Is folliculitis contagious?

Folliculitis is a common disease in our daily life, especially in summer. It is mainly caused by skin infection due to lack of attention to human hygiene, which has a serious impact on human health and appearance. So will we be infected when we come into contact with patients with folliculitis? This issue has always attracted much attention.

1. Is folliculitis contagious?

Folliculitis is not contagious, but if you touch it with your hands and then scratch your skin with your hands, it is very likely to cause infection. As long as you don’t have broken skin and do not touch the broken area of ​​your folliculitis, you will not be infected. Therefore, prevention and treatment is also an important part after suffering from folliculitis.

Patients must be careful to avoid covering, heat and excessive sweating, do not wash their hair frequently, do not wear pants that are too tight or too hard, and at the same time pay attention to personal hygiene, strengthen physical exercise, and enhance disease resistance. In terms of diet, you should pay attention to eating less alcohol and sour, spicy and other irritating foods. People with recurrent attacks should eat less greasy food, eat more vegetables and fruits, increase vitamins, and keep the bowels open. To treat or control folliculitis, the principles are to kill bacteria, reduce inflammation and dry the skin locally. Mild patients can use topical anti-inflammatory drugs, sulfur solution, etc., while more serious patients can take oral medications.

2. Symptoms of Folliculitis

It initially appears as a red, solid papule consistent with the opening of the hair follicle, or it starts with follicular impetigo, and then rapidly develops into a papule-pustule, with the hair running through the middle and redness and inflammation all around, followed by drying and scabbing. It heals after about a week of scab falling off, but there are also cases of recurrence and no healing for many years. Some may also develop into deep infection, forming furuncles, carbuncles, etc., which generally do not leave scars. The number of rashes is large, isolated and scattered, and the patient feels mild pain. In adults, it mainly occurs in hairy areas, and in children, it is more common on the head. The rashes can sometimes merge with each other, and small bald spots may remain after healing.