Firstly, infected hair follicles cannot be treated at home. Usually, the patient is not aware that they have infected hair follicles but would experience persistent oiliness and soreness of the scalp, and potentially some hair loss as well.
Two different conditions can cause this scalp condition
- The first is frontal fibrosing alopecia, where the patient experiences an inflamed scalp around their hairline, and the spaces between their hairs seem to become more obvious. The hairline will lose its neat and fairly uniform appearance and start to look mottled and patchy. The scalp could feel sore and itchy, which is often preceded by the loss of facial hair; in particular the eyebrows and eyelashes. This is an autoimmune condition.
- The second condition is folliculitis (Folliculitis decalvans), the trigger of which is unknown. It can also be called dissecting folliculitis due to the fact it erodes the hair, resulting in a concave area devoid of follicles. The bacterial and yeast growth causes inflammation within the follicle, and the body then rejects the hairs, which can cause scarring. This means that unfortunately, the hairs will not grow in this area again. Often the patient has had an intense period of stress or anxiety, but not always. The patient may also have other autoimmune conditions, such as a thyroid issue. In my experience, I do not believe that over-the-counter treatments will suffice, due to the diet, lifestyle and thorough monitoring of this condition being required. Folliculitis is not contagious, but for the patient themselves, the worst thing they can do is scratch or pick.
If you are suffering from scalp conditions or infected follicles-like symptoms, please contact the clinic to arrange an appointment.
