatory system of toxic substances.

For example, patients are often perplexed: why did the doctor prescribe Allochol for inflammation of the follicles? Allochol is a medicine that accelerates the production of bile and enhances the contractile function of the gallbladder. These properties can have a beneficial therapeutic effect if folliculitis is caused by poor nutrition.

Since the drug is not indicated for all patients, the scheme of its administration should be determined by the doctor during the consultation. As practice shows, the use of the Allochol treatment course helps to improve the skin condition of many patients.

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Acnecutan for folliculitis

Acnecutan is often recommended for getting rid of acne. This drug is taken orally and is available in capsule form. The purpose of Acnecutan is to regulate the sebaceous glands and reduce the size of the sebaceous ducts.

Acnecutan is taken 1-2 times a day with food. The therapeutic course is usually long - up to six months.

Does this drug help with inflammation of the follicles? According to reviews, the capsules do not help in all cases, and after the end of treatment, repeated episodes of the disease often occur. Therefore, the decision on the advisability of treatment with this drug should be made only by a doctor of the appropriate qualifications.

One of the analogues of Aknekutan is considered to be the drug Roaccutane. It contains the same active ingredient as in the previous drug, but Aknekutan is considered to be somewhat more effective than its "relative".

Acnecutane and Roaccutane for folliculitis are taken only in severe cases of the disease, since both of these drugs have a large number of contraindications and side effects. Moreover, you should not use the listed drugs without a doctor's prescription - this can negatively affect not only the course of the disease, but also the state of health in general.

Treatment of folliculitis with Bepanthen

When mentioning Bepanten, many people think of "baby cream" for infant care. However, this cream is also suitable for treating skin problems in adult patients. The main ingredient of the drug is dexpanthenol, or provitamin B ₅, which can stimulate natural healing processes. Thus, Bepanten restores the skin, moisturizes, relieves inflammation, and heals tissues. The drug has a mild effect, so it can be applied to delicate and sensitive skin prone to irritation and allergies.

The drug has virtually no contraindications or side effects.

The cream or ointment is spread over the affected skin surface, twice a day, lightly rubbing in. The duration of use is determined by the doctor, depending on the complexity of the situation.

Skinoren for folliculitis

Skinoren is initially intended for the treatment of acne vulgaris or common acne. In addition, it can be used to treat follicular inflammation at a mild stage.

Skinoren prevents the accumulation of fats on the hair follicle, inhibits the proliferation of fat cells, delays their growth, and also has an antimicrobial effect.

The advantages of this drug are that it does not cause drug addiction and is absolutely safe, so it can be used in childhood and during pregnancy.

How to use Skinoren? The cream or gel is applied to clean and dried skin at the site of the lesion, twice a day, in a thin layer.

Do not use this product if your skin is too sensitive: Skinoren may cause irritation.

Zerkalin for folliculitis

As an additional method of treating inflamed follicles, many doctors often recommend Zerkalin. This is a fairly effective solution that helps fight a small number of small pustules: therefore, its most common use is acne and acne rash.

In the composition of Zerkalin, the main role belongs to clindamycin, an antibiotic from the lincosamide group. This antibiotic inhibits the production of protein in the microbial cell.

It is not recommended to use Zerkalin to treat children under 12 years of age, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The drug is applied to the affected areas of the skin twice a day - for example, in the morning and at night. As a rule, changes become noticeable only after 1-1.5 months from the start of treatment, so do not expect a quick result.

In case of viral and fungal infections, Zerkalin is ineffective.

Levomycetin alcohol for folliculitis

Levomycetin alcohol solution 0.25% belongs to the category of antimicrobial local preparations. It is represented by the active ingredient levomycetin - a broad-spectrum antibiotic that disrupts protein production in the bacterial cell.

Typically, such an alcohol solution is used to speed up the healing of burns, purulent and trophic ulcerative processes. One of the indications is also folliculitis of bacterial origin.

Levomycetin is not used:

• for psoriasis and eczema;
• if the disease is of fungal or viral origin;
• for the treatment of children under one year of age.

To treat inflamed follicles, the affected areas of the skin are treated with a solution of levomycetin using a soft napkin or gauze swab. The treatment can be repeated 2-3 times a day, while the duration of use depends on the complexity and prevalence of the process (optimally 7-10 days).

Antibiotics for folliculitis

Depending on the infectious agent, antibiotics may be prescribed for bacterial inflammation:

1. Penicillin series drugs - they are effective against most gram (+) microbes. From this group, the choice most often falls on Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Bicillin.
2. Cephalosporin series drugs – they successfully prevent the spread of the disease to healthy tissues and promote the transformation of a deep process into a superficial one. The most popular cephalosporins are Cefazolin, Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone.
3. Macrolides are especially suitable if the disease is accompanied by systemic reactions (for example, fever). Macrolides effectively stop the inflammatory process without having a negative effect on the balance of microflora in the body. However, it is not recommended to take macrolides for kidney and liver diseases, as they are poorly eliminated from the bloodstream and can accumulate in tissues. Among such drugs, Azithromycin, Macropen, and Erythromycin deserve special attention.

The doctor decides which antibiotic to choose. He also decides on the form of the drug and the duration of its use.

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Ointments, creams for folliculitis

Follicular inflammation can be treated with topical treatments in the form of ointments or creams. External preparations help the process to end faster and not spread to other areas of the skin.

The most popular local medications are:

• Ichthyol ointment is an excellent antiseptic and even anesthetic, but due to its specific aroma it is often avoided. However, doctors claim that the effectiveness of treatment with ichthyol ointment is visible already on the fifth day after the start of treatment.
• Levomekol contains chloramphenicol (antimicrobial component) and methyluracil (wound healing component). The ointment promotes rapid healing of wounds - especially if the disease has affected the skin on the face. Levomekol should be used a couple of times a day, for several days in a row.
• Streptocide ointment - it is applied under the bandage, which helps soften and heal tissue damage.

• Zinc ointment is excellent for healing damaged skin areas, especially in cases where inflamed follicles are already at the cleansing stage. Zinc ointment eliminates redness and swelling and prevents the appearance of pigment spots.
• Syntomycin ointment contains an antibiotic that draws out purulent contents from inflamed follicles, dries wounds and prevents the formation of cicatricial changes. The ointment is applied once a day, but it cannot be used for application to the face.

Shampoos for folliculitis

If the inflammation of the follicles affects the scalp, then there is a problem with the use of shampoos. Indeed, in such a situation, you cannot use any detergent: some of the shampoos can harm and worsen the disease.

Any doctor can recommend a special medicated shampoo to get rid of the disease. Such products include, for example, "Losterin Naftalan Shampoo".

Losterin is successfully used for dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis and furunculosis, and fungal infections. The product helps prevent exacerbations of follicle inflammation, prolong remission, and restore skin and hair after illness. All ingredients of the washing medicinal and hygienic product complement each other, providing anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, antifungal, exfoliating, and restorative effects, without residual dryness and irritation of the skin.

In addition to Losterin, shampoos such as Skin-cap, Nizoral, Keto-plus, etc. are recommended for follicle diseases.

Vitamins

In case of inflammation of follicles, doctors recommend taking vitamin preparations, which include B-group vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamins A, E, D. Also, one should not forget about minerals - especially zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, phosphorus, iron.

Brewer's yeast has a good vitamin effect - it can be purchased in pharmacies in the form of tablets or capsules.

The most commonly recommended supplements are:

• ascorbic acid 0.5-1 g three times a day;
• tocopherol 200-400 IU per day;
• preparations containing zinc, the content of which is determined in the amount of 45-60 mg per day;
• Vitamin A 25 thousand IU five days a week.

Among the complex multivitamin preparations, it is recommended to pay attention to such as Undevit, Aevit, Vitrum Beauty, Complivit.

Physiotherapy treatment

Physiotherapy is often used to relieve signs of inflammation in the follicles, to suppress the development of infection and activate the body's immune response. The following methods of therapeutic intervention are relevant:

• UV rays have a bactericidal, immunostimulating effect, and accelerate metabolic processes;
• UFO (erythemal doses) – eliminates inflammation, strengthens and stimulates the immune system, accelerates healing;
• UHF therapy – activates the immune system, improves tissue trophism;
• laser therapy – increases the body’s resistance, improves recovery processes;
• magnetic therapy – helps to relieve swelling and stop the inflammatory process;
• selective chromotherapy – has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects;
• ultrasound therapy – accelerates tissue regeneration, promotes the resorption of infiltrates, accelerates capillary blood circulation;
• dry thermal exposure method – used at the onset of the disease, as it accelerates the alternation of stages of the inflammatory process.

Patients with frequent relapses of the disease are recommended to undergo spa treatment during the period of remission.

Folk remedies

Grapes are very useful for preventing inflammation in the follicles. They should be eaten in the morning and between meals, 60-120 minutes before meals - at first, a portion can be about 250 g, but later the amount of grapes will have to be increased to 2-3 kg per day.

To prevent damage to tooth enamel, rinse your mouth after each episode of grape consumption.

The proposed method is very effective, but it is contraindicated if a person suffers from diabetes, obesity or heart failure.

Traditional healers also have other proven recipes for getting rid of the disease:

• Take fresh cucumbers, grind them in a blender or on a grater. Then pour 200 ml of boiling water over three tablespoons of cucumber pulp, leave for 2.5 hours, then filter and squeeze. Add 1 teaspoon of honey to the solution. The resulting medicine is used as a mask or lotion: apply to the affected areas of the skin for about half an hour, then wash off with water at room temperature.
• The medicine is prepared on the basis of dried birch buds: take 1 tbsp. of buds, grind and crush, pour 5 tbsp. of vodka. The solution is kept in a closed container for a week. Then the medicine is filtered and used to treat the affected areas of the skin.
• Prepare a tincture from 20 g of St. John's wort and 0.5 l of vodka - leave for a week, filter and use to treat affected areas of the skin.

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Herbal treatment

Folk treatment of inflammatory reaction in follicles is often based on the use of vitamin-rich herbal tonics. Such herbals should be used in courses, twice a year - preferably in autumn and spring. Each course should last about 14-20 days.

• Collection one: take 10 g of Chinese magnolia vine berry, 5 g of elecampane rhizome, 10 g of sage. Pour one tablespoon of the collection with a glass of cold water, bring to a boil, boil for a quarter of an hour. Then remove from heat and leave for another 60 minutes. Drink daily, once a day, 50 ml on an empty stomach, after adding a pinch of cinnamon.
• Collection two: take 20% rosehip tincture and eleutherococcus tincture, 20 drops of each tincture. Take on an empty stomach, daily.
• Collection three: take tincture of Rhodiola rosea (15 drops), add the same amount of drops of lemon juice, dilute with water. Drink on an empty stomach every morning.

A tea made from bergenia leaves has a very good effect: one teaspoon of leaves is brewed with 0.5 l of boiling water, infused until cool, filtered. The tea is drunk throughout the day, little by little. The course of treatment is 14 days.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic remedies are prescribed in a dosage of 1-6 times a day in small dilutions (3-30 centesimal dilutions).

Depending on the clinical development of the inflammatory process in the follicles, different homeopathic preparations are used:

• Belladonna - for increased sebum production, persistent redness of the skin and seborrhea;
• Hepar sulfuris - for widespread inflammation of the follicles on the face, back, chest;
• Pulsatilla - for diseases associated with poor nutrition;
• Silicea - in severe cases of the disease with subsequent scarring of damage;
• Sulfur - for frequent exacerbations of multiple folliculitis.

Many doctors prescribe the complex homeopathic drug Traumeel C at the initial stage of the disease, one tablet sublingually three times a day. The course of therapy can be 21-35 days.

At the second stage, drugs are prescribed that restore immunity, slow down the inflammatory reaction, and strengthen the nervous system. Such homeopathic drugs include:

• Echinacea compositum – one ampoule subcutaneously or intramuscularly 1-3 times a week. The course will require five to ten ampoules.
• Tonsilla compositum (treatment regimen is similar to Echinacea compositum).
• Nervoheel - one tablet three times a day.
• Valerianheel – 10 drops in ¼ glass of water three times a day.

The third stage of therapy involves the use of the rehabilitation drug Cutis compositum - in the form of intramuscular injections of one ampoule 1-3 times a week. The course may require 5-10 ampoules.

Surgical treatment

Follicular inflammation is usually treated conservatively. Surgery may be needed only if complications arise, such as an abscess. The appearance of an infiltrate and the formation of cystic lesions are considered absolute indications for surgical treatment. The abscess is opened and drainage is installed, regardless of its location.

General anesthesia is used as standard, since it is necessary to perform a high-quality revision of the formation. During the surgical intervention, purulent contents and necrotic tissues are removed from the abscess, bursae and partitions are removed, after which the cavity is washed with an antiseptic solution. In some cases, if necessary, an auxiliary counter-opening is made, ensuring effective drainage.

After the operation, treatment is prescribed according to the standard type of therapy for purulent wounds.

Diet for folliculitis

The diet for the prevention and treatment of follicular inflammation is based on sufficient consumption of plant foods, lean meat, fish and cereals.

The principles of nutrition can be characterized as follows:

• Fish and fish oil should be included in the diet at least once or twice a week.
• To ensure the required amount of omega acids, it is recommended to eat flax seeds or flaxseed oil: they can be added to porridge and salads.
• To supply the body with the much-needed vitamin A, you should eat rich green and red-orange vegetables and fruits. Not only carrots are suitable for this purpose, but also lettuce leaves, peaches, apricots, and currants. There is a lot of this vitamin in the liver.
• Tocopherol is a very necessary vitamin for normal skin condition. It is present in nuts – walnuts, almonds, peanuts or pistachios.
• To normalize the sebaceous glands, it is necessary to consume products containing zinc. Zinc is found in asparagus, beef, bran, and liver.
• To ensure high-quality enzyme production, you need to include cabbage, hard cheese, buckwheat and wheat groats, legumes in your menu - they contain sufficient amounts of B vitamins.

You should avoid or sharply limit:

• flour products;
• chips, snacks;
• lard, fatty meat;
• sugar, sweets;
• sandwiches, fast food, dry food;
• spices, salt.

It is important to drink enough fluids to promptly remove toxic substances from the body and facilitate metabolic processes.

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