Folliculitis is defined as infection of the hair follicular unit, most commonly bacterial (predominantly Staphylococcus aureus, with Gram-negative organisms implicated in groin cases), and exists on a severity continuum progressing from folliculitis to furuncle, carbuncle, and abscess formation as inflammation deepens. Differentiating folliculitis from other dermatologic conditions relies on distinguishing features tied to underlying mechanism: acne vulgaris is defined by comedones and pubertal hormonal onset, prurigo nodularis by a neurodermatitic excoriation process limited to reachable skin, and miliaria by occlusion of the eccrine sweat duct with sweat extravasation into the dermis. This is a topic in dermatology concerned with classifying infectious and inflammatory follicular/cutaneous conditions by anatomic and pathophysiologic mechanism.
Folliculitis is defined as infection of the hair follicular unit, most commonly bacterial (predominantly Staphylococcus aureus, with Gram-negative organisms implicated in groin cases), and exists on …