What does folliculitis mean?
Folliculitis is a medical noun referring to the inflammation of hair follicles, the tiny sacs in the skin from which hairs grow. It typically appears as clusters of small red bumps, white-headed pimples, or itchy pustules, and arises most often from bacterial or fungal infection, though friction, shaving, blocked pores, and exposure to contaminated water can also trigger it. Mild cases frequently clear on their own, while persistent or deep infections may require topical or oral antibiotics or antifungal treatment. Dermatologists classify it by cause and depth, giving rise to named varieties such as bacterial folliculitis and so-called hot tub folliculitis, caused by Pseudomonas bacteria in poorly chlorinated spas. Though essentially a clinical term, the word has everyday relevance because common complaints like razor bumps are forms of folliculitis, making it useful shorthand when discussing skin irritation with precision.
nounInflammation of one or more hair follicles, typically producing small red or pus-filled bumps on the skin, often caused by bacterial or fungal infection.
- Inflammation of hair follicles, usually presenting as red bumps or pustules on the skin, caused by infection, irritation, or blockage.
"The dermatologist diagnosed the itchy rash on his arms as folliculitis, likely aggravated by a hot tub."
"Shaving with a dull razor left her prone to folliculitis along her jawline."
"Pseudomonas folliculitis, nicknamed hot tub rash, tends to appear hours after bathing in contaminated water."
Rare and found almost exclusively in medical writing; in general use the word behaves as a mass noun and no plural is needed. Attacks of the condition are described with phrases like 'recurrent episodes' rather than plurals.
"The review compared treatment outcomes across several infectious folliculitides."
"Hot tub folliculitis" is a real diagnosis — lounging in an improperly chlorinated spa can literally inflame your hair follicles.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of folliculitis
Folliculitis derives from Latin roots: 'folliculus', meaning a small bag or sac (a diminutive of 'follicis'), combined with the suffix '-itis', from Greek, denoting inflammation. The same '-itis' suffix forms a large family of medical terms such as arthritis and bronchitis, all naming inflammatory conditions. The word entered English medical usage in the nineteenth century as dermatology developed systematic nomenclature for skin diseases.
Related word forms
How folliculitis is actually used
A clinical term used chiefly in medical and dermatological contexts; laypeople are more likely to say 'razor bumps' or 'ingrown hairs' for mild cases. It carries no moral or emotional connotation — it is a neutral descriptive diagnosis. The word is singular as commonly used; 'folliculitides' exists in medical literature as a plural referring to different types of the condition.
Easily confused with folliculitis
A follicle is the anatomical structure (the sac from which a hair grows), while folliculitis is the inflammation of that structure.
A furuncle (boil) is a deeper, more painful infection that can develop from severe folliculitis, but is a distinct lesion rather than the condition itself.