[Traction folliculitis: 6 cases caused by different types of hairstyle that pull on the hair].
Excessive hair traction caused by hairstyles that pull the hair too tightly may cause noninfectious mechanical and irritant folliculitis known as traction folliculitis. We present a series of 6 cases of traction folliculitis caused by different hairstyles. All patients were women aged between 12 and 26 years old. Their hairstyles were braids, ponytails, pigtails, cornrows, and hair extensions in 2 patients. The lesions consisted of small, slightly painful, follicular pustules confined to the sites of maximum hair traction and surrounded by erythema. Only in 1 case were the lesions associated with traction alopecia. In 2 cases in which bacterial cultures were done, Staphylococcus aureus was isolated. All patients improved after undoing their hairstyle and treatment with oral flucloxacillin. We assume that the role of S aureus is secondary and opportunistic, given that only follicles subject to traction and not the adjacent ones were affected.
Urbina
F
F
fcourbina@hotmail.com
Sudy
E
E
Barrios
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001505:Beauty Culture; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D055815:Young Adult