She was first treated for a bacteria-associated folliculitis, to which she had some symptom relief. However, the continuation of the pruritic folliculitis still persisted. She was later diagnosised with pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy after a histopathologic test was done to confirm sterility and immune cells. She then started "narrowband ultraviolet (UV) B phototherapy at 70% of the minimal erythemal dose with 20% increments using a three times per week treatment schedule" at 11 weeks of her pregnancy. With this treatment, her skin greatly improved after 10 treatments and completely resolved after 20 treatments. She did not have pruritic folliculitis for the remainder of her pregnancy.Treatment, whether it is pharmacological or non-pharmacological, can vary in pregnant individuals with pruritic folliculitis. The patients choice to accept such treatment can vary as well. There have been case reports on resolution of pruritic folliculitis in patients who declined and accepted treatment. There was a case report on a 39-year-old woman who experienced a 2-month long manifestation of pruritic folliculitis during the 27th week of pregnancy. The signs, symptoms, and histology of physical presentation were consistent with pruritic folliculitis. Although benzoyl peroxide was prescribed, the patient declined treatment. Without any treatment, her pruritic folliculitis condition resolved after giving birth. In another case report, a 26 year old woman who was 31 weeks into her pregnancy, reported that these inflamed pustules formed over her upper torso especially around her linea nigra and changed over the course of the last 2 months.
Pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy is currently classified as atopic eruption of pregnancy (AEP) in a retrospective study done in 2006 that compared this condition to eczema and prurigo of pregnancy, which occurred in 49.7% and 0.8% of cases respectively, with eczema clearly being more frequent. Unlike typical pruritic folliculitis which does not resolve on its own, pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy clears spontaneously on delivery or in postpartum period. Fortunately, pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy has no mortality effects or significant adverse effects on the mother or on the fetus.Currently, there are no treatment guidelines for this condition due to the nature of its unknown etiology but symptom relief is strongly emphasized using non-pharmacological interventions such as warm baths or wearing loose clothing. If itchiness and discomfort persists, benzoyl peroxide, low to mid potency topical steroids, or antihistamines can be tried. Novel treatments have also shown potential in treating case studies of pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy, such as using ultraviolet phototherapy. However, further investigation is still required to study its efficacy and safety in second to third trimester pregnant patients. History
This condition was first observed in six people in 1981 with many different speculations but no real evidence as to a specific cause. These people had papules starting at various times throughout the second to third trimester with varying severity. Biopsies were taken from these people over a 15 month period in order to examine the composition of these papules.