3 replies to this topic

[dunkiez]

Hi guys,

I've been suffering from scalp folliculitis for about 2.5 years now. It started off as a few regular pimples on my scalp and got increasingly worse, with inflamed pustules with a little pus on them. These raised bumps are painful and tender to touch.

I've seen a few dermatologists and they all say the same thing. They all say that there isn't a cure for it, and their only course of action is antibiotics and antibacterial shampoos. Doxycycline was prescribed and I was on 200mg/day for a year in total. I went off it after the first two months after my scalp cleared completely, but it came back within the week and I had to go back on it.

I've experienced with tea tree oil, coal tar shampoo, anti dandruff shampoo, nizoral, chlorohexidine all with no avail. The only thing that works is the antibiotics.

I'm also taking an array of anti inflammatory supplements such as fish oil, curcumin, manuka honey and fruits.

However I know it is quite bad on the body to be on antibiotics long term and have since went off it, for about a month now, and the folliculitis is back with a vengeance.

In terms of lifestyle changes that could trigger the folliculitis, I have started working out more regularly 2 years ago, which may had resulted in more production of oil in my scalp.

I also had a jaw surgery done 2.5 years back, with titanium (I think) plates inserted into my jaw. Could the metal plate be a trigger for my condition?

Other than that there are no other lifestyle changes although I was also undergoing a really stressful period prior to getting this disease.

Please let me know if there is any further tests that I should be looking at to find the root of my problem, I don't want to be on antibiotics for life.

Thanks in advance and any insight is greatly appreciated!

[nowayout]

I have had this on and off. Currently it is less.

It can be triggered by hair products. If I use anything other than a pure glycerin soap to wash my hair/scalp, it worsens. I would stop all shampoos/conditioners/gels, etc., and just use a bar of soap consisting of glycerin and water. Even shampoos that are supposed to help, like ketoconazole, tar and anti-itch shampoos, break me out like mad and keep me up at night with itch.

Stay away from hats, which may worsen the condition in several ways.

Wash pillowcases and sheets often with a "free and clear of dyes and perfumes" washing powder and don't use any fabric softener.

STAY FAR FAR AWAY from hair dyes.

On and off i try minoxidil (for hair loss) but that also triggers it. For hair loss I currently use a compounded pharmaceutical cream consisting of ketoconazole, progesterone, and spironolactone, which does not break me out and may actually help the condition by inhibiting DHT.

This brings us to DHT, which may be a contributing trigger for this kind of condition. Oral DHT inhibitors prescribed for hair loss, like finasteride, seem to reduce the folliculistis and itch quite rapidly and dramatically in my case. This is not so surprising, since DHT inhibitors are a standard of care for other types of folliculitis such as acne as well. Other than a couple of experimental runs I don't take them, though, since i am worried about side effects. If you are a less anxious person than I am, you might be willing to try finasteride for this condition. It will also help you keep your hair.

You can stay on a low dose doxy permanently if it helps. It might even be helpful for gum health, etc., and lots of people take it for that reason. People with other skin conditions such as rosacea also commonly take doxy permanently.

For the itch in the evenings and at night, you can take an antihistamine like benadryl or (in my case) hydroxyzine, until the condition is under control. It will help you sleep and reduce scratching (which worsens the condition and causes infection) while you sleep.

Edited by nowayout, 10 August 2013 - 06:59 AM.

[dunkiez]

Yeah I've been noticing a fair bit of hair loss which is probably due to unhealthy the hair follicles. Is there a specific brand of pure glycerin soap that works well for you? Is Dr Bronner's liquid soap pure glycerin soap?

Are there any brands of DHT inhibiting cream or washes you recommend?

I've heard that roaccutane might be able to cure this permanently by drying up the scalp over a prolonged period of time, and gives the bacterial time to clear itself without all that oil in the scalp. Anybody has any experience with this?

[balance]

Try Sebamed Anti dandruff shampoo. Works equally well as ketaconazol shampoo.

Eliminate grains/wheat/gluten from your diet entirely for 3 months. Meat & Dairy elimination except for butter would be a good idea too. Try creating an alkaline environment and lowering inflammation.

Try these supplements:
Empty stomach 4x daily, to bowel tolerance:
Wholesale nutrition vitamin c potassium ascorbate, providing max 2800mg potassium

Empty stomach:
1 Jarrow ultra dophilus 50billion


Breakfast, fat, meal:
2 OmegaVia pharmaceutical grade 90% concentrated omega 3 1105mg per softgel
1 Doctor's best vitamin d3 1000iu softgel
1 KoncentratedK k2 mk-4 25mg, 5mg K1, 500mcg MK-7, 5mg astaxanthin, 100mg grapeseed 90%
2-4 Doctor's best magnesium glycinate 100mg
0.5 Life extension gamma E + tocotrienols
1 Thorne Research zinc picolinate 15mg
1 Swanson 5-lox 125mg
0.5 Life Extension super selenium complex

Only if taking plenty of ascorbic acid/ascorbate vitamin C and/or nonmeat, taken with a meal:
1 Swanson copper 2mg