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Everything about trichomycosis: what's that yellow coating on your hair?

Trichomycosis, sometimes known as trichobacteriosis, is an uncommon but easily diagnosable bacterial infection that affects hair shafts, typically in your armpits (axilla) or pubic region. It is a benign and non-inflammatory condition, meaning that it won’t cause pain, but it can cause discomfort and cosmetic concern for many.

This infection is bacterial, even though it has the word ‘myco’ in its name, which typically denotes fungi. Specifically, the bacteria which causes trichomycosis in most cases, is from a species called Corynebacterium, with corynebacterium tenuis the most common type. These bacteria tend to reside in the hair-covered regions of the body that have apocrine sweat glands (sweat glands that are coiled around your hair follicles underneath your skin) like your genitals and axillae (armpits).

It can present with various symptoms, such as colored nodules covering your hair (white/yellow/pink/red/black) with the color being different based on the pigments of the bacteria which has colonized your hair. These nodules shouldn’t be painful or itchy, just cosmetically different. No redness or inflammation with colored nodules typically denotes this infection.

The cause for this disease, more often than not, is simply poor hygiene. When someone forgets to clean the affected regions frequently enough, the sebum and sweat can aggregate and proliferate the symptoms of trichomycosis. Oftentimes, there is an equally simple solution to it as well; Cleanse the affected area with soap and water. Sometimes, doctors may recommend that you shave off the hair at that region so it’s easier to clean and clears out some of the infected region; but in some persistent cases, they might say that you need to use topical antiseptics/antibiotics such as benzoyl peroxide/chlorhexidine to apply to the affected hair.

The duration of recovery for this illness is typically between 2-3 weeks, and is often a smooth, repetitive process of improved hygiene. This, paired with the fact that antibiotics may be recommended by doctors, can result in a speedy recovery from this cosmetic, and sometimes odorous concern. If you think you may have trichomycosis, seek advice from your healthcare provider before you take any steps.

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