Folliculitus

by Michelle
(Minneapolis, MN)

I have gotten a couple bouts of folliculitus in the past and after returning home from a vacation in Florida.

I thought I had gotten it again (could the possible suspect be the beach?).


It started the same as before: on the bottom half of my legs, itched super bad, best relief was when I broke the surface of the bump, and of course spread like the dickens when I itched.


However this bout of "follciulitus" did not remedy itself after a week which is what it did before, but wonderfully spread to the forearms, shoulders, neck, and my favorite the ears (tiny bumps that I thought were individual infections).


I have tried many natural remedies, except tonight I tried a hot bath which feels better, but I have no idea what to do because I am not sure what it is.


Do I have scabies? Help! Any suggestions are welcome!

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Hi Michelle,

That's very interesting. I'm a little surprised that you have been diagnosed with folliculitis. Your symptoms don't really sound like that condition to me, particularly because of the place of origin being your lower legs. But, I'm no expert! :)


However, I'm wondering if your guilty culprit is really sandflies (sometimes called sand fleas, biting midges, or no-see-ums). The reason I thought of that is because of your reference to Florida and the beach.


It doesn't sound like scabies to me. It almost sounds like you're having a severe reaction to the sandflies or even one of the remedies that you tried using to treat the possible biting midges.


It can be so difficult sometimes to determine the real cause of a reaction. It all kind of boils down to your body having an allergic reaction to some toxin it isn't accustomed to, isn't it?


Whether it is the insect bite itself, germs spread from scratching those bites, or even a reaction to one of the topical treatments you've applied, it's really hard to determine.


For instance, I'm not generally allergic to tea tree oil. I've used it for years without problems. But I switched to a really strong (homemade) tea tree oil one time and you would not believe the horrific reaction I had. My legs were completely covered in a rash that drove me mad. I was literally bleeding from scratching. Not good at all!


I had to ride it out (took about 2 full weeks), but it reinforced to me that we can react negatively to natural ingredients too if we use too strong a concoction or even just happen to be sensitive to certain things.


Just thinking, is it possible you got into some poison ivy or poison oak? If your rash/bumps had clear fluid in them (almost like mini blisters) that's another possibility. Poison Ivy definitely spreads from scratching.


Most doctors even say that you don't even really spread it by transferring the poison from one spot to the other by hand. The act of scratching stirs up the poison in your system, and, as a result, you can have outbreaks anywhere! Charming, isn't it?


What remedies have you tried? Here are a few natural treatments for biting midges and other rashes that have been found effective. You can add them to your experimentation if you like...

• Aloe Vera Plant - slice open a piece of the aloe plant and rub the gel directly onto the rash.
  
• Garlic - cut a clove in half and rub it on the rash.
  
• Baking Soda Paste - make a paste with baking soda and a little water and apply it to the rash.
  
• Salt Water - make up a small glass of really salty water and apply it to the rash and allow it to dry naturally.
  
• Organic Apple Cider Vinegar - apply some raw apple cider vinegar (like Bragg's) to the rash or add a cup to your warm bath water and have a good soak.

Not knowing what exactly is causing your rash and discomfort, whether it be folliculitus, scabies, biting midges, poison ivy, or something else entirely, there are always some basic steps you can follow.

1. Cleanse - clean out your system internally by using an herbal cleanse, garlic, grape seed extract, etc.
   
   
2. Restore - replenish the good bacteria in your body by using quality probiotic supplements.
   
   
3. Build - build your body's natural resistance and ability to detox with good nutrition and whole food supplement powders if necessary.

I often think that many people undervalue the sheer importance and necessity of good nutrition in the healing process. Give your body what it needs and let it do its thing. :)


Most doctors in the field of natural health and healing will agree that it takes 10x the amount of nutrition for the body to heal than it does to maintain good health.


Michelle, I wish I could be more specific in suggestions for you, but I hope these general tips will be helpful.


Do let us know how you get on with your folliculitus and/or mystery rash.

To your good health!
Angie