Ask a Skin Doctor: Butt Acne or Buttock Folliculitis
Dear Doctor
Hi I have a lot of blackheads on my buttocks, don’t know the condition. I am currently using benzyl peroxide body wash, sulfur soap and clear topical cream. My question is there a faster way to get rid of this issue?
Dear Patient
This looks more like Buttock Folliculitis than Butt Acne to me.
Causes of Buttock Folliculitis
Buttock folliculitis simply means inflamed hair follicles in the butt or gluteal area.
Hair follicles can be inflammed by:
1. Bacteria like Staphylococcus aureaus which is the most common cause of folliculitis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is another bacteria which causes butt folliculitis in persons who use spa pools or hot tubs with inadequately treated water.
2. Fungi like Candida can cause Candidal folliculitis in the skin folds.
3. Wearing tight fitting clothes especially exercise gear can irritate the hair follicles in that area.
Treatment of Buttock Folliculitis
1. Maintain good person hygiene
Maintain good personal hygiene by showering at least once a day. Ensure that you also shower immediately after working out.
Read the label of your body wash and see if it contains 10% Benzoly peroxide. If it doesn’t consider using the Topix 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Wash.
If showering and shampooing your hair at the same time, first rinse off the shampoo and conditioner since they can clog skin pores when rinsed down the back and then finish off by cleaning and rinsing the back.
2. Use Topical Antibiotics
You don’t mention the name of the clear topical cream you are using and I suggest you replace it with an antibiotic like Mupirocin (Bactroban) or Fusidic acid (Fucidin) or Clindamycin (Evoclin foam).
3. Oral Antibiotics
Antibiotics to take by mouth to treat folliculitis include Flucloxacillin. Clindamycin and linezolid can be used to treat methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Gram negative folliculitis which causes the spa pool folliculitis is treated with Ciprofloxacin.
I suggest that before you take any antibiotics by mouth that you have a test done to find out the bacteria (or fungi) that are causing this infection as well as the medications they are sensitive to.
You skin also needs a closer examination to rule out pseudofolliculitis which is caused by curved hairs digging back into the skin. If that is the cause of your condition, then laser hair removal will really benefit you. This can be done by a dermatologist though At home hair removal lasers are also available.
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