Folliculitis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Folliculitis, decalvans on the scalp

Folliculitis on the leg

Folliculitis

Definition:

Folliculitis is inflammation of one or more hair follicles. The condition may occur anywhere on the skin.

Alternative Names:
Pseudofolliculitis barbae; Tinea barbae; Barber's itch
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Folliculitis starts when hair follicles are damaged by friction from clothing, blockage of the follicle, or shaving. In most cases of folliculitis, the damaged follicles are then infected with the bacteria staphylococcus (staph).

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Barber's itch is a staph infection of the hair follicles in the beard area of the face, usually the upper lip. Shaving aggravates the condition. Tinea barbae is similar to barber's itch, but the infection is caused by a fungus.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae is a disorder occurring primarily in black men. If curly beard hairs are cut too short, they may curve back into the skin and cause inflammation.

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