Folliculitis, which is the medical term given to the condition of an infected hair follicle, is essentially a skin infection that is localized to the hair follicles. It is characterized by the development of a number of small, red blisters or bumps emerging at the site of the hair follicle. Given the fact that hair follicles are present all over the body, the condition can develop on any part of the body and will usually be rather wide spread with as many as about 10 - 100 very small bumps emerging. However, the condition will usually not affect the entire body, but only a certain patch. Studies have shown that almost as many as 10 to 20% of the entire population will suffer from some form of folliclulitis at some point of their lives or the other. Some individuals are more prone to being affected by the condition due to a variety of reasons including suffering from diabetes or a compromised immunity system brought on by conditions like AIDS, hepatitis and illness. Essentially, the inflammation of the skin is filled with a combination of bacteria and puss, and the bumps can be significantly painful. Until a number of years ago, many experts were under the impression that an individual’s diet plays a significant role in deciding the extent to which a patient is affected by the condition. Recent studies however, have shown that the diet is not linked in any way to the development of folliculitis.
Since the condition is rather common and also painful, a number of effective home remedies have been developed all over the world and been tested and perfected over a number of decades. Each of these treatments have proven to be very beneficial in the dealing with folliculitis. When affected by the condition, you could try applying a warm compress over the area of the boils, a number of times over the course of the day. The application of the warm compress will help speed up the treatment and also bring the boil to a head, allowing for the easy drainage of impurities within, when the boil eventually bursts. It is important to maintain good skin hygiene by washing the infected area a number of times during the day. Also make sure that you avoid drying out the skin as it could cause further irritation or discomfort. Tea tree oil is highly regarded for its very effective treatment of folliculitis and should be applied over the infected area at least two or three times during the day for best results.
answered by G R