Pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy is a skin condition that occurs in one in 3000 people, about 0.2% of cases, who are in their second to third trimester of pregnancy where the hair follicle becomes inflamed or infected, resulting in a pus filled bump. Some dermatologic conditions aside from pruritic folliculitis during pregnancy include "pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy, atopic eruption of pregnancy, pemphigoid gestationis, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, and pustular psoriasis of pregnancy". This pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy differs from typical pruritic folliculitis; in pregnancy, it is characterized by sterile hair follicles becoming inflamed mainly involving the trunk, contrasting how typical pruritic folliculitis is mainly localized on "the upper back, shoulders, and chest." This condition was first observed after some pregnant individuals showed signs of folliculitis that were different than seen before. The inflammation was thought to be caused by hormonal imbalance, infection from bacteria, fungi, viruses or even an ingrown hair. However, there is no known definitive cause as of yet. These bumps usually begin on the belly and then spread to upper regions of the body as well as the thighs. This condition does not harm the fetus or the mother and usually resolves after delivery of the baby. The rate of incidence could possibly be higher but due to the unknown etiology of the condition, misdiagnosis, and varying levels of severity, it is difficult to differentiate.
The diagnosis was confirmed after laboratory tests showed that there was mainly neutrophils and damaged follicle structures. The symptoms were treated with a 5% topical benzoyl peroxide gel but the pruritic folliculitis completely went away after the first week after delivering the baby.In an effort to establish a possible pathophysiologic mechanism behind pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy, a 2005 case study found pityrosporum yeast in the hair follicles of a pregnant 24 year-old patient. Pityrosporum yeast is typically grouped in hair follicles, leading to an inflammation of the pore causing folliculitis and symptoms of itching. However, it is important to note that this patients pruritic folliculitis lesions did not improve after delivery of the baby. This finding may lead investigators to believe that this patients lesions may not be contributed from the pregnancy, but instead it can be speculated that the reason behind the presence of this patients lesions postpartum is due to hot and humid weather, making her lesions more difficult to heal after giving birth. See also
Prurigo gestationis
List of cutaneous conditions
Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) rash
Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy


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