1. Know the Indication of a Superficial Infection
Many folliculitis infections are considered superficial, which means they affect the upper part of the hair follicle. If you have this type of infection, you will find small, red bumps around your hair follicles and have crusty, oozing blisters. The infection may feel itchy or sore. One subtype is staphylococcal folliculitis, which appears as pus-filled bumps that feel thicker than pimples. This type looks similar to tinea barbae, which is a fungal disease that looks like beard rash.
The bacterial version of this infection is called pseudofolliculitis barbae and only occurs in men with curly hair. If you've spend time in chlorinated pools and develop red, round bumps on your skin, you probably have pseudomonas folliculitis. This bacterial infection can present as pus-filled blisters if not treated. In general, superficial infections tend to heal better than deep-seated folliculitis infections.
2. Consider a Deeper Infection
Some types of folliculitis run deeper than the superficial infections. For example, if you're taking antibiotics for a long time and develop pimply bumps, you may suffer from gram-negative folliculitis. Boils, those large, painful bumps that fill with pus, may indicate folliculitis. Carbuncles, a cluster of boils, also can be caused by folliculitis. If you are HIV-positive, those pus-filled bumps probably are eosinophilic folliculitis. The bumps, which will be inflamed and itchy, often spread and cause dark scars when they heal.
3. Other Physical Signs
Some types of folliculitis can affect more than your skin. For instance, tinea barbae can cause swollen lymph nodes to swell and fever. If you have a cold sore on your mouth, the herpes simplex virus that caused the original infection may move to hair follicles nearby. Some forms of folliculitis, such as the type that causes carbuncles, can make you feel generally unwell.
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