Find out what’s causing the blockage…
Your hair follicles are amazing little things! They’re designed to produce new hair cells at an astonishing rate. If they receive damage, they naturally rest, repair themselves, and return to their regular function (over a period of time, of course).
But, like every other part of your body, they can be damaged beyond repair. That’s when you start losing hair–something we all want to avoid!
If you’re experiencing hair follicle blockage, it’s important that you take steps to correct the problem. If left untreated, the problem could develop into a full-blown infection (called folliculitis), which would in turn cause your hair follicles to stop producing hair.
Here are a few reasons you have clogged hair follicles:
- The follicles have been damaged — What can damage hair follicles? Shaving, for one thing. If you cut too close to the skin, you could slice off a layer of epidermis. This could lead to infections, which causes swelling that blocks off the hair follicles. Wearing clothes that irritate your skin can also damage the hair follicles.
- The follicles are blocked –– Makeup and cosmetics made with high oil content can cause blockages in the hair follicles, leading to clogs and a breakout of acne. Sweat can also irritate the follicles, as can the oils used in machines. All of these things will cause swelling in the hair follicles, promoting clogging.
- The follicles are infected –– If you spend a lot of time in a hot tub, a Jacuzzi, or a swimming pool that doesn’t have the proper levels of chlorine and chemicals, you’re very likely to develop a bacterial infection. The bacteria can seep into the follicles and cause infection, which leads to swelling and blockages of those follicles.
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- There is skin damage nearby –– Let’s say you get a cut or a burn. While your body is healing the damage, there is swelling in the area. This swelling can block off the hair follicles, leading to clogs and blockages. Damaged skin can cause problems with fungi or bacteria, causing infections. If the infections spread, they can wreak havoc on your follicles.
- The follicles cannot breathe –– Clothing that is too tight will press on the hair follicles, essentially pressing them shut. This means that they will be unable to get oxygen, and the hairs growing in the follicles will likely shrivel and die. A lack of oxygen to the follicles can lead to blockages, so it’s vital to avoid excessively tight clothing.
- Your body cannot fight infection –– If you suffer from diabetes, HIV, or any other disease that reduces your immunity, you may be unable to fight simple skin infections. Those skin infections will be able to run rampant around your body, causing irritation and swelling. Folliculitis is a fairly common problem among those who have reduced immune function, thanks to their bodies’ inability to fight off the infections.
How can you tell if your hair follicles are blocked? The symptoms are usually pretty visible: red pimples form right on the hair follicle, with the hair stuck in the middle of the pimple. The pimples may be filled with pus, and some pimples will burn or itch. Blood and pus may drain from the pimples if you pop them.
If things get really bad and the infection spreads, the infection can turn into a fever and/or digestive upset. This is a much more serious form of folliculitis, but it’s far less common–it usually sets in when you develop folliculitis as a result of spending time in a pool, hot tub, or Jacuzzi with bacteria.
