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Suggest Treatment For Staph Infection After Threading Hair Removal?

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Posted on Wed, 22 Jul 2015
Question: My friend had her eye brows threaded years ago and seemed to develop staph infection. She has seemed to be sick now for years and has seen dermatologist after dermatologist as well as infectious disease doctors. Not one doctor has diagnosed her with anything but she continues to have on-going bizarre skin issues in and around her eyes, nose and forehead. She was always an active person and now has been very sick for years on end. If she exerts herself in any way, it takes her days of doing nothing to recover. Any thoughts on what she may have and how it can be treated. It has become debilitating.
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Answered by Dr. Dr.Maheshwari (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Could be because of low immunity.

Detailed Answer:

I have gone through your history and regarding treatment of breast cancer I need to know that whether she has been given chemotherapy or radiation too. As both can cause change in bone marrow cells which are for fighting any infection.
If it is recurrent staphylococcal infection , get a swab test done of the skin blisters filled with fluid and nasopharyngeal aspirate culture and blood culture to rule out any resistant infection to antibiotics she has been given.

Even if it is not eradicated thoroughly it can cause abscess in chest or brain.

Other cause of your recurrent skin infection can be because of low immunity ,for that get a full blood count done first to rule out mast cells and eosinophils number as change of any can also cause skin manifestations.

Hopefully I answered your question ,You can discuss further if you have more questions to ask.
Regards,
Dr.Maheshwari
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
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Follow up: Dr. Dr.Maheshwari (24 hours later)
She has received probably 10 chemo treatments over the past year and a half and several surgeries and blood transfusions. The skin issue occurred approximately a year before cancer diagnosis. Many of her physical symptoms can be explained by cancer treatment over past few years but original skin abscess that occurred after cutting into infection or problem area with her own pair of scissors seems to have resulted in staph infection that was never eliminated from her body. She actually did have intravenous IV for couple hours at UCLA when I took her in because she had been so sick with high, high fever, pain and barely able to move or get off couch. Except for this time, she has only had antibiotic after antibiotic prescribed with little to no effect. She has almost been on continuous antibiotics to initially try and cure staph infection and later for cancer related issues and surgeries. She has a history of severe allergies as well as sinus, urinary tract and yeast infections. She recently "learned" that antibiotics not only become resistant to infections/bacteria but that supposedly prolonged use of antibiotics can damage good/infection fighting cells. Is that true?

Do you think swab test and/or blood and nasopharyngeal aspirate culture could rule out or finally provide a diagnoses and possible treatment plan to rid herself of this skin disease that is so painful and keeping her from the road to recovery and health and vitality? Need to know what test, culture or biopsy to demand in order to cure this skin infection/disease or whatever it is or find out if it is related to her cancer. Hope you can help. Thank you!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr.Maheshwari (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Blood culture result can rule out staph infection.

Detailed Answer:
Recurrent usage of same antibiotic can cause resistance to infection. Even Staphylococcus bacteria have some strains which are resistant to some antibiotics for example, methicillin resistant staphylococcus.

I am unsure if she has one such resistant strains. I would suggest you to go for blood culture and nasopharyngeal aspirate to rule out whether if these are resistent strains. The test should be preceeded by visit / discussion with her dermatologist. Besides skin biopsy may be necessary if they are not due to infective condition (such as an autoimmune condition of skin). Get a second opinion from dermatologist and Rheumatologist and discuss further.

Surely it will help to conclude the diagnosis.
Regards,Dr.Maheshwari
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Dr. Dr.Maheshwari

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 766 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Staph Infection After Threading Hair Removal?

Brief Answer: Could be because of low immunity. Detailed Answer: I have gone through your history and regarding treatment of breast cancer I need to know that whether she has been given chemotherapy or radiation too. As both can cause change in bone marrow cells which are for fighting any infection. If it is recurrent staphylococcal infection , get a swab test done of the skin blisters filled with fluid and nasopharyngeal aspirate culture and blood culture to rule out any resistant infection to antibiotics she has been given. Even if it is not eradicated thoroughly it can cause abscess in chest or brain. Other cause of your recurrent skin infection can be because of low immunity ,for that get a full blood count done first to rule out mast cells and eosinophils number as change of any can also cause skin manifestations. Hopefully I answered your question ,You can discuss further if you have more questions to ask. Regards, Dr.Maheshwari