Brief Answer:
“Folliculitis":inflammation of hair root

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum.

I can understand your concern for hard bump on but cheek.

After reading your query with diligence and analyzing the picture let me reassure you that you have the simple condition known as “Folliculitis".

To tell you simply - This is a condition of inflammation and infection of the hair root and oil gland attached to it.

To explain it medically, we have hair all over our body which have opening of the oil glands attached to it. By many a factors these hair root and oil gland can become inflamed and infected leading to folliculitis. These factors can be moisture, exposure to heat and humidity or raised sugar status or some times friction also.

Due to the inflammation and infection of the area the bacteria on the superficial skin gets access into the skin and causes the aforesaid process of inflammation and infection. When it is superficial it heals frequently without any problem, but when it is deep it causes lot of pain and swelling around the area.

There are certain important suggestions regarding your problem:

1. Do not pinch, pop or even try to touch any of the area of boil.

2. Kindly avoid scratching any area of normal skin also, as it leads to minor entry points for the entry of bacteria.

3. Wear cotton clothes and cotton undergarments to be changed two times a day.

4. Maintain proper hygiene and take two times daily bath. DO not sit for long hours.

5. For the boil present now, you can do warm saline compresses (1 glass of water and pinch of salt in it) for 2-3 times a day.

If I were your treating dermatologist then would have suggested you to apply plain antibacterial cream such as fusidic acid or mupirocin. Also I would have suggested to take pain killer tablet by mouth for reducing the intensity of pain and redness.

If the area is enlarging and painful, then along with above mentioned measures you might require a course of oral antibiotics (best after culture and sensitivity of pus) under medical advice.

If at all you take oral antibiotic, then do take proper dose and full course of antibiotics (as improper dosing and schedule leads to antibiotic resistance and then recurrent nature of the situation).

Eat healthy and nutritious food to improve your immunity at its best because is the most important factor in reducing and eliminating any infection from the body.

Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.

Wish you good health,

With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
(MD- Dermatology & STD)

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Brief Answer:
No touch;Antibiotic cream + anti-inflammatory drug

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome again to the forum and thanks a lot for your swift follow up.

For the management of the boil or the folliculitis the suggestions are given in previous mail. For the treatment as I said earlier an antibiotic and antibacterial cream such as fusidic acid or mupirocin can be applied for two times a day. A pain killer tablet by mouth can be taken for two times for reducing the intensity of pain and redness.

If despite doing above measures the area is enlarging and painful, then you might require a course of oral antibiotics for 5-7 days under medical advice.

I again suggest you to not to touch, pinch or pop the area as it can lead to spread of infection.

I hope these informations will relax you. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help.

Wish you good health,

With regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
(MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

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