Turmeric for Folliculitis

Turmeric for Folliculitis on Scalp0

I have been adding 1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric powder to my coffee in the morning, adding Turmeric powder to my food during the day and making a drink composed of 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon each of cinnamon powder and cocoa powder. I also add a small amount of stevia powder and some coconut milk to that. I start with about 2/3 cup of distilled water heated up in a microwave. Mix up with a spoon and drink during the day at in the evening. Need to keep the spoon in the cup for a while and stir once in a while. Otherwise some of the stuff rises to the top.

So far this has been working for the folliculitis on my scalp. Took a while to start working but clearing up very well now. I have also been using a hot washcloth a few times a day on the infected areas on my head. I have tried a mixture of Turmeric with other stuff directly on my scalp. Not sure if that helped?

Turmeric can produce terrible stains so you need to be careful when you mix it or use it. I had to use straight bleach to get some of the stains off of my Formica countertop.

Does is still work? I hear alot of people talk about immediate short term results and I'm wondering does it lose its affectiveness over time or do you still use it?

Regarding the turmeric tea concentrate provided by Tali (Stamford Ct ) on 03/15/2017:

Tali, is water included in the concentrate and if so, how much?

Thank you so much for sharing. I'm anxious to start trying your remedy for extremely painful ingrown hairs that occur on my neck. After years of embarrassment and feeling somehow they were my fault 😳🤔, research has led me to realizing it's actually Folliculutis and that natural remedies do exist. I'm so ready to stop hiding my neck in shame!

I've had much success with turmeric also!!! Must take everyday though!! So glad I've found something that helps! Acv baths, and benzoyl peroxide wash helps also along with plenty of water, and teas!!!! 😀😀

Did you suffer from scaring of the follicles and did your hair grow back....i just started the turmic treatment and I want to know if your hair grew back normal...and did it go away completely...

Hi Rose,

Maybe the cooking does affect its healing power. I think Turmeric probably isn't my thing. Will try Apple Cider Vinegar starting tomorrow. Thanks for your advice.

Tom

Thank for the update, Tom. I'm sorry that it didn't work for your folliculitis. How frustrating.

It's interesting to see that you, too, could tolerate the turmeric once it was cooked. I wonder if the cooking process somehow affects the power of the turmeric to heal (as it does for some other natural remedies). When I tried the golden paste, I wasn't really needing it for any specific reason as I have in the past (used to take raw turmeric for boils, with spectacular results), so I couldn't tell if it was actually accomplishing anything.

Hi Rose,

I've tried the golden paste for 2.5 weeks now. No stomach ache at all (thank you) but unfortunately it looks like my 30 year lasting folliculitis is too much for turmeric. Going to try another two weeks and then will try apple cider vinegar again if no luck

Many thanks

Tom

I feel like I need to pay it forward. I found this forum after 3 months of folliculitis on my legs, armpits and occasionally in my nose. It hurt every time I got a new one and the ones that were visible made me feel awful.

When I read this forum about turmeric and black pepper I decided that I'd try it cause nothing else was working. I had heard about lemon ginger honey tea from my sister as a preventative measure for the common cold so I thought why not add fresh turmeric and black pepper to that. I drank a cup of this tea religiously and after 2 weeks I had maybe one left and no new ones appeared. I was overjoyed. I do have to say that if I forget to drink my tea every day I do get one every now and then, but never when I drink my tea every single day. (My husband says I'm addicted to the tea now :)

It's been great for my acne as well and general well being.

I basically make a concentrate for about a week and just add it to hot water each day.

• One lemon with the whole outer peel cut off (I don't like the taste) and cut into circles
• Approximately 1/2 cup chopped or grated with a zester fresh turmeric
• A piece of ginger about the size of your palm pealed and cut into thin circles
• 1/2 -3/4 tablespoon honey (more or less to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper anywhere between a tsp and a tbsp

It took me a couple tries to get the taste right but now I love drinking this tea and even my two year old drinks it!

Good luck

And many thanks to this wonderful site

And beautiful people

Thanks for your reply Rose and Mmsg. I'll try both methods and report back. Folliculitis is very nasty but people think its nothing. Can kind of be frustrating :)

Tom, I have the same problem with turmeric causing stomach pain. A little while ago, someone on this site posted a link to a recipe for Golden Paste.Try that!

I suspect that the cooking of the turmeric first eliminates whatever causes that awful stomach pain. Still, start off slowly. I tried maybe half a teaspoon of the golden paste just once a day to start, and then when I saw that it wasn't going to cause issues, upped my dose gradually to a good spoonful two or three times a day.

Do let us know if this works for you, too. It was a huge relief for me to find a way to take turmeric again.

Tom, take less over a longer time.

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Hi, I've suffered for 30 years and folliculitis is very depressing as you say. Used turmeric and yes it has helped but it hurts my stomach intensely. I still take it because folliculitis is no joke but I need to get the stomach pain under control. Can you give any advise?
Thanks, Tom

Hi guys after being clear of scalp and facial folliculitis for over a year I had a recent breakout of cysts that were sore and itchy to touch reminiscent of symptoms I had battled before. What was also present was a itchy pus filled sore in my nose and a general itchy nasal area. From my experience in the past, these nasal symptoms seemed pivotal when treating my overall breakouts and I have been applying white vinegar (5% acidity) to the area which hopefully should clear spots at other sites (scalp/beard). Also I have been using turmeric topically.

My question is... has anybody else experienced an itchy nasal area when battling this condition, and if so is there anything more suitable to use when disinfecting nasal area other than straight vinegar which can be quite drying?

I have also been considering using turmeric orally to speed up healing process. When taking turmeric

1. How much should I take and how often?

2. If symptoms clear up how long do I need to take turmeric internally? (as my experience when using antibiotics were upon finishing course the symptoms would come back immediately)

Any suggestions to my questions will be gladly appreciated. Thanks guys

I'm not usually one to take part in online discussions. However, I thought it would be selfish of me not to write another honest review of the benefits of turmeric for folliculitis.

Having had a buzz-cut at the barbers, I noticed my scalp to the point that I could no longer ignore it. Indeed, I have had very dull itching and flaking for some years now but I've never been bothered enough to do anything and figured I'd irritated my hair when I was younger. My parents both commented that I suffered with scalp issues as a child.

However I could no longer ignore what I self-diagnosed as folliculitis. I had several blotches of red spots, some with the characteristic white head. I honestly felt disgusting. My barber didn't say anything and I suppose they see this quite a lot as it's extremely common.

Never one to turn immediately to my local GP, I researched and came across several sites with individual reviews of the advantages of turmeric in treating folliculitis.

For the last two and a half days I have used turmeric topically and orally. My routine consists of a tea-spoon in water, three times a day. And topically I make a paste with cold water, that I apply once I've used a warm compress on my head to open the pores. Perhaps this isn't necesssry but it made sense. I keep the concoction on for 20 minutes. I've found it a nightmare to get off skin and it's stained some towels so beware you aren't using your good stuff!

Alas, today I finally see a difference. I say finally but in two and a half days I feel much better about myself. Indeed, the remedy is somewhat unusual. However, who really cares as long as we can keep this under control and away from damaging bodies with antibiotics that, seemingly, people have found useless.

I wanted to write this review in the hope that if someone similar to myself stumbles over this website and are as desperate as I to help myself, they are able to see an honest review. It's turmeric at the end of the day. Just give it a go!

You drink it.

Did you drink it or apply it?

I really sympathize with your post. I know this must be traumatic.

My advice: GET ON ACCUTANE. It most likely won't cure you forever if your problem is either bacterial or yeast. However, I really feel like it can provide some temporary relief. Accutane always helps with eliminating folliculitus and acne at least temporarily.

I can't stress it enough. Look into Accutane. It is the gold standard for treating these types of skin issues. I know you can experience SOME relief with it. I am in the same boat with you where nothing cures my follic...However, when I finish a course of Accutane I am clear for at least about half a year.

Please try it, and I hope you get to feeling better. We are more than our skin conditions.

Glad that the combo of turmeric and black pepper is working.

Confused by your maintenance---it looks like you are saying that curcumin is black pepper? Curcumin is the major active compound in turmeric...so are you taking two turmeric capsules plus black pepper...or are you just taking turmeric and assuming that curcumin IS black pepper? I am confused...thanks!

I've had folliculitis in the past years ago. Thankfully, it wasn't a chronic issue. I can't remember at the time in particular what I did to make it go away. Unfortunately after a long sweaty hike a week ago it came back very strong. Feet, ankles, legs, all the way up to lower torso. I started the Turmeric capsules last night. Will report back in a week or less to inform of the results. The turmeric capsules I purchased contain between 450 and 500 milligrams of Turmeric and 7 mg of black pepper. The bottle recommends taking one capsule twice daily.

Hello, My name is Hannah and I have suffered with Folliculitis for about 2 years now - since I was 15. Before (like at the beginning of 2014 I thought the little bumps on my forehead were because of puberty (acne) but after using multiple home remedies, prescribed acne treatments, face washes and even pills to clear up the alleged 'acne' nothing worked. Most of the face washes would dry my skin or make it blotchy and red. I probably spent over 200 dollars on acne treatments when it wasn't acne at all.

One day I was on YouTube looking at makeup tutorials for covering up bumps, I stumbled along a video where a lady was speaking about Folliculitis, all of the symptoms that she had described I had seem to have - the bumps on back, shoulders and forehead. She explained that it was caused by yeast or oily skin. I was relieved to have finally find out some information other than I had 'acne', although I didn't know any of the cures at the time. That same day I searched natural treatments for folliculitis and came across this Earth Clinic page. The most popular treatment for it was the turmeric so that's what I tried.

After one week of using turmeric powder, with a bit of black pepper and a bit of water I have seen results, most of the bumps had gone. I do recommend this treatment, it works miracles and you will be left ecstatic from the results.

Hey,

Just wondering how long it took after the first week to really see all of your problems go away at about 95%? Was it after 2,3,4 weeks etc? Thanks for giving us hope!

I am looking to try the turmeric solution also for a lot of annoying bumps on my scalp that I have been battling for a couple of years now.

I used to get some constant acne on my face no matter what I tried to clean it with. Nothing worked. My husband, who never has any acne, always washes his face with plain water, so I started to try that, and believe it or not my acne on my face is gone and I only had one pimple on my face in over six weeks. Plain water. I just rub it around and dry it off.

Still hoping for help for my scalp though. At the moment I am trying using only water and a weak vinegar solution on my scalp because every single shampoo I try seems to make it worse, including medicated ones and ones without sodium laureth sulphate.

Hello,

Your post has inspired me go to out and purchase some Turmeric products to help treat some folliculitis issues I am facing. Would you be able to shed some light on the company of the pills you were using, as well as the exact mixture of how much Turmeric powder+black pepper should be used, and how many times a day it should be taken? Appreciate it.

I am a retired police officer and I use to keep a bottle of aloe vera gel in my car for ball games and such. I used it daily when I worked in poor weather. It absorbs almost instantly and alkalizes and cleans and moisterizes. I was starting to get wrinkles and tags and it worked wonders. It is also good for the scalp and hair growth and is inexpensive!

In mid 2015, I began to feel small bumps on the side of my scalp that I would scratch off. They seemed to be little white heads that bled a little and I never paid much attention to them. I was going through a law enforcement academy at the time, therefore we were thrashed with long workouts followed by very stressful group showers, in which we were given 2 minutes maximum to shower and 2 minutes to dress into our business attire. I chalked it up to a change in my hygiene routine and ignored the bumps (bad idea).

In late 2015, after completing the academy, I began getting a new haircut style with my regular barber. This haircut required a closer shave to the scalp... One day, I saw the small bumps begin to grow on the back of my neck and near my temple area. Since I got haircuts every two weeks, I didn't get to see the progress of the bumps unless my haircut was still fresh. My barber asked me if I was allergic to something and I said no.

To make a very long story short, I began to get new bumps everyday. Some were very very painful cysts, the size of a pea, and some looked like what I would describe as pink, flat bubble gum spread across portions of my scalp. I visited two doctors and was prescribed medication that burned my skin and was given orders not to remain in the sun. Given my job, I have to be in the sun for large portions of the day. All the doctors said was that the symptoms would eventually disappear and that there was nothing they could do. They suggested I shower more often, stress out less, and not get haircuts.

I began to feel depressed and the thought of the bumps gave me indescribable anxiety. My sex drive plummeted, my self esteem plummeted, and I became anti social.

I tried everything from white vinegar hair baths, anti-fungal soaps, Neutrogena T Gel, peppermint oil, hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda (burned a lot and dyed my hair a bit LOL), I even bought the famous Chinese oil called Fulikang and the yellow Chinese cream off eBay... all it did was give me the worst case of dandruff I have ever seen.... NOTHING WORKED. Week after week after week after week and nothing was helping... They were taking over at least 40% of my scalp.

I felt I was losing the war and honestly considered just scraping them off with a tough brush.... Or growing my hair out of shame...

That's when I visited this website and noticed someone's post about mixing one tea spoon of organic turmeric with one tea spoon of coconut oil... This began to work slowly but I noticed that it caused my face to flare up with rashes... I stopped using coconut oil and instead stuck to just black pepper mixed in with turmeric... within one week, ONE WEEK, the folliculitis lost most of the swelling but the cysts were still there...

I kept at it, taking this three times a day for a total of three teaspoons of turmeric mixed in with half a tea spoon of black pepper... It worked miracles...

After almost 10 full months of suffering with this condition, I am happy to say I am 95% cured... Every now and then I will get small bumps and a few white heads, but this is nothing compared to what I had before.... What worked for me was keeping some turmeric in a small jar mixed in with black pepper. I kept one jar at work on my desk and one jar at home. I swished the powder with water in my mouth and swallowed. It worked because I was consistent day in and day out.

If you are feeling depressed, anxious, angry, hopeless, don't give up the fight. I suggest you go to your local market (I went to my local Indian spices store) and purchase turmeric and black pepper.... Make a mixture and drink it with water... Be careful not to inhale the powder as you'll cough up a lung (I learned the hard way).

I currently take 2 turmeric/curcumin pills daily.... I found them on Amazon... you can buy any that have turmeric mixed in with curcumin (black pepper, this is what makes your body absorb the turmeric properly)... and my symptoms continue to be controlled 95% of the time.

I am here to thank the Earth Clinic community for providing me with this cure. I am now back to feeling comfortable about getting nice hair cuts with close to razor shaved fades... Very few bumps and even my barber is surprised to see the significant progress.

Don't give up people, you can do it. Just stay consistent and never give up.

I have scalp folliculitis which is bacterial driven and my derm doctor prescribed spironolactone 50 mill 1 tablet in the morning. However, this medication has many side-effects and a blood test is required while on this medication to make sure the liver is not being harmed. I took 1 pill and started having headaches and feeling week and fatigued which is a side -effect of this drug so I did not take another pill after that. I did not like the idea that I would have to have my blood monitored while on this medication and I did not like the side-effects so now I'm looking for a safer way to get rid of this problem on my scalp.

I have lost over half of my hair and will be needing to wear a wig before long and as a woman this is very devastating. I have tried all kinds of things to treat this nasty stuff to no avail. I have used listerine mouth wash, doxycycline for a month, topical antibiotic on my scalp called clyndamycine, bleach baths, antiseptic wash for body and scalp, apple cider vinegar sprayed on scalp and taken internally, white vinegar with hydrogen peroxide sprayed on the scalp and letting it soak all day while my scalp is wrapped in cellephane plastic wrap and a towel to keep the heat in and let it soak into my scalp and then I use pure unheated alo vera liquid on my scalp and let it soak for a couple of hours to help in healing and I take supplements like iron and turmeric and pantothenic acid and biotin and will soon get on probiotics and vitamin c but so far nothing I have used is killing this out of my scalp pores. I believe it when people say there is no cure!!!

Hi Christina,

I had a similar situation to you. Acne from the age of 15 to last year (age 33). I noticed that certain birth control pills made my acne go away (and cleared up my scalp folliculitis, which is actually a type of acne), but I had to stop taking the birth control because it gave me high blood pressure. After a good bit of research, I realized my acne is hormonal, and like many adult women with acne, likely caused by a sensitivity to testosterone in my own body. Find a dermatologist who will prescribe you Spironolactone -- it blocks testosterone, and it is the ONLY thing that has completely cured my acne (even Accutane didn't do it for me). Some gynecologists will also prescribe it, and some of the more aware family doctors will, too. I hear you about the natural cure. Spironolactone is not natural, but it's a much better and more sustainable option for most women than antibiotics.

Speaking of antibiotics: get off of the antibiotics as soon as you can. Taking antibiotics long term is not good for your gut (disturbs the balance of beneficial bacteria that keep you healthy), and will eventually lead to skin bacteria that are resistant to that antibiotic, meaning it will stop working after a while.

I have tried pretty much every natural approach to acne management in the book, but to no avail. If you are still passionate about a natural cure, look into supplements with chasteberry/Vitex, supplements that block estrogen, and burdock root. Those didn't work for me, but they have worked for other people I've read about online.

Good luck! I think spironolactone could really help you. It changed my life.

Christina -

EAT RAW! stop antibiotics, buy a juicer and liquidiser and eat at least 75 per cent of your food raw.

I took up juicing, liquidising etc in my forties (not for spots - although, having been an acne-sufferer in youth, I still had some on my back) and the spots disappeared.

The other unexpected result was that I quickly lost about 4 stone - and I never went hungry, since calorie-laden foods like avocados and bananas are still RAW (would-be weight-losers, please note).

Christina, check out your diet.

Just wondering but has anyone who has tried this and had success also had facial and/or body acne? I have scalp folliculitis but I also have acne on my face. I'm wondering if my acne will also get better so I can get off of my antibiotic completely. I take solodyn er 115 mg, which is an extended release antibiotic. When I take it like I'm supposed to, I don't have hardly any acne and most of the time no trace of scalp folliculitis. As soon as I'm off of it for a week or two, my acne gets really bad and the folliculitis starts to come back. I've had folliculitis I think since I was 18 or so (I'm 28 now) but it wasn't very bad. I got on birth control and didn't have it. I got off of my birth control a few years ago because it was making my hair fall out. I noticed very quickly that my hair stopped falling out as much after stopping it but the folliculitis got pretty bad so I've been on this antibiotic for at least 2 years now. Sorry for giving the whole story. Acne is practically in my genes since both of my parents had it but I don't think either of them had scalp folliculitis. I really just want a natural cure because the side effects of my antibiotic are starting to bother me. I'm definitely trying the turmeric while taking my medicine to see what happens. Also, I have combination skin that gets really oily. I think that contributes to the acne and folliculitis even though I wash my hair daily and my face twice daily.

I use both. And though ACV together with the turmeric is the most effective treatment I've used yet, and the condition is 90% better than it was its still not gone completely. Occasionally I get some irritation and/or itching so need to apply a repeat dose. Its way better than prescription cream but thanks for the Hibiclens suggestion, I'll give that a go also.

Do you use turmeric capsules or just put the actual ingredient on yourself, and have you tried hibiclens also.

Yes I too would like to know the dosage of the capsules, been fighting this awful condition for over 10 years and I worry about taking so much Anti-biotics.

What mg do you take? I plan to try this and bought 1000mg capsules. The itching is becoming unbearable and they have yet to find anything to make this go away. Thanks.

I have been battling this folliculitis problem for 3-4 years and sad to say I was losing the battle.. My doctor bill was through the roof with limited success. Antibiotics, shampoo, etc, and it would be partially clear up then come back worse. Thank God for this website. Earth Clinic, is God inspire you to do this. I have been on turmeric capsules for 5 days now and the results are immaculate. All bumps are dried out and there are no new bumps, also the itching have greatly decreased. l had an hair cut on day 4 and you could see dramatic improvement in scalp condition. lt looks great compared to when I cut my hair the week before (I keep my hair low cut). I have been so conscious and concerned over my scalp health that I would take pictures of it after every hair cut (for the past 2 years). Its just been 5 days since I started taking the turmeric but I think the remedy have been found. I take 2 capsules after breakfast and 2 after my evening meal and the results have been fantastic. I am planning on making turmeric a part of my daily diet because of the many benefits to be derived from it.Thank you Earth Clinic you are indeed God sent.

Turmeric is great for all sorts of things, but it has a low bioavailability. Taking a little black pepper (piperine) or finding a supplement that contains piperine as well as turmeric will drastically increase the amount of turmeric your body can absorb.

So its been about a week since I started with the ACV and Turmeric and I'm elated. I havent touched the Bactroban since I started and my symptoms are 95% better than they were. I still get the odd itch in the middle of the night sometimes but leave it until the morning to apply the ACV or Turmeric unless its irritating to the point it keeps me awake (which is rare). When I awake in the morning I apply ACV followed by Turmeric if required. Each time the ACV kills the itch. This stuff is brilliant.

I might also add that I used to also get some itching around my groin area as well with some redness which was just an added burden, (& I still do occasionally), but again an application of ACV & Turmeric kills it dead. The skin around this area is looking much better.

So..its been several days since I added my post above and the results so far have been extremely good. I've had a couple of minor flare-ups of the folliculitis over the least few days but nowhere near as many as I would normally get particularly in view of the fact it is mid-summer here in Australia (the heat & humidity exacerbates the condition). I've immediately wiped the area with ACV upon noticing the slightest symptom (usually discomfort and redness) then applied Turmeric skin cream. I continue to take turmeric 1 x3,000mg capsule daily as well. But the symptoms have been very minor since I started with this new regime. I am absolutely elated!

I've noticed the odd minor itch occur a couple of times (but only in the folds of the skin and in 1 small area) and hit it with ACV which removed the itch immediately. I then applied more turmeric cream to the area & the itch hasnt returned.

Interestingly, I noticed the tube of Bactroban yesterday sitting on my bathroom shelf that I havent touched now for several days. I couldn't live without this antibiotic up until now as nothing else gave me relief.

So far the ACV/Turmeric regime has proven to be a winner. It may be too early to say its a cure until I allow more time to see if this disease develops a resistance but I doubt it will. Most things I've tried in the past have only given me some relief of the symptoms (they've not cleared it up) and only for anything from a few hours, to a day or so, before the folliculitis comes back even worse than before. But this time it hasn't and its been several days. At the very least I can say so far that using ACV & turmeric cream are very cheap alternatives to Bactroban and are much more effective. I used to have to apply Bactroban up to 6 times a day or more when it was really bad. Now I apply the ACV & turmeric 2-3 times a day, and that's really more to stop it from returning and/or due to very minor symptoms.

I hope to be able to post here in another week or so to say I'm 100% cured.

I'm so glad I found this thread. I believe I've finally found a cure for this hellish disease.

So here's my story:

I've suffered from folliculitis around my back area for I don't know how many years (it has to be 6-10 years or so).

My condition started after I developed itchy pus-filled welts that would appear around my groin area which would split and bleed (absolutely disgusting). I consulted a doctor who prescribed me what I recall was Doxycillin, which knocked it on the head (thank god), though I did get a milder recurrence a short time later. So I consulted a specialist but when I saw him the symptoms weren't there (I had to book in to see him some weeks ahead) and did nothing but tell me to come back when I had symptoms and charged me $150 for the consult.

So back to my GP I eventually went who gave me a follow up dose of the antibiotic which seemed to knock out the welts symptom but then, at about that time, I noticed I started getting itchiness and redness around my rear area. The area would look like sunburn. Its odd I know but in my mind I believed the disease had simply moved from my front area to my rear, albeit with somewhat different symptoms (apart from the itchiness which was the same & which was still present in my groin area but without the split skin etc). Another course of the antibiotic though this time did nothing. I asked my GP for a stronger dose but he advised the dosage he was prescribing me was already reaching 'toxic levels', so this wasn't an option. So at this point I tried all sorts of 'home remedies' including Colloidal Silver, Tea Tree Oil, Peroxide, MSM, antiseptics - basically anything I came across that might have good anti-bacterial or anti-fungal properties (as I was of the opinion it was a fungal or bacterial disease), but nothing worked. At best I would get mild temporary relief but then the disease would return with a vengeance. Its almost like it had a 'mind of its own', developing a resistance to anything I threw at it. So over time I decided I would just have to live with the condition. Blood tests I had had found nothing. Another GP I saw a year or 2 later did the same blood tests and tried different creams etc but eventually made the comment that this condition may be a form of eczema and that I 'just might have to live it' which is not what I wanted to hear, as I was thinking the same and this simply reinforced this 'give up' approach, which was not what I really wanted to do.

So I then had my medical records transferred to another GP who lived closer with a view to getting someone to take a 'fresh look' at my condition. This GP was better. I don't recall what he did originally. From memory he tried different antibiotics which didnt help but it was good in that he was keen to try and find a cure. He subsequently referred me to a Specialist who also was very good. This time I had the symptoms of the red rash and itchiness around my rear area (sitting was painful & I had a desk job so this made it all the more a problem). By now I had this condition for so long and had been scratching the area for so long (it used to drive me nuts at night when I was trying to sleep) that a fairly large area of the skin had 'thickened up'. He diagnosed me with a form of folliculitis. At least now I could take some comfort in the fact I now knew what it was - the condition had a name. He prescribed me a cortisone that would thin the skin and asked me to come back so he could prescribe something else once this cream had done its job. A few weeks later I returned and he said the area looked much better and that the skin had thinned out as he had expected. He then prescribed a cream for me (Bactroban) and a few weeks later I went back to see him. At this point he discharged me as he was of the opinion the condition had improved significantly. He advised me to use the Bactroban if I had any 'flare-ups' and its this that I have been using for some years now @ $15 a tube, which usually lasts me about a month.

Then yesterday morning when sitting down in front of my laptop I noticed the itchiness and discomfort return again (which is nothing new as I have the symptoms pretty much every day) and made the first of probably 6 trips to the bathroom for the day to apply the Bactroban cream. It was then that I decided to google 'natural remedies folliculitis' and the 1st thread I found was this one. I read how simple vinegar has cured this ailment for many people and was keen to try Turmeric so I looked online for the VICCO cream and ordered a tube. I also dabbed some cotton balls in plain white vinegar and dabbed the affected area and WOW what a reaction! Instantly the itchiness disappeared & the redness started to fade. I then rushed round to my pharmacy and bought some Turmeric tablets (3,000mg) and took one and I noticed over the next hour or so the redness had completely gone. Knowing I had to wait several days at least for the turmeric cream to arrive I googled 'Indian Grocery Stores' and found one not far from me that stocked the cream so I drove around and grabbed another tube & dabbed that onto the affected area for good measure. I also purchased some Vitamin E cream and applied that over the top of the VICCO cream, & 24 hours later I can confidently say I believe I've finally beaten this thing. I've said this before trying other treatments but none of them had had such an effect as to remove all the symptoms of this disease as the vinegar and turmeric has. This has not simply alleviated the symptoms to a large degree (as other treatments have) - its completely snuffed it out. I noticed a very slight itch in one area between the folds of skin this morning and dabbed it with white vinegar and the itch instantly disappeared. Bactroban & nothing else I have ever tried has had such a profound & immediate effect. At best they have reduced the itching somewhat but I've always had to go back and apply more cream a short time later but an hour after applying the vinegar the itchiness hasn't returned. I can't stop checking in the mirror expecting to see a return of the redness only to see NOTHING there. I am absolutely stunned (not to mention over-joyed) that this thing has finally gone. Just WOW.

In summary, for me at least, turmeric & white vinegar are god sends. I'm not sure which is most responsible for ridding me of this condition, but I can attest to the immediate affect of directly applied vinegar. It could be the turmeric is preventing it from coming back & possibly assisting with the symptoms. Its hard to say as I started using both the turmeric and vinegar at the same time, however I will continue to use both if & when I notice symptoms again. I will post here again at some stage in the future with an update on this condition and what seems to be - its cure.

As a side note, my partner sometimes suffers from acute bouts of eczema so I have put her onto the turmeric tablets and cream and yesterday she noticed an immediate result also. Hopefully this gold colored substance is a cure for her condition also.

I went to the pharmacy and I looked for some type of herbal supplement to give me natural energy that I just dont have at all! Well I found the very best multivitamin ever!! They are whole food multivitamins, with fruits, vegetables and herbs. I have also struggled with foliculitis on both my legs, mms y entire life. I also have Multiple Sclerosis, so I needed the vitamins. When I started my regimen of the whole food multivitamin, turmeric and omega 3 krill oil every morning for 1 year, the foliculitis is completely gone and has not returned since!! :-) Thank goodness because I never wore a pair of shorts! Ever! Now I wear them everyday!

I sure have not, but the capsules are working wonders!! I would definitely take them if you are experiencing this issue too.

Have u tried the powder Turmeric? I just wondered if it works.

I don't know how it works other than it is said to be a natural antibiotic and cleanses the blood of infection. I do know that after taking repeated rounds of pharmaceutical antibiotics, my scalp folliculitis only worsened.

I started the Turmeric pills, 1 pill in the a.m. *my stomach as a bit sensitive to it* and 2 pills before bed. I am completely and totally HEALED of Folliculitis and have been for a couple of months now. I still take Turmeric as a daily regimen. Thank God for providing natural medications for His children.

No, I have not. That is something that I will definitely consider once I give the Turmeric a week or so to see what it will do. I havent thought about going to a regular doctor to see if its being caused by something different. But thank you for letting me know that because if this doesnt work then I will take that step. Thank you so much I appreciate that.

Forever11, Have you ever had blood work done to see if you have a blood infection? Many years ago my ex-husband developed something similar on his hiney. He needed to have surgery for a non-related issue and I mentioned these nasty, pussy, nearly green, explosive not pimples or boils either. He had my X's blood cultured and a blood specialist prescribed three different strong antibiotics for him, stating that he had an infection in his blood. I wish I had asked him more at the time but I won't waste time looking back. There were no other symptoms, just the nasties. His hiney cleared up but he did go on to develop diabetes later in life. I am not sure if they aren't related or at least a precursor! Good luck to you~*~

I started getting follicuitis when I was about 12. It started with a large boil which ruptured and left a scar still to this day. (I am now 20) I popped it, and from there everything went downhill. I started getting break outs of small ones, then large boils filled with pus. they are on the inside of my buttocks, sometimes on the cheeks, inside of the bikini line by the pubic area and on the back of my thighs right under my buttocks. making it embaressing to wear shorts, bikinis, ect.

I told myself I would go to the dermatologist and I finally did he prescribed me ointments and creams which didnt help at ALL, then doxy (something) I can't remember the name prescription and that helped in the beginning sort of but completely stopped and I ended back up to square one. So that's when I went to google and typed in my problem and found this site. I heard so many positive stories about Turmeric so I went on my lunch break and bought 450mg and took 2 after I ate. So far, I burped up the nasty taste but if this works then I'm all for the taste haha. So I will DEFINITELY let everyone know how this helps. I want this to help somebody else out because this is a terrible disease.

Tomorrow will mark one week since starting- I have missed a day in between where I forgot to take them BUT since, I have not had a new bump/boil/breakout. the ones I had when I started the turmeric are still there but not as near noticable. I will keep everyone updated!

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9/15/2015 Update:

Almost 2 weeks now! I have had only ONE SMALL breakout of about 3 little bumps on the back of my thigh under my buttox. but besides that (it went away quick too) I have had NONE. I'm really hoping this will continue.. turmeric is working wonders for me.

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10/12/2015 Update:

I do know for a fact now the Turmeric helps follicutis. I do not get but maybe one or two bumps here and there. more so around my menstrual cycle I will and if I forget to take my pills a day or two in a row. I was taking 450mg two tabs a day but I just today started 3 tabs. I want to see if it helps those lingering couple that come here and there. I'll let you all know!

I diagnosed myself with scalp folliculitis about a month ago. No, I'm not a doctor, but this condition is not rocket science. This diagnosis came after 3-4 months of constant itching and scratching little infected bumps on the very back of my scalp (about even with mid-ear, but in the back). I cannot see them, but I can feel them and the irritation and urge to scratch is insane!

About a week ago, I read about turmeric for the first time. About that time, I put a dab of my steroid anti-itch ointment on the area about three times.

Four days ago, on 8/22/15, I bought inexpensive turmeric capsules. I was a little leary of not buying some fancified turmeric, but being desperate for relief, I just went with what was available to me instantly.

I have taken one 500 mg. capsule two or three times a day, with meals, every day from the 23rd to the 26th.

Even though I take each capsule with 8-16 ounces of water and with a full tummy, the capsule SOMETIMES leaves an aftertaste and SOMETIMES feels like it did not make it all the way down the pipe.

Results at day 3: 50% less itching. It does not feel like any of the bumps are inflamed. It does not feel like I have any new bumps to scratch. 40% less pre-occupation with the back of my head and what's going on beneath the hair back there.

I do not believe that the few dabs of my prescription anti-itch ointment "cured" my folliculitis.

Maybe it is the "placebo effect, " but I believe, so far, the turmeric has helped. I will try to remember to post periodic updates.

Good luck to all who are struggling with scalp folliculitis.

Dear Follic123,

We use turmeric in capsules all the time. I buy turmeric by the pound from Mountain Rose Herbs. I bought a little capsule machine and empty capsules. We have seen it work for a variety of conditions countless times. 4-5 capsules is about a teaspoon, if you use the 00 size capsules.

~Mama to Many~

Hi Guys, I have used the turmeric that I was suggested on this site and its keeping things at bay for the time being. I do get the occasional outbreak but nothing as bad as things were. I have a few questions though to anyone reading this.

If you have used turmeric with success would you recommend the turmeric in capsule form? ... as I still struggle with the taste, however have read that a lot contain other products. Also is there anybody out there who has treated and dare I say "cured" their folliculitis or have had long term remission from this horrible disease. Its always encouraging to read success stories as it gives us hope we maybe able to all cure ours.

Thanks

Two pills twice a day cleared up my lower back of folliculitus.

I am ecstatic. I have battled Scalp Folliculitis for a few months now. Doc gave me 2 rounds of anti-biotics, ordered anti-bacterial shampoos twice daily etc etc. Nothing was helping UNTIL I found this site and read about Turmeric. I had Turmeric in my cabinet so I thought, eh, couldn't hurt. I took 1 teaspoon with either 1/2 cup juice or crystal lite type drink 3 times a day. I could tell a difference by day 4 and decided to go buy the capsules. The taste of Turmeric is so strong by my Folliculitis has lessened so much and I am so grateful for this site. I will report back in a couple of weeks to let you know if the capsules work just as well.

MelodyK

I'm amazed by your story, I been struggling with scalp follicullitis, went through 5 dermathologist and now I can't wait to try this one. You just bought raw and eat like that? Please advise me. Greetings!

Greetings! My name is Daniel I am a 22 year old male. This summer of 2014 I acquired what I initially believed to be an ingrown hair on my left kneecap, from wearing neoprene (wetsuit material) pants while kayaking. After popping, pulling, wiping, cleaning and drying, all to no avail, I reasoned otherwise. The ingrown hairs seemed to be multiplying in a localized area, more pustules were popping up no matter how much anti-septic & anti-bacterial I applied. It even spread to my right kneecap at one point.

I self diagnosed the condition as folliculitis based on extensive research and comparison with many, more serious (in my opinion) conditions. I do recommend seeing a physician, if you've got the time/money, but ONLY for tissue analysis, not for what they will prescribe you.

After finding this site and reading up on natural remedies, I began applying a mixture of Vitamin E + Turmeric Spice to the area, letting it aerate for a few minutes, then covering it to prevent staining everything my knee touched. This did calm the inflammation, itchiness, pain and pustules but did not elicit the reactions defeat. What did it in, was my consumption of turmeric in raw form, and in store-bought (spice) form.

After tolerating the condition for about 3 months, I've been actively pursuing this natural cure for the latter 2 weeks. The localized area on my left knee is drying, the pain, itchiness and inflammation is gone... I am finally healing completely.

Thank you Earthclinic and all it's knowledgable members!

TURMERIC WORKS!

After reading other people's notes on here, I made a paste out of water and turmeric bought at my local grocery store, and spread it over the very painful folliculitis in my groin area. Wrapped it with gauze to keep my sheets clean, and went to sleep. In the morning, all but one of the large pus-filled lumps were gone, and the one that was still present I'd somehow missed in my smearing of the paste. Pain: completely gone (in less than 8 hours! ), and I can walk with ease again. Will continue doing this nightly until everything is cleared up 100%, and am also taking turmeric pills to stop any future outbreaks.

Oh my I can empathize, I'm 24 now but started getting infected folliculs at 17/18. It's the pits, I'm so glad I decided to look into natural remedies because the gels and crap my doctor keeps giving me are not working. My wonderful boyfriend has been so great about helping me get over the self esteem issues that came with the boils, he even took off work last summer to take me to the ER because one had become super infected and needed to be lanced- so gross, do not recommend. My point is, when you find the right person, they will know that we are all human and illness happens.

Hello! I have had scalp folliculitis gor about a year now and I've been to the dermatologist several times. They tried many antibiotics and shampoos but nothing works so I tried using sodium chloride and it makes the pus really rise to the top. Is it a safe method to use?

I have been getting these boils ( pus filled spots) for half a year now, at first I thought it was due to a bit while visiting South Africa and I was already being prescribed erythromycin because of acne. I was constantly at doctors chopped and changing anti bioitics and visiting dermatology and eventually doctors found out I have Staphylococcal folliculitis and nothing they were giving me helped. These nightmarish things kept appearing everywhere and it massively effected my confidence and self esteem but after coming across this website and everyone else's reviews it seems almost too good to be true that turmeric can work so I am super eager to get myself some tomorrow. Thanks so much everyone I hope this can get me back on track and let me focus on other things than nasty infections all over my legs!

I've tried everything from antibiotics to different types of shampoo. Finally, turmeric cream helps to clear it. Please try it.

I was so very happy to find this site, just as the rest of the people here. The first time I got folliculitis I of course went to the doctor and took antibiotics to get rid of it. That was about 4 months ago. It came back about a week ago, which was when I decided to try to find a better and permanent solution. Since last week, I have been soaking a cotton ball this the Apple Sider Viniger and applying this, just dabbing it all over the infected area for about 5 minutes three times a day and it is almost all cleared up. I just today started taking the tumeric - but had not liked the idea of putting it in a glass of water and drinking it. It is such a great spice! So I just put one teaspoon in a bowl of rice with virgin coconut oil (cold expeller pressed - another great healing agent) with some fresh spinach sliced up thinly and it was great! I fully believe that the reason the infection had started in the first place is because our immune systems are not up to par - which is where the tumeric comes in. I have done much research on this and it seems to be the answer to a whole lot of health problems. So, I will continue to put the tumeric on anything I think it will go with, (on potatoes, meat, rice etc) every day to build up my immune system and will hopefully never have this happen again. Thanks for all the great advice here from everyone (and from the one post about just putting the tumeric on food - that is the way to go). :-)

I used a tumeric paste, boiling water and powdered tumeric from the microwave. Applied it topically, covered with paper towels and wore my boxers to bed.

So far, for the last month, I've had no more pubic itch, which I believe was folliculitis caused by shaving. This is the first time in 2 years that the symptoms have been absent for this amount of time!

What an easy (knock on wood) remedy. I suggest anybody try it. So simple, so try it!