Severe Scalp Folliculitis (Seen 4 Dermatologist already)

I have had this painful problem for years (4 years to be exact). I am 25 years old, male, from India. Here's how the problem started. Tiny red bumps on back of the scalp back in 2003, they got very itchy. I would scratch them, and they'd be filled with sort of clear liquid. After a few months, I went to a dermatologist, she prescribed me with something (i can't remember). It didn't do anything, and I had to go back. Problem was, her appointments were pre-booked months in advance so it took forever to get anything done.

Back then, this wasn't a painful problem, but over the years, I've seen 4 dermatologist, they all have done cultures, always negative. Last year, I was prescribed Doxycycline, and it did wonders for me. I was on 75mg/day for over six months, and not a single bump on my scalp or chin (I occasionally get them on chin). The doctor told me to gradually slow down on the doxy, and I stared taking 1 pill every 2 days. After a month, I completely got off doxy.
Doryx (Doxycycline Hyclate) Drug Information: Uses, Side Effects ...
with a molecular formula of C22H24N2O8, HCl, ½ C2H6O, ½ H 2O and a molecular weight of 512.9. The chemical designation for doxycycline ...
www.rxlist.com/doryx-drug.htm
The structural formula for doxycycline hyclate is:
DORYX® (doxycycline hyclate) Structural Formula Illustration

with a molecular formula of C22H24N2O8, HCl, ½ C2H6O, ½ H 2O and a molecular weight of 512.9. The chemical designation for doxycycline hyclate is [4S(4aR,5S,5aR,6R,12aS)] -4-(dimethylamino)-1,4,4a,5,5a,6,11,12a-octahydro-3,5,10,12,12a-pentahydroxy-6­methyl-1,11-deoxonapthtacene-2-carboxamide monohydrochloride, compound with ethyl alcohol (2:1),

Things were great for about 2 weeks, until the bumps came back on my scalp. And now doxy or any other drug doesn't work. I've used Zinc shampoo, Salycilic (spelling?) Shampoo, nothing works. I'm tired of going to dermatologist, they don't even know what drugs to give me.

So far, I've taken Cepalexin, Used Luxiq foam, used Loprox shampoo (this kind numbed the pain), used Doxy, and couple of other antibiotics.

The latest thing I was told to do was to take 2 100mg doxy per day, and all it's doing is controlling the bumps a little. Like 1 week of the month, I will have 90% clear scalp. The other 3 weeks, I'll have 8-10 spots.

From all my research, this seems like extreme stubborn case of folliculitis, but I don't even know anymore what to do. Please, anyone out there, help me. I'm willing to pay you if you can help solve this problem.

MattyK  4-3-09
I understand your frustration, but the condition you describe is indeed very hard to treat.  Sometimes antibiotics work, but sometimes they don't.  You may benefit from another antibiotic you don't mention called minocycline.  Sometimes injections of cortisone, or cortisone applied under overnight placement of a shower cap help.  Even if treatments help, you may have to put up with only partial benefit.  Unfortunately, this is just the way things are with this condition.  On the other hand, I have seen patients like you in whom the condition just stopped coming after a while.

Best.

Dr.
The next time I go to a dermatologist, I will mention minocycline. Also, you said that the condition just stopped after a while... how long is 'a while'?

Because these bumps are extremely sore and painful. In the beginning, they were just itchy even if I pick at them. Now they're itchy, but very sensitive to touch and sore.

I've seen stories online about people taking fish oil pills which helped clear their skin, along with Vitamin A supplement. Any truth to this?  MattyK
 
This could be an autoimmune issue, couldn't it?

Were you doing anything differently in 2003 when this first started up, or shortly before this ... than you were before.

One autoimmune causing chemical to AVOID is 2-butoxyethanol and exposure would look like 'the flu' or just flatulence and 'the sniffles' or sinus congestion.  It is very frequently found in home cleaning products, paint, etc.  What kind of work do you do?

Look for the Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS,CFS, FM) if so ... and look for a host of autoimmune issues (not just one)

I have wondered whether gamma globulin would help  MissNanny 4-4-09
From what I can recall, I haven't done anything different. But here's one thing to note. I've been basically living off antibiotics since I was a baby. I've always had chronic sore throat pain which required me to be on antibiotics. I would get sore throat about twice a year at the minimum until I was about 22 years old (3 years ago). Since I started taking Vitamin C supplements in form of orange juice, etc, haven't had my 'chronic' sore throat since. No clue if this has anything to do with this.

Also, another side note, I've also had pilonidal sinus which started just around when my scalp problem started. I've had the surgery for pilonidal last year.

Yet another note, I've had chicken pox when I was 19. (Yes I've lived a painful life so far).

As far as my day-to-day life, I'm very clean. I can't stand not taking a shower every day. I shampoo everyday and must take shower. Also, I've always had oily skin. I work from home, I have my own internet business so I'm at my desk 6-10 hours a day. I also don't let anything touch the back of the scalp, except for the pillow at night.

One thing to keep in mind is that I get the same thing (or similar to the scalp) on my chin. Three days ago, a 'pimple' was growing and after it was all yellow and everything, when I popped it, I noticed a beard hair inside. It wasn't curled up or anything, it was pointing straight out. The problem seems to be deep within the root of the hair, and when the scalp pimples are super sensitive and sore, they have the yellow tip just like the one on the chin.

I will do some hardcore research on everything you said to see if I can find any connection  MattyK  4-5-09
consider second hand exposure to EGBE
by missnanny

 Apr 05, 2009

If you weren't using new cleaning products at that time, then I suspect second hand exposure to the 2-butoxyethanol type chemical.  The pilonidal sinus may be an autoimmune response to this exposure.

So, did you attend some sports arena event?  Did you participate in a running race?  Did someone new come around at that time, either in your personal life or your work?

People strongly exposed can breath the chemical out in their respiration and the molecules of chemical can get into your eyes (a primary route of exposure).  I heard of a man who attended a sports event and immediately thereafter he became ill and had a brain tumor start up that grew to the size of a grapefruit.  

My husband cleaned the carpet in one of our rentals and stood very near me a couple of days later.  I had diarrhea and vomiting.  One week later, the same thing; except I only had diarrhea  (Remember what happened to Jett Travolta? after carpet cleaning in his home he came down with Kawasaki Disease & almost died at age 2; at age 16 years I suspect the advance anemia of this chemical exposure ... led to his seizures and ultimate death - my opinion)

Once my husband had been doing a work project where he would have had some small exposure to this chemical.  He was on one side of me and the nostril on that side of me started loosening ... and dripping.  Other nostril not affected

ABOVE on public forum

cont ... privately:  I write web pages about this as I have looked into this chemical since 2002 when I learned that someone in my family was over exposed to it in Exxon Valdez Oil Spill cleanup  http://www.valdezlink.com 

 

Sent by MattyK

 Apr 05, 2009

As far as I can think back, I went to India for about three weeks in 2003, and while I was on the plane, I had a pain where the pilonidal sinus was. I didn't check it or anything, but there was a strong smell which was coming from 'somewhere'. When I checked it out, my entire shorts were covered with something red/brown liquid. That's when the pilonidal problem started. But I do want to point out that I have to sit for long periods of time, and when I got the surgery, the doctor said they found lots of hair follicles and removed the infection. I believe that the scalp problem started maybe few months after I came back from India.

The only exposure I have to any chemicals is an old spice deodorant that I use daily. And I take propecia (been taking it since 19 yo). Besides that, the water from shower and shampoo and my pillow are about the only thing that touches my scalp.

To answer your question, Didn't attend any sports arena event, didn't participate in running race, didn't have anyone new around that time personal/work.

Here's another bit of history that might help, I did go see a dermatologist after my trip from India for something else. I had like white circle spots on my neck and back at the time. I think she said it was tinea or something. She prescribed me something and the spots disappeared later. I don't know any connection is there between the two.

Also, whenever I had my sore throat problem, it would start with some pain in my throat, and I knew it would be worse and worse until I get antibiotics. When I'd get on antibiotics like Levaquin or the Z pack, my scalp would clear up like ever before. I always figured this was bacterial because of that. This is why I don't understand why all cultures come up negative. My latest dermatologist even took 4-5 strands of hair from the root to do a biopsy for hair disorder, but negative.

Any thoughts on fish oil pills or Vitamin A? Some people mentioned them while on the topic of folliculitis.

And thank you so much for everything so far, I'm glad to finally talk to someone about this rather then doing hopeless research, because all the research ends up with "you need to see a dermatologist".

 

 

Sent by missnanny
Long airplane ride could put you close to a stranger who could have exposed you to the chemical

Since the pain in sinus started then

and the red brown in your 'shorts'

could be some liquefaction of the bowels ... just short of diarrhea

I have heard of people who say their Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms started up after such airplane travel

Get ideas from doctor on what to do to stop one's system from being autoimmune


Some thoughts I think might help (but I have no medical background)
http://www.valdezlink.com/re/msn/mysterydiagnosis/menu.htm

 (Go to bottom of page)

some second hand solvent exposure examples

http://www.valdezlink.com/re/topolicechief.htm#of

 

Do you have fatigue?

Do you notice short term memory loss?  have headaches?