Pseudomonas folliculitis, also known as hot tub folliculitis, is an infection of the hair follicles. This infection is itchy and may be painful, but fortunately, it can be treated. Here are five things that you need to know about this infection.
What causes it?
Pseudomonas folliculitis is caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common type of bacteria. This bacteria is naturally present in soil, water, and on human skin. The bacteria can get inside your hair follicles if you swim in a contaminated pool, hot tub, bathtub, or other water source.
How can you prevent it?
Some factors are associated with outbreaks of this condition, so you should try your best to avoid them. People who spend a lot of time in the water are more likely to get the infection, as are people who swim in very busy pools of water or people who swim in pools or tubs that have not been cleaned properly. Wearing tight bathing suits is also a risk factor as is using inflatable pool toys. If you want to swim, try to stick to pools that are superchlorinated, avoid pool toys, and choose loose swimwear.
What are the signs of Pseudomonas folliculitis?
If you have Pseudomonas folliculitis, you will develop a rash on your skin. At first the rash looks like chickenpox, but as it progresses, the bumps will start to look like pimples. The bumps are very itchy and may also be painful.
If you scratch the rash, it can get worse or spread to other parts of your skin. This makes it harder to treat, so if you think you have Pseudomonas folliculitis, try your best not to scratch the rash.
Is it serious?
Pseudomonas folliculitis can lead to a few different complications, and to avoid these, the condition needs to be treated as soon as possible. Without treatment, the infection can spread to other parts of your skin and may become recurrent. The infection may spread deeper into the skin and cause boils. Boils are painful lumps filled with pus that develop beneath your skin.
Pseudomonas folliculitis can also lead to cosmetic problems like skin damage or hair loss. Skin damage may include scars at the infection site or dark spots. Hair loss may result if the infection completely destroys the hair follicles, leaving them unable to produce hair again.
How is Pseudomonas folliculitis treated?
Most of the time, the rash associated with Pseudomonas folliculitis will go away by itself. This can take between 7 and 10 days. Once the rash is healed, you will have hyper-pigmented lesions on your skin where the rash was, but this should go away after a few months.
While you're waiting to heal, a dermatologist, like those at Dermatology Associates, may recommend home remedies to ease the symptoms. Your dermatologist may tell you to hold a warm compress against your rash to ease the itching. You may also be told to dab calamine lotion on your rash or to take a cool oatmeal bath.
If you've already tried home remedies and didn't find them helpful, your dermatologist can offer prescription remedies. You may be given a prescription for an antibiotic cream to rub on your rash; the antibiotics work by killing the Pseudomonas bacteria that are responsible for your infection.
Once your infection is gone, you may be left with scars or dark spots on your skin. Fortunately, your dermatologist can help you get rid of these as well. Discoloration can be treated with bleaching or lightening creams. You will rub these creams on your discolored skin, and over time, your skin will return to its normal color.
If you think you may have Pseudomonas folliculitis, talk to your dermatologist right away. This condition is uncomfortable, but it is very treatable.
Share1 October 2015
When we got family pictures taken last time, I realized that something was wrong with my skin. In addition to being blotchy, I was still suffering from embarrassing breakouts. To resolve the problem, I made an appointment with a dermatologist. It was incredible to talk with him, and he had lots of valuable advice. In addition to offering suggestions for ways to avoid breakouts, he also helped me to perfect my skincare routine. You wouldn't believe how much better my skin looks now. This blog is all about perfecting your skincare regimen, so that you don't have to feel shy about your looks.
