Does plucking hair easily cause folliculitis?
Disease description:
Recently, I developed folliculitis, and I suspect it was caused by hair plucking. Is folliculitis more likely to occur after plucking hair?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Xiaoyan
Plucking hair can easily lead to folliculitis. Folliculitis is a suppurative inflammatory reaction caused by pathogens such as Staphylococcus invading the hair follicles. Its occurrence is associated with factors such as skin injuries and hyperhidrosis. During hair plucking, mechanical damage to the hair follicles may occur, providing pathogens with an entry point into the follicles and thereby increasing the risk of infection. In addition, the skin may become irritated after plucking, leading to a decrease in local immunity and making it more susceptible to bacterial or fungal invasion and subsequent inflammation. Therefore, frequent and forceful removal of body hair further increases the risk of developing folliculitis. To reduce the risk of folliculitis, it is important to avoid frequent or forceful hair plucking and to maintain proper skin hygiene and health.
