CRAP! Folliculitis and/or Acne is returning

[Rusty Shackleford]

Starting in my late teens I began getting these pustules on my scalp and many never seemed to want to heal.  I have an oily head so I'm sure that plays a role.  They would itch and hurt, so I would constantly pop and squeeze them.  When I had hair I'd often find crunchy dried puss in my hair.  In the first few years of shaving my head I exposed those spots so my head looked like a leopard at times with red spots covering nearly half my head.   But I was a trooper!  I persevered! 

I tried various things to stop it from taking OTC acne medication, cleaning my head with alcohol, taking prescription gels, and even Accutane.  Accutane worked... briefly.  It seemed to have no lasting effects. OTC acne medications as as useless as other OTC medications, and my acne always seemed to adapt to gels.

I had my share of doctors.  One was the typical "I know everything, you know nothing" doctor who insisted it was caused by shaving.  Apparently the irritating effects of shaving can travel up to a decade backwards in time since I had these for at least a decade before ever taking a razor to my scalp.


Anyway, around 2003 the problem disappeared.  I had a doctor that gave me 2 gels and I began showering in chlorinated water.  That seemed to make it all but disappear for years.

Over that time I got lazy with my gels, and had minor flareups from time to time, but now things seem different.  I'm really under the impression that the problem is returning.  I have the acne marks and that itching sensation is starting to return.  Some spots are even starting to hurt.




I've gotta know, do any of you guys run into something similar to this?  Does anything OTC actually work?

[Rusty Shackleford]

This might be folliculitis where the hair follicles are getting infected.  Here's a crazy thought, would tweezing or laser hair removal eliminate that problem?  I know it doesn't completely destroy the follicle, but it does significantly reduce its size.  Any of you tweezers or laser-ers have any insite here?

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Dirt--get rid of dirt.  Gels/lotions--use a combination of 10%benzoyl peroxide and 10%hydrocortizone, after shaving after a good wipe down w/ an astringent like hydrogen peroxide.  Change your pillow case regularly--a new pillow now and then might help too.  Wash the dome two, three times a day--it feels good and gets rid of the dirt and grime that build up directly on the scalp since there isn't any hair. 
Clean keeps it clear, at least it does for me and I the skin doctor's full employment act, I always have an appointment scheduled and have since I started puberty--hopefully it will be over soon .

[Razor X]

I've had similar problems off and on -- and like you, came across a doctor who insisted that it was caused by shaving, even though the worst breakouts were on my forehead where there isn't -- and never has been -- any hair. It seems to be brought on by perspiration so it is much worse in hot weather or when I've worked out really hard.  And wiping the dome with a towel to get rid of the sweat seems to cause more irritation.

I tried the regiment saintc prescribed -- minus the hydrogen peroxide which made my scalp very itchy -- with great success.  It worked for a while and then I had another bad flare-up.  I stumbled across something in CVS called Prosacea -- which is a homeopathic remedy for rosacea.  It isn't rosacea but the label said it worked on red bumps so I decided to give it a try and it worked very well.  The active ingredient is sulfur.

Whenever I have success in treating this, the treatment seems to work for a while and then it stops being effective.  But I've found that rotating between the benzoyl peroxide/cortisone regimen and the Prosacea has worked very well -- so far.  When one doesn't work the other usually does.

I also keep a bottle of Sea Breeze at my desk at work and use it when my dome seems to be getting oily. 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Dirt--get rid of dirt.  Gels/lotions--use a combination of 10%benzoyl peroxide and 10%hydrocortizone, after shaving after a good wipe down w/ an astringent like hydrogen peroxide.  Change your pillow case regularly--a new pillow now and then might help too.  Wash the dome two, three times a day--it feels good and gets rid of the dirt and grime that build up directly on the scalp since there isn't any hair. 
Clean keeps it clear, at least it does for me and I the skin doctor's full employment act, I always have an appointment scheduled and have since I started puberty--hopefully it will be over soon .

Thanks.  I'm going to try cleaning my scalp at least twice a day.  One of the things I have (and haven't been using) is a gel with benzoyl peroxide.  I went to try out some hydrogen peroxide, but it seemed like my H2O2 had turned to water.  I bought some years ago for non medical reasons and its expiration date was 7/2007!  Maybe I should get some fresh stuff.



I have a dermatologist, but I just had my appointment a few weeks ago.  Oh well, he'd just give me more of the stuff that I don't really use anyway.  I guess have run into a time where the bacteria is overwhelming my skin so I just need to knock their numbers back down so that I can get back to where I was.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I tried the regiment saintc prescribed -- minus the hydrogen peroxide which made my scalp very itchy -- with great success.  It worked for a while and then I had another bad flare-up.  I stumbled across something in CVS called Prosacea -- which is a homeopathic remedy for rosacea.  It isn't rosacea but the label said it worked on red bumps so I decided to give it a try and it worked very well.  The active ingredient is sulfur.

Sulfur?  Does that make your head smell like poop?

Whenever I have success in treating this, the treatment seems to work for a while and then it stops being effective.  But I've found that rotating between the benzoyl peroxide/cortisone regimen and the Prosacea has worked very well -- so far.  When one doesn't work the other usually does.

I know.  It's almost like we're fighting the borg in the way they can adapt to everything we throw at them.

[Razor X]

I tried the regiment saintc prescribed -- minus the hydrogen peroxide which made my scalp very itchy -- with great success.  It worked for a while and then I had another bad flare-up.  I stumbled across something in CVS called Prosacea -- which is a homeopathic remedy for rosacea.  It isn't rosacea but the label said it worked on red bumps so I decided to give it a try and it worked very well.  The active ingredient is sulfur.

Sulfur?  Does that make your head smell like poop?

Yes, you may attract some flies but that's just the price you'll have to pay.   

[tomgallagher]

You will be assimilated.

[thegilp]

I tend to have this problem when i get really stressed.  I agree with keeping the dome clean, I use alcohol wipes through out the day and hydrogen peroxide right after the shave (also great if you happen to nick yourself) and sea breeze is a God send

[Rusty Shackleford]

I was being really aggressive with it around the time I started this thread with peroxide, alcohol (not beer), Clearasyl, and general cleaning and what the heck, alcohol (beer ) too.  It finally went away.  I don't know why.  It certainly wasn't stress because if it was I should look like I have a case of the Chicken Pox right now.