Q I'm a fitness trainer and sweat a lot. I keep taking antibiotics repeatedly for folliculitis on my back and shoulders, but it comes back when I stop. Is there a way to control it without medication?
A Antibiotics only suppress the infection at the time; the internal and skin conditions that make it easy for bacteria to multiply with sweat and damp-heat remain, so it tends to recur once you stop. By changing that environment itself, you can aim for a state that relies less on medication.
Detailed Answer
Oral and topical antibiotics are effective at quickly reducing the bacteria and inflammation of folliculitis, but if the underlying conditions remain, such as heavy sweating, frequent skin friction, and accumulated damp-heat, it often returns once the medication is stopped. Repeatedly using the same antibiotic can also raise concerns about resistance or dependence.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we first calm the angry inflammation through a clearing-heat and detoxifying (cheongyeol-haedok) stage that expels heat-toxin and damp-heat from the body, then stabilize the over-reactive immune system, and finally finish by regenerating the weakened skin barrier to prevent recurrence. So that you do not have to stop exercising, rather than forcing you to quit your current medication, we adjust it together, gradually tapering it as your skin stabilizes.
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