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Rashes
Red blotches on the skin
There is a lump
Swelling of the affected area
Redness of the skin
Reddish skin lumps
Affected area of skin has stinging or tingling
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
Infection of hair follicles by bacteria or fungi. When more hair follicles are involved, they can merge under the skin to become carbuncles.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Mild cases can be treated with good hygiene, creams, or tablets. More severe cases may require simple surgery to drain the pus.
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Yukiko Ueda, MD (Dermatology)
Dr. Ueda graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine and trained at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She is currently a clinical assistant professor at the Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, and holds several posts in the dermatology departments at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Komagome Hospital, University of Tokyo, and the Medical Center of Japan Red Cross Society.
Content updated on Feb 13, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Q.
Angry Red Bump? Why Your Staph Infection Spreads & Medical Next Steps
A.
A rapidly spreading angry red bump is often a staph skin infection that can worsen when bacteria multiply quickly, you squeeze or pick it, treatment is delayed, immunity is low, or the strain is MRSA. Do not squeeze; keep it clean and covered, monitor closely, and seek prompt care if it enlarges, drains, or you develop fever or red streaks, since antibiotics or drainage may be needed; there are several factors to consider, and important details that could change your next steps are explained below.
References:
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21206013/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32211388/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28387019/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30231846/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34736856/
Q.
Angry Red Bumps? Why Your Pores Are Flaring and Medical Steps to Clear Folliculitis
A.
Folliculitis causes small, itchy red or pus-filled bumps around hair follicles, most often from bacteria, shaving or friction, ingrown hairs, or hot tub exposure. Mild cases often clear with gentle washing, warm compresses, and pausing shaving, but persistent, widespread, very painful, or feverish cases and those in people with diabetes or weakened immunity may need prescription antibiotics or antifungals and sometimes drainage; see below for detailed causes, prevention, look-alikes, and step-by-step guidance that can shape your next care decisions.
References:
* Luelmo-Aguilar J, Giménez-Arnau A, Segarra-Mir L, Salleras-Redonnet M. Folliculitis: Pathogenesis, Clinical Presentation, and Treatment. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas (English Edition). 2021 Jul;112(7):594-604. doi: 10.1016/j.ad.2021.05.006. Epub 2021 Jun 17. PMID: 34148782.
* Zhang C, Zhang W, Yu Q, Wang J, Shi Z, Sun S. Recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of folliculitis. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022 Dec;33(8):1201-1211. doi: 10.1080/09546634.2021.1916307. Epub 2021 Apr 22. PMID: 33887968.
* Al-Hassani A, Al-Marzooq H. Gram-negative folliculitis: A systematic review of cases and treatment. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020 Sep;83(3):910-917. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2019.08.067. Epub 2019 Sep 12. PMID: 31522067.
* Rubenstein MH, Kim J. Malassezia folliculitis: an update on diagnosis and treatment. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2024 Jan 22. doi: 10.1007/s40257-023-00850-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38252277.
* Bédard P, Habel M, Poulin Y, Viau R, Brousseau L. Acneiform eruptions and folliculitis related to drugs: A review of the literature. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020 Oct;83(4):1142-1153. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2019.12.008. Epub 2019 Dec 10. PMID: 31837494.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1Davidson, L., Knight, J., & Bowen, A. C. (2020). Skin infections in Australian Aboriginal children: a narrative review. Medical Journal of Australia.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/mja2.50361Singer, A. J., & Talan, D. A. (2014). Management of Skin Abscesses in the Era of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. New England Journal of Medicine.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMra1212788Kobayashi, S. D., Malachowa, N., & DeLeo, F. R. (2015). Pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus abscesses. The American Journal of ….
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000294401500070X