Folliculitis

[wouthezx]

***Deep Breath....***
I had a new client today who has a number of serious health issues that she disclosed on her intake form. I asked her about some, and looked up others in my pathology book just to be sure, as some of her conditions involve a suppressed immune system. Everything checked out ok, and I proceeded with the massage. She had what looked to be some moderate acne on her back that was healing and of course virtually unavoidable, but I've grown accustomed to that sort of thing, so it didn't phase me at all. As I began working on her legs I noticed bandaids all over her shins, so I questioned her about it--she said her doctor told her it was folliculitis and nothing to be concerned about. She was dismissive of the diagnosis, saying it was a throw-away because he couldn't really figure out what was going on. Needless to say, I avoided all those areas, and discovered her arms were also covered in sores and bandaids, which I avoided as best I could. But of course I was wondering if it was really acne on her back...

So I've looked up folliculitis in the web because I couldn't find it in my pathology book, and I'm a little concerned because there are numerous types: bacterial, viral, fungal--you name it. And my cuticles are a mess and I have 2 paper cuts from right before her appointment! I'm not freaking out, but I am concerned...I washed thoroughly and used sanitizer, and typically I'm not a germophobe. Please, MassagePlanetL community, is there anything else I should do to protect myself and my future clients from exposure?

 

[Dazaa]

youch........ i don't know anything about this, but didn't want to just read the post and not make a comment since i can tell how upset you are by this.

hugs and good luck!

 

[kittyfreek]

Ugh - sorry.

I guess if you've cleaned everything (door knobs? Lotion bottle and holster buckle clip?) you can clean then that's about it. I might get some garlic infused olive oil and mix it with tea tree and lavender essential oils and work that over some lymphatic drainage points tonight just to keep myself nice and cleared out (Works WONDERS when you get that first tiny tingle in your throat - that treatment will nip a flu in the bud!) and make sure you drink LOTS of water and GET SOME REST tonight.

Lavender, chamomile and ylang ylang essential oils will help with that as well.

*hugs*

Angela

 

[marshell]

Eek. I can understand why you'd be so concerned with band-aids all over her legs. I'll pass along what little I know about folliculitis. (Or maybe it should be "folliculitis") In my personal experience, folliculitis is what I might call "acne of the hair follicules". On me, it's essentially the exact same thing as acne and responds extremely well to antibiotics. I do have both, though, and on my upper body it's pretty difficult to distinguish between the two. On my limbs, though, it can look a little different. By your description, I'm inclined to think her conditions are related as well... but of course I don't know. I also had no idea that folliculitis could be caused by anything other than bacteria, so it sounds like more questions are in order. Sadly, it sounds like she gets hit with it pretty hard, poor thing.

So, to address whether you need to take precautions, for lack of any other information I'll answer you as if she and I are "skin sisters". I think you did fine in avoiding the open sore area, like you would for anyone else. Maybe think of it like psoriasis or eczema? In my case, it is not communicable and not something I bother mentioning apart from acne unless it's really bad. But I'll usually cancel appointments at that point, purely out of embarrassment.

(edited for clarity)

 

[Leila L]

Thank you for the advice and kind words. It's funny, I remember in school going over it briefly, and it's not on the short list of communicable skin conditions, but when I read that it can be viral, I thought, "oh no...."

I think it must be bacterial n this case because this woman receives massage weekly from another MT who is caring for her dying father.

Time will tell!

 

[jacky the Minx]

Hi Ella,

I know this is nerve wracking.

Unlike you, I am a germaphobe ;0)

You may have already taken these precautions, but I keep liquid bandage with me at all times in case I do get superficial papercuts or have cuticle issues. I always make sure that my hands are sealed before working both for my clients sake and my own.

I know this situation is so difficult because I have been in a similiar situation when working with a client who had two big cysts on his back and it was unnerving to me as I worked that he did not tell me about them before we started working. I asked while in session and he said that his physician said they were 'cysts' and he has them biopsied once a year. Looking back I wished I had just put on gloves.

There are numerous coneforum.xxxious conditions and we must protect ourselves and clients from them. I am not saying that the following is what your client had because she did go to the doctor and he/she didn't diagnose MRSA and I think MRSA is easily diagnosable, however it is just an illustration of why it is so important to not take any chances.

MRSA is a staph infection that can live on the skin of people that are otherwise perfectly healthy. It can be antibiotic resistant and extremely coneforum.xxxious. It can live on sheets and other linens. It can also be fatal if it gets into the lymphatic system and massage therapists are on the frontline of putting ourselves at a lot of risk for it.

Someone I work with was afraid she was exposed to it...it turns out she wasn't, but she spoke to a physician about it and he let her know that massage therapists are at a very high risk for getting it if they don't take proper precautions like washing there hands extremely well, washing sheets in hot water with bleach, making sure any cut or abrasion no matter how minor is sealed with chemical bandage or wearing a glove.

I hope I don't sound preachy or alarmist, I just don't want you to get sick. ;0)

Personally, if I have any question in regards to open cuts or sores on a clients body I just don gloves and explain to them that it for their protection. In most cases I think they respect the decision and realize that I would do the same with other clients and that they don't have to worry that I could be spreading a communicable infection to myself or my other clients. As well, I don't always trust that a diagnosis that someone tells me about is correct. Doctors are not always right and as your client said it folliculitis sounded like a cop out diagnosis to her...it could have been something else.

Take care...

 

[[VegLove]]

I am also a germaphobe. And as I was taught us in school, I never will massage an area that is locally inflamed or infected. As you probably know. follicutlitis simply means inflammation of the follicals, not necessarily infection of, though... it usually is. My experience with many people that have local, chronic infections DO downplay it. Example: client with obvious athletes feet, didn't mention it on client intake form because it was "better." I was a student at the time, but also a nurse. A couple of younger,less experienced students massaged his feet, but complained of his poor hygiene. EEK! Just EEK! I kindly told him he needed to start using his "cream" again and not to let others massage them till completely clear, so we don't spread it around on him or us. I think people are often embarrased, or the condition is chronic and they get a bit desensitized or "relaxed" or just honestly "forgetful" about their condition. Please excuse misspellings. A wee bit tired tonight. Good luck. I'd tell her for her as gently as possible, for her protection and others, her locally affected areas need to be left undisturbed by massage untill completely healed.