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.
Causes of Buttock Folliculitis
Buttock folliculitis simply means inflamed hair follicles in the butt or gluteal area.
Hair follicles can be inflammed by:
Bacteria
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.
Fungi
Fungi like Candida can cause Candidal folliculitis in the skin folds.
Tight clothes
Wearing tight fitting clothes especially exercise gear can irritate the hair follicles in that area.
Treatment of Buttock Folliculitis
Buttock folliculitis can be treated by doing the following:
Maintain good personal 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 Topix 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Wash.
If you shampoo your hair when showering, first rinse off the shampoo and conditioner since they can clog skin pores when they flow down the back and then finish off by cleaning and rinsing the back.
Apply 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) or Bacitracin.
Take Antibiotics by Mouth
If the condition persists after using the above measures, consult your nearest doctor so that they can prescribe a course of antibiotics to take by mouth to treat the folliculitis like Flucloxacillin. Clindamycin and linezolid can also be used to treat methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Gram negative folliculitis which causes the spa pool folliculitis is treated with Ciprofloxacin.
Your 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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