From the Guidelines
Treatment for perforating folliculitis should focus on desensologing and sweat sweat sweat, and avoiding greasy creams for basic care, as they may facilitate the development of folliculitis due to their occlusive properties 1.
Key Considerations
- Perforating folliculitis is a condition that involves the transepidermal elimination of dermal material through the follicular epithelium, and treatments aim to reduce this inflammatory process and prevent recurrence by addressing underlying causes.
- The use of greasy creams for basic care should be avoided, as they may facilitate the development of folliculitis due to their occlusive properties 1.
- Topical acne medications, such as retinoids, may irritate and worsen the condition, and should only be used under the supervision of a dermatologist 1.
- Supportive measures, such as gentle skin care with mild, fragrance-free cleansers, and avoiding tight clothing that causes friction, can help reduce the risk of recurrence.
Treatment Options
- Topical corticosteroids, such as triamcinolone 0.1% cream, can reduce inflammation when applied twice daily.
- Antibiotics, such as doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 2-4 weeks, may help if secondary infection is present.
- UVB phototherapy sessions 2-3 times weekly for 6-8 weeks can also be effective in reducing inflammation and preventing recurrence.
Important Considerations
- Perforating folliculitis is often associated with diabetes and renal disease, and maintaining good blood glucose control in diabetic patients can help reduce the risk of recurrence.
- The condition can be painful and debilitating, and treatment should focus on reducing symptoms and improving quality of life.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the causes and effective treatments for perforating folliculitis, but current evidence suggests that a combination of topical and systemic approaches can be effective in managing the condition 1.
From the Research
Treatment for Perforating Folliculitis
- There are no specific studies provided that directly address the treatment for perforating folliculitis. However, several studies discuss the treatment of various types of folliculitis:
- A study on folliculitis decalvans found that oral isotretinixin was the most effective treatment, with 90% of patients experiencing stable remission during and up to two years after cessation of treatment 2.
- A systematic review of interventions for bacterial folliculitis and boils found that comparative trials have not identified important differences in efficacy or safety outcomes between different oral antibiotics for treating bacterial folliculitis or boils 3.
- A review of folliculitis discussed the different types of folliculitis based on their etiology, clinical manifestation, and treatment, but did not specifically address perforating folliculitis 4.
- A review of follicular contact dermatitis discussed the clinical and pathologic features, associated chemicals, hypothesized pathogenesis, and management of follicular contact dermatitis, but did not specifically address perforating folliculitis 5.
- A study on Pityrosporum folliculitis found that treatment was most successful with an oral antifungal (92%), followed by a topical antifungal (81.6%) 6.
Treatment Options
- Oral isotretinixin: effective for folliculitis decalvans 2
- Oral antibiotics: comparable efficacy and safety outcomes for different antibiotics in treating bacterial folliculitis or boils 3
- Topical antifungals: effective for Pityrosporum folliculitis 6
- Oral antifungals: effective for Pityrosporum folliculitis 6
Limitations
- No specific studies on perforating folliculitis were found.
- The studies discussed above may not be directly applicable to perforating folliculitis.