Hair follicles are the tiny structures in the skin in which hairs are formed.
Folliculitis is the term given to the inflammation of these hair follicles.
The inflammation can occur anywhere on the skin that has hairs, but folliculitis barbae refers in particular to inflammation of the hair follicles in the area of the beard.
Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria responsible for many skin infections, is the most common found cause of folliculitis barbae.
It arises frequently in men following shaving, and can often resurface from continued use of contaminated shaving equipment, or from bacteria that can be present in the nose.
In many cases, the upper part of the hair follicle, close to the skin, is the area infected.
However, in some instances, the infection goes deeper, which prompts the immune system to start an inflammatory response, causing redness and irritation between follicles, sometimes being so severe that scarring will occur.
This is also called sycosis barbae.
It may be useful to know that folliculitis barbae is not hereditary.
Folliculitis barbae is extremely itchy and tender.
An infection in the beard area results in red swellings around the exit points of hairs in the skin, often with yellow-headed spots called pustules.
If the inflammatory response grows, the area of redness may also grow in sympathy and further increase the irritation.
In the case of sycosis barbae, some of the tender spots can release pus and make things even more uncomfortable.
Folliculitis barbae should not be confused with pseudofolliculitis, which is irritation caused by ingrown hairs.
In order to properly diagnose folliculitis barbae, pus samples may be taken to test for infection.
Nasal swabs may be necessary, including from the noses of the family circle, to identify if bacteria carried in the nose is the cause of the problem.
Extremely close examination of the skin will determine whether the spots are caused by pseudofolliculitis (ingrowing hairs), or by folliculitis barbae, although both can exist at the same time.
In the majority of cases, response to treatment is good, but any scarring that occurs will be permanent, although improvement in appearance will usually occur in time.
As for treatment, some common examples are: - a short course of relevant antibiotic in the form of tablets or applied to the skin - an antibiotic cream applied to the nostril if proved to be the source of infection - a steroid cream if the inflammation becomes chronic - an anti-inflammatory antibiotic, professionally prescribed, in more difficult cases It may also help if a few preventative measures are taken, particularly to reduce contamination of shaving tackle.
Metal parts should be thoroughly cleaned with boiling water, and plastic parts should be cleaned and immersed in an antiseptic solution, alcohol based, following each shave.
Perhaps an antiseptic shaving foam should be considered.
These straightforward measures should help greatly in reducing the onset or frequency of folliculitis barbae.