From the Guidelines
Folliculitis on the vulvar skin can be treated by counseling patients on proper hygiene and shaving techniques.
Treatment Options
- Counseling patients on proper shaving techniques with adequate lubrication to minimize trauma is essential in preventing and treating folliculitis 1.
- Patients should be advised to avoid sharing razors and to shave in the direction of hair growth to reduce the risk of folliculitis.
- Warm compresses may also be applied to the affected area to help alleviate symptoms.
- In some cases, topical antibiotics may be prescribed to treat bacterial folliculitis.
- It is also important to counsel teenagers on proper hygiene and potential medical complications of piercing in the genital area 1.
Prevention
- Proper hygiene and shaving techniques can help prevent folliculitis on the vulvar skin.
- Avoiding tight clothing and wearing loose, breathable clothing can also help reduce the risk of folliculitis.
- Avoiding sharing personal care items such as razors and towels can also help prevent the spread of infection.
From the Research
Treatments for Folliculitis on the Vulvar Skin
- Topical and/or systemic antibacterial treatment is recommended for folliculitis, but this involves the risk of being misused for months or even years 2
- Clotrimazole solution and cream can be used to treat folliculitis caused by Candida fungi 3
- 15% azelaic acid foam can be used as a treatment or adjunctive therapy for folliculitis, with a 67-percent reduction in lesional erythema and 73-percent reduction in lesional inflammatory papule size after four weeks of treatment 4
- Turpentine ointment containing pine turpentine oil, larch turpentine, and eucalyptus oil can be used to treat acute folliculitis, with a decrease in follicle lesions counts and statistically significant superiority over placebo for the evolution of the lesions during the course of the study 5
- Oral isotretinoin can be considered as a valid treatment alternative for folliculitis decalvans, with 90% of patients experiencing stable remission during and up to two years after cessation of the treatment 6
Treatment Options
- Antibiotics (e.g. clindamycin and rifampicin, clarithromycin) 6
- Antifungals (e.g. clotrimazole) 3
- Azelaic acid foam 4
- Turpentine ointment 5
- Oral isotretinoin 6
Considerations
- The choice of treatment depends on the underlying cause of the folliculitis (e.g. bacterial, fungal, viral) 2, 3
- Treatment regimens with antibiotics feature a high relapse rate and encourage the development of resistant bacteria 6
- Cytology can be used as a diagnostic method to reveal various bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic pathogens 2