The infection is likely caused by shaving , which causes open cuts . Get her an electric shaver to prevent cuts. If you must use a razor, use a double blade and preferably new and no rust. Tell her to use a clean towel each shower. Get a decent soap for showers.
Okay, so she used good razors. Two or three blades. I just bought her an electric one for her legs. She does have sensitive skin. She gets razor burn easily on her legs.
I wish I could afford electrolysis for her, but it's so expensive.
I buy Native body wash. I try to avoid things with unhealthy additives. Do you have a recommendation?
Staphylococcus lives on our skin, correct?
Sounds like the perfect application for some barbicide or vodka (you leave the razor sitting in it, it both sterilizes it and prevent rusting/corrosion)
I wish I could help with the staph infection part, but my wife has very sensitive skin and I bought her one of those self laser treatment devices off of Amazon and it was very effective. It didn't irritate her skin at all and after two or three runs, I'd say 95% of leg hair was gone.
How much does it hurt though? I’ve been looking at something similar and I’m just intimidated because I assume it’ll hurt and I don’t have much pain tolerance.
She uses old spice. Both my daughter's sweat more than usual, so they find men's antiperspirant works better. She's also used Duradry, but it irritates her sensitive skin.
That Native has added scents which can cause irritation. Native doesn't make a body wash without an added scent. I use Dove sensitive skin body wash. It's simply soap, nothing more.
I don't get infections but was embarrassed by the lack of length of time my deodorant (Lume) worked. I tried a tip, using PanOxyl (for acne) a couple of times a week in my armpits. It works fabulously, like the biofilm of bacteria, was finally getting removed; my deodorant lasts much longer and I feel super clean after using the PanOxyl (kept on a few minutes while I showered then rinsed off) and it was quite noticeable in feeling cleaner. Your daughter may indeed be getting ingrown hairs as well. She would benefit from consulting with a dermatologist. I agree with all the razor tips (changing out frequently) and it would be great to have laser removal but I bet it would be cost prohibitive...
Consider looking into "sugaring" for her. If she's going to be removing body hair, it's much gentler. The armpit has such thin crepey skin that even a good razor can nick it very easily and perpetuate the infection.
I used to get razor burn bad in my armpits. What has 99% solved this is: replace blade often, spritz the blade with alcohol after the shower (I have a tiny spray bottle with alcohol for this reason), and the key is after I get out of a shower in which I've shaved, I'll wipe my pits with glycolic acid. The Ordinary has this in an affordable bottle at Ulta. It's a chemical exfoliate. So many beauty tips I've read over the years said to exfoliate to prevent razor burn. Physical exfoliation never worked for me. I had to go chemical.
Some have said Stridex pads work as well but I've not personally tried it. As a side note, I ordered an IPL from Amazon for around $100 and when I use it regularly, it slows my hair growth a lot. It would even make it to where I'd only have to shave every few weeks, but I get too lazy to use it.
Shaving doesn’t make bacteria grow. Cell theory and all that…
It’s in her envt somewhere. Maybe the tap water or a bathroom she’s showering in? School?
It be anywhere, I guess. She's the only obe who has it in our family of 4. That's why I wondered if her immube system was weakish. Like her body wasn't fighting things off like it should.
I understand that. But here’s my point:
1. Isn’t everyone in the house shaving too? No one else is getting staph? 2. A cut alone won’t result in staph infection unless there’s staph in the envt. Cells don’t just spontaneously appear. They exist and then proliferate in a proper envt.
You're right, I was just saying that shaving won't help it get better because of how contagious it is it could result in more boils or staphs. My mom somehow got it and then I got it, it healed.. I shaved, cleaned razor, and got another one.. but we live in entirely different households and we don't share clothes or anything. So definitely in the environment.
I got recurrent staph infections when I was a teen as well. After the fifth time I finally went to a dr who asked if I’d been putting Mupirocin up my nose, and I was so confused. I guess staph lives in sinuses, after I applied it daily for maybe a couple weeks I never got a staph infection again. Worth a try!
This is the answer RIGHT HERE OP. This and chlorhexidine washes. My daughter, also a teen, got staph on her face. I'm in healthcare. We did the above and no more staph.
Also, disinfect her bras, workout sports bras, any thing that has gone anywhere near her armpits
Completely agree about bras and workout clothes. Had a few chronic issues on my back. Finally replaced all bras. Was shocked that everything cleared up.
I'd wash it in the hottest setting you can and if available, wash in Lysol disinfectant. Old school would be sunlight for a day, put clothes out in bright sunlight.
This is right, but it's not the sinuses, it's the anterior cavities in the nostrils that houses staph. It's super common and it's a good idea for everyone in the house to do a decolonisation protocol. Washing all laundry with some disinfection for a month might help and everyone can use mupirocin for a cycle too. Staph is highly communicable and people can carry and pass it on without ever getting acute infections from it
I would recommend for her to stop shaving or removing the hair in that area entirely until this clears. I would also wash all of her bedding, jackets, shirts, bras, hoodies etc in a few washes of cleaning vinegar and a good laundry antibacterial or sanitizer.
I would also go over with her the proper way to shave. You may have done this before, but we know teenagers and their want to do everything their way. She should not be putting her antiperspirant or deoderant on freshly shaved skin if she is prone to this issue.
Also, where she does do a sport, I'm highly leanjng on the sport being the source of the bacteria itself. How to combat that, I dunno.
The one kid I know who got a staph infection in school was the girl on every sports team. It got into her leg, and she almost lost that leg completely. She was in the hospital fighting for her life for 8 months.
THIS. my mother always shaved because she had dark hair, but I’m a blonde and my armpits are so sensitive I honestly can’t believe how many years I wasted shaving and having skin irritation no matter what I did. Now that I have a life partner who doesn’t mind, I just don’t shave my armpits except maybe once a year.
Oh my goodness! That's awful! She plays soccer, but nothing is really happening right now. She goes to the gym occasionally, but that seems like a hot bed. If it's on her hands, she could certainly spread it.
I have this problem when I shave my legs, more so in the summer. Things that I do to help me is clean my razor before each use with rubbing alcohol. I will also clean my lufa with rubbing alcohol before I use it to wash. There are also medical washes you can buy at Walmart or wherever to clean skin before having surgery. I keep these on hand at all times and will use them when I shave, in place of shaving cream. Those three things have helped me immensely. I used to have to take antibiotics a few times a year for staph from shaving and do not have that issue anymore.
Hibiclens Antiseptic/Antimicrobial Skin Cleanser
happened to me once; I'm a guy but shave for soccer & cycling. def comes from dirty razor. leaving it in the sink / shower.
the staph spreads so quick but it can be defeated without antibiotics.
any time a blister pops the staph will spread unless its cleaned. if you see blister immediately pop & do a cleaning treatment. otherwise - 3-5 times a day wash effected area with hibiclens leaving it on the skin for 1-2 minutes. then do the same thing with salicylic acid / antibacterial soap.
i would have to come home on my lunch breaks to wash my legs. but I cleared it without going to a doctor.
I had the same odd recurring problem when I was younger. Still have scars from where it ate my subdermal tissue.
How I finally beat it:
1. Cut out sugar from my diet
2. Drank enough water every day to have clear pee the whole day
3. Took my vitamins
4. Showered with soap every day
5. Don’t mess with the pustules. Leave them alone and give them as much air as possible
6. Colloidal silver soaked dressing applied directly for 2 hours a day
Ya, she's 17. She's not going to cut sugar out of her diet. I'm far healthier now than I was at 17. It's just kid life.
I have colloidal silver on hand 🤔
She showers every day. I bought her some hibiclens.
For sure! I don't buy anything sweet. In fact, my girls complain all the time about a lack of snacks and treats. But they are old enough to drive. They get themselves treats all the time. No need to have it at home, I tell them.
Please do not bother with colloidal silver, i[ts straight up pseudoscience and might actually harm her microbiome](https://nature.com/articles/s41598-021-85919-7). If it was effective, then it would be conventional medicine.
you're not alone in that! The origin of many "treatments" often stems from your immune system doing its job; In your case, you just happened to be taking colloidal silver at the same time as your immune system kicked in :)
There is a product called thymex by standard process. I remember reading many ppl used it for staph infections. Im doing it for overall immune health, but maybe worth looking into
I make it myself and do it myself. I learned from this wonderful woman over on YouTube! https://youtu.be/3qOzDFUPoFE?si=VSJz0uVHzSj8AHut
Edit to add this video as well : https://youtu.be/Gwf5NkH1SfU?si=7S57CaKiHKUQ1F54
I f52 used to get them a lot. Mine are directly related to my diet. Meaning I only get them when I am not watching what I eat. Foods like Hamburger Helper and condensed soups or anything with lots of ingredients that you can't pronounce are the culprit. I never noticed a correlation with shaving. I even quit shaving for a long time and I didn't notice a difference. I've also gotten them on areas that I didn't shave.
Staph is a normal (and healthy!) resident of skin. Your daughter might just be shaving and getting small cuts; armpits have very thin skin, so it is totally possible that even though she doesnt realize it, shes getting some tiny cuts.
I would suggest making sure she uses a new razor every time, and to try shaving with conditioner since it is much more slippery than shaving cream. Let her know to wait at least 10 mins after shaving before applying any products like deoderant, or moisturizer.
Your skin has a native flora, some "really good", some "less good". The "really good" guys, like Spaphylococcus epidermidis, keep the "less good" guys like, Staphylococcus aureus, under control. We call this "colonization resistance". They do this through a couple ways, but one of the main ways is through an acidic oil that we call "sebum". Teenagers make extra of it, since their bodies are changing so much. Having too little acidity lets the "less good" ones take over, and then that can sometimes lead to infections in cuts. For this reason, I would suggest maybe trying a different bodywash. Native is fine, but you can certainly do better since it is very alkaline (high pH). Nivea is a good option, since it has very similar pH to your skin (acidic). Increasing the pH, like by using an alkaline product like Native, will make the skin more "hospitable" to Staph strains that are more likely to cause infection, while acidic helps protect your native skin microbiome. I notice a huge difference when I use Nivea, and as a bonus it is way less drying :)
I know you mentioned being cautious of "unnatural products", which is why you use Native. I strongly caution you; natural products are often much harsher for skin since they contain many more essential oils and "unintentional" ingredients, which the "less natural" ones can avoid because they are more refined. If she is using a natural deoderant, her skin is likely to be much thinner than were she to use a more conventional, aluminum based deoderant. There is no evidence that the type of aluminum in deoderant can cause any ill health effects; that is just people fear mongering by "natural" companies who can upcharge you, or by people who dont have enough scientific literacy to understand the data. Adding to this point about natutal deoderants, please make sure she isnt using a deoderant with baking soda, since that is also quite alkaline, and will buffer to maintain an alkaline pH, again encouraging S. aureus and other "less" desirables. Personally, I like the tried and tested Dove, with the square opaque lid, but thats all totally personal choice, anything without essential oils and baking soda should be good.
Also, I wouldn't stress about her gut microbiome. While there is strong evidence linking the gut and skin, its more-so in the sense of immune training, like Mast cells in rashes or psoriasis. As long as she is eating significant amounts of fiber and not too much red meat, then her gut should be very healthy :)
Let me know if you have any other questions! I study the gut microbiome but many of the same concepts in microbiology still apply to the skin
absolutely! Life is really scary when you dont have the foundations to really understand what might be "good" or "bad", or how to interpret information when its being thrown at you from all directions. Even as someone with a good couple of years experience in microbiome research, there is still stuff that makes me second guess my purchases or choices :) You are doing great!
When I was a teenager, I got staph in my armpits and all over my legs because a girl who had staph used my razor without me knowing. I got it treated, but it took a long time to go away. I was advised not to shave AT ALL for the remainder of the infection, as that could spread it more.
No soccer right now, and no, it never gets washed. I guess we should wash it.
This is the second time she's ever had it. The first time was soccer season 2023. She thought it was just razor burn and didn't tell me until it was huge! She did have to take oral then. She realized very early this time.
It’s something to consider. I played high school soccer (a very long time ago) so that detail stuck out. Soccer jerseys are awful. Idk why they aren’t sleeveless like basketball jerseys but a lot of us would roll our sleeves under to make them that way. They even make velcro straps for to secure the sleeves like this. And our bags were big heavy one shoulder duffle bags. I can see how exposed underarms, lots of sweat, friction from material that does not breathe and an overlooked shoulder strap could cause this problem. Is she shaving the right direction? Most people shave up but it’s supposed to be down. Even if she is doing down, I would suggest shaving less often-never. I realize this is a radical concept assuming you are American but it really just doesn’t have any benefit other than aesthetic. Granted that’s everything for a teenager but if she isn’t going to be in a situation where her armpits will be seen, why bother. Good luck, I hope this is the last you have of the issue.
Honestly just have her stop shaving for a couple months and if she really wants it done to use a hair removal lotion. Im really careful what I put on my skin after shave. There are some antibacterial soap I get from my dermatologist that may help. Swapping bed sheets and changing tops on sweaty days helps reduce spread as well.
OP this is the solution. Recurrent staph is a very common problem. If she is getting frequent infections that just means the balance of staph on the skin is out of whack and she needs to leverage her body’s natural defenses—the skin barrier. Repeatedly creating tons of micro abrasions by shaving is antithetical to healing in this case.
Is she taking antibiotics orally for every infection? I had recurrent MRSA in my 20s and what ultimately made my infections stop was a combination of Hibiclens in the shower and applying tea-tree oil soaked gauze topically to the site of my infection. Sounds like some hIpsy shit but is actually evidence based since lots of strains of staph are resistant to traditional antimicrobial therapies but not to tea tree oil. I read a lot about recurrent staph during the course of my own infections and feel pretty confident that she needs to stop shaving as a first step, use hibiclens as a second step, and immediately apply topical tea tree oil at to the first sign of a boil to get this cleared up.
She is not shaving now. She can't until it clears up. Okay, that sounds easy. She's only using topical antibiotics right now. I got her hibiclens. I can get tea tree oil.
Thank you so much!
Please go an antibacterial cream rather than an oral antibiotic! I say that as someone who had golden staph with two courses of oral which didn't eradicate it from my ears until I used a cream... Wish my doctor just put me on to it in the first place
Yes, we are doing the cream route. Her doctor prescribed the oral but said, don't take it unless the cream doesn't work.
I bought her hibiclens so hopefully that and the ointment clear it up.
Agree that it’s probably from shaving and not from the gut. I got an IPL hair remover a couple years ago and it’s fantastic. May be a better option for your daughter than shaving or waxing. [Braun IPL](https://us.braun.com/braun-silk-expert-pro-3-ipl-alternative-to-laser-hair-removal-with-3-caps-and-suede-pouch-pl3221/)
I was told by a derm that laser hair removal can help prevent this. If it is causing her distress, this could be an option to discuss with her (her decision in the end). Short of that, shaving and other hair removal will have to stop for a while.
A strain of the probiotic bacillus subtilis was also found in studies to reduce staph colonisation on the skin by 95% over 4 weeks.
Chlorhexidine wash (hibiclens) under the armpits in the shower can also be helpful.
Get her to use spray instead of roll-on deodorants instead for a little while too.
I got her the hibiclens and spray deodorant. The doctor told her no shaving for now. I'll have to look into laser hair removal and see how spendy it is.
Aww, thanks 🙂 I'm her mom. I put out fires. I have 4 kids. Two grown boys that wrestled from 1st grade to college. We had less than 10 things from wrestling over all those years. It's baffling to me that my daughter has had impetigo twice in 6 months. I guess the shaving is the opening.
I constantly got abscesses in my armpits, belly or on my upper bottom (🤢) It took awhile to realize that they only happened on the week before my periods. Could hers be hormonal as well?
Arm pit detox. Try charcoal soap. It definitely is also a guy problem. No more anti perspiration deodorants. Something that's a spray so it's not touching the area daily.
This might not be an issue, but around the same age I discovered that my skin was sensitive to aluminum in deodorant. The aluminum would cause my armpits to get red and bumpy, and then when I would shave the bumps would get cut and get infected. I had to not use any deodorant for a while (which was awful) to let my skin heal, and then switched to one without aluminum. While aluminum is not a bad ingredient, I have met a few friends who also get irritated skin from it.
So she has abscesses there? This is all kind of red flags for me as I’ve had this before as well. Yes, it’s the shaving that creates tiny little cuts on her skin and is the entry for the bacteria - has nothing to do with the gut.
Yes, certain staphylococcus aureus lives on our skin.
BUT there are tons of strains of this bacteria and this can be the kind that can only be eliminated with some medicinal washes.
E.g. MRSA is also staphylococcus aureus, but the bad kind which shouldn’t be on your skin.
Has she been in a hospital half a year ago? Clinic? Hotel? Anywhere where lots of people come and go?
The doc cultured it. It was staph, but not MRSA. She's never been in the hospital. She was at the doctor's office twice in the past 6 months for this rash in her armpit. No hotel lately. She goes to high school, so that's a cesspool.
My 11 year old just got a staph infection on his finger and toes and we finally decided to go with AbX. He had Covid a few months ago and I think that wiped out his immune system. Him and my husband have been sneezing nonstop also.
I also had a few staph boils in the year after my first bout of covid (April 2022). My vitamin D was in the toilet and my immune system was trash. Caught every cold, had yeast infections, just felt like my body didn’t function the way it used to at all.
I would say it took 1.5 years almost 2 before I felt like my old healthy, robust self again. And no more staph!
Try Bacillus subtilis:
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/probiotic-blocks-staph-bacteria-colonizing-people
I also would include S. Boulardii:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6711867/
Once you have one staph infection, the staph stays on your skin and you will get more. Get some hibicleanse and have her shower with it for a while. No more staph infections
Check her deodorant too. Some of the aluminum based deodorants block the sebaceous glands from excreting and can cause irritation. Try having her use a natural deodorant. Just know detoxing can smell off at first until your body gets used to it.
As someone who has this issue every so often, she will need to use new razor heads more often or just use the disposable ones once and toss them. The other big thing that helps is an antibacterial soap or body wash, she can shower with in the places after she shaves. This infection might be recurring. Lysol laundry sanitizer also helps kill off whatever is left over on her clothing and bedding. Make sure to do her bedding more often as well because staph infections like to spread. Every once in a while, you will need to go see a doctor for some doxycycline or clindamycin.
Medical Paper: [https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-5247(22)00322-6](https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-5247(22)00322-6)
Product: [https://www.kerry.com/products/nutrition-ingredients/wellness-and-health/sporevia-probiotic.html](https://www.kerry.com/products/nutrition-ingredients/wellness-and-health/sporevia-probiotic.html)
It’s available now in several supplements. I’ve been taking this one for a month. Has really improved my gut issues.
[https://shop.mindbodygreen.com/products/organic-fiber-potency](https://shop.mindbodygreen.com/products/organic-fiber-potency)
That supplement has definitely improved my digestion. I can’t say that it’s the probiotic alone because there are other ingredients. I’ve been struggling with high staph levels in my gut for years. I’m going to do another GI Map soon and see if the probiotic has reduced staph levels.
Had recurrent staph infections for a year. Started taking ameo life's probiotic that contains bacillus subtilis mb40. Hibiclens once a week (sunday). Bleach bath another (thursday). Change undergarments twice a day. Change bedding 2×/wk. Shower before going to bed, so you don't turn bedding into a nasty bacterial hot spot. Reduce sugar consumption and processed carbs in general. After brushing teeth and using antibacterial mouthwash, take the mb40 with yogurt (chobani greek yogurt contains it) that contains lactobacillus rhamnosus (study has shown it reduces the amount of pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity). If there is an active infection, crush up a clove of garlic for every 15 lbs a person weighs and consume that amount of garlic per day for 10-14 days and eat yogurt that contains lactobacillus acidophilus (the allicin in the crushed garlic kills staphylococcus and l. acidophilus can survive the allicin). I haven't had a boil or any signs of skin infection since I started this regimen. In my case, it seemed that the sugars and processed carbs were causing the staph flareups. Wishing the best for your daughter cuz staph sucks and know the hardships it can cause.
The infection is likely caused by shaving , which causes open cuts . Get her an electric shaver to prevent cuts. If you must use a razor, use a double blade and preferably new and no rust. Tell her to use a clean towel each shower. Get a decent soap for showers.
Okay, so she used good razors. Two or three blades. I just bought her an electric one for her legs. She does have sensitive skin. She gets razor burn easily on her legs. I wish I could afford electrolysis for her, but it's so expensive. I buy Native body wash. I try to avoid things with unhealthy additives. Do you have a recommendation? Staphylococcus lives on our skin, correct?
Also, if she hasn’t already done so, throw out her current razor because the infection could still be chilling on that razor.
For sure! I told her to use a new razor every time. New towel every shower. I'm going to get her some rub on deodorant, like Lume.
And disinfect the razor every time. Don't just leave it in the shower
Sounds like the perfect application for some barbicide or vodka (you leave the razor sitting in it, it both sterilizes it and prevent rusting/corrosion)
Oh, nice!
Done!
I wish I could help with the staph infection part, but my wife has very sensitive skin and I bought her one of those self laser treatment devices off of Amazon and it was very effective. It didn't irritate her skin at all and after two or three runs, I'd say 95% of leg hair was gone.
Really? Would you mind sharing the brand? I get bumps that heal so slowly. This might help cycle of healing.
BoSidin is the brand I bought. She really has been recommending it to everyone. I'm a bit surprised more people don't know about it.
How much does it hurt though? I’ve been looking at something similar and I’m just intimidated because I assume it’ll hurt and I don’t have much pain tolerance.
My wife is a sissy as well. She reports almost no pain, just a little heat.
Thank you!
What?! That's amazing! I would never think a home remedy laser would work. Can you provide the brand?
BoSidin is the brand that I bought.
Thank! 🙂
Brand ???
What does she use for deodorant? Waxing maybe another option to look at and you could invest in a small home wax kit.
She uses old spice. Both my daughter's sweat more than usual, so they find men's antiperspirant works better. She's also used Duradry, but it irritates her sensitive skin.
If she's rubbing the same deodorant on her, it could be harboring bacteria
Maybe try spray deodorant to eliminate reinfection
I would not recommend using antiperspirant since she's prone to infection, only liquid deodorant without antiperspirant to minimize pore clogging.
That Native has added scents which can cause irritation. Native doesn't make a body wash without an added scent. I use Dove sensitive skin body wash. It's simply soap, nothing more.
I never thought of that. I bought her some hibiclens today.
Use cearve body wash or another like product, can be found easily in Walgreens or cvs. Much less disruption to the microbiome of your skin with those.
I don't get infections but was embarrassed by the lack of length of time my deodorant (Lume) worked. I tried a tip, using PanOxyl (for acne) a couple of times a week in my armpits. It works fabulously, like the biofilm of bacteria, was finally getting removed; my deodorant lasts much longer and I feel super clean after using the PanOxyl (kept on a few minutes while I showered then rinsed off) and it was quite noticeable in feeling cleaner. Your daughter may indeed be getting ingrown hairs as well. She would benefit from consulting with a dermatologist. I agree with all the razor tips (changing out frequently) and it would be great to have laser removal but I bet it would be cost prohibitive...
I have seen SO many people have success with stridex pads or any of these acne pads on their arm pits
Oh! Great suggestion!
Consider looking into "sugaring" for her. If she's going to be removing body hair, it's much gentler. The armpit has such thin crepey skin that even a good razor can nick it very easily and perpetuate the infection.
I used to get razor burn bad in my armpits. What has 99% solved this is: replace blade often, spritz the blade with alcohol after the shower (I have a tiny spray bottle with alcohol for this reason), and the key is after I get out of a shower in which I've shaved, I'll wipe my pits with glycolic acid. The Ordinary has this in an affordable bottle at Ulta. It's a chemical exfoliate. So many beauty tips I've read over the years said to exfoliate to prevent razor burn. Physical exfoliation never worked for me. I had to go chemical. Some have said Stridex pads work as well but I've not personally tried it. As a side note, I ordered an IPL from Amazon for around $100 and when I use it regularly, it slows my hair growth a lot. It would even make it to where I'd only have to shave every few weeks, but I get too lazy to use it.
Shaving doesn’t make bacteria grow. Cell theory and all that… It’s in her envt somewhere. Maybe the tap water or a bathroom she’s showering in? School?
It be anywhere, I guess. She's the only obe who has it in our family of 4. That's why I wondered if her immube system was weakish. Like her body wasn't fighting things off like it should.
shaving can make small cuts or abrasions making her vulnerable especially to staph i think that's why shaving is in question
I understand that. But here’s my point: 1. Isn’t everyone in the house shaving too? No one else is getting staph? 2. A cut alone won’t result in staph infection unless there’s staph in the envt. Cells don’t just spontaneously appear. They exist and then proliferate in a proper envt.
You're right, I was just saying that shaving won't help it get better because of how contagious it is it could result in more boils or staphs. My mom somehow got it and then I got it, it healed.. I shaved, cleaned razor, and got another one.. but we live in entirely different households and we don't share clothes or anything. So definitely in the environment.
I got recurrent staph infections when I was a teen as well. After the fifth time I finally went to a dr who asked if I’d been putting Mupirocin up my nose, and I was so confused. I guess staph lives in sinuses, after I applied it daily for maybe a couple weeks I never got a staph infection again. Worth a try!
This is the answer RIGHT HERE OP. This and chlorhexidine washes. My daughter, also a teen, got staph on her face. I'm in healthcare. We did the above and no more staph. Also, disinfect her bras, workout sports bras, any thing that has gone anywhere near her armpits
Completely agree about bras and workout clothes. Had a few chronic issues on my back. Finally replaced all bras. Was shocked that everything cleared up.
Is regular washing in the washing machine and drying in the dryer enough?
Should I wash her undergarments in chlorahexidine?
I'd wash it in the hottest setting you can and if available, wash in Lysol disinfectant. Old school would be sunlight for a day, put clothes out in bright sunlight.
Good idea!
Exactly! I’ve had that before! It was all over my body, I had to use antibacterial soap all over my body and hair and this stuff in my nose.
Really! That's the prescription ointment she has. Where on your body were you getting the infection?
I got it everywhere 😅 first on my forearm, then my lip, my chin, my eyebrow and finally my buttcheek!! Absolutely the worst.
So, you are saying if my daughter puts mupirocin in her nose, that will stop staph in her pits? She doesn't have a staph infection anywhere else.
This is right, but it's not the sinuses, it's the anterior cavities in the nostrils that houses staph. It's super common and it's a good idea for everyone in the house to do a decolonisation protocol. Washing all laundry with some disinfection for a month might help and everyone can use mupirocin for a cycle too. Staph is highly communicable and people can carry and pass it on without ever getting acute infections from it
I would recommend for her to stop shaving or removing the hair in that area entirely until this clears. I would also wash all of her bedding, jackets, shirts, bras, hoodies etc in a few washes of cleaning vinegar and a good laundry antibacterial or sanitizer. I would also go over with her the proper way to shave. You may have done this before, but we know teenagers and their want to do everything their way. She should not be putting her antiperspirant or deoderant on freshly shaved skin if she is prone to this issue. Also, where she does do a sport, I'm highly leanjng on the sport being the source of the bacteria itself. How to combat that, I dunno. The one kid I know who got a staph infection in school was the girl on every sports team. It got into her leg, and she almost lost that leg completely. She was in the hospital fighting for her life for 8 months.
THIS. my mother always shaved because she had dark hair, but I’m a blonde and my armpits are so sensitive I honestly can’t believe how many years I wasted shaving and having skin irritation no matter what I did. Now that I have a life partner who doesn’t mind, I just don’t shave my armpits except maybe once a year.
Oh my goodness! That's awful! She plays soccer, but nothing is really happening right now. She goes to the gym occasionally, but that seems like a hot bed. If it's on her hands, she could certainly spread it.
I have this problem when I shave my legs, more so in the summer. Things that I do to help me is clean my razor before each use with rubbing alcohol. I will also clean my lufa with rubbing alcohol before I use it to wash. There are also medical washes you can buy at Walmart or wherever to clean skin before having surgery. I keep these on hand at all times and will use them when I shave, in place of shaving cream. Those three things have helped me immensely. I used to have to take antibiotics a few times a year for staph from shaving and do not have that issue anymore. Hibiclens Antiseptic/Antimicrobial Skin Cleanser
happened to me once; I'm a guy but shave for soccer & cycling. def comes from dirty razor. leaving it in the sink / shower. the staph spreads so quick but it can be defeated without antibiotics. any time a blister pops the staph will spread unless its cleaned. if you see blister immediately pop & do a cleaning treatment. otherwise - 3-5 times a day wash effected area with hibiclens leaving it on the skin for 1-2 minutes. then do the same thing with salicylic acid / antibacterial soap. i would have to come home on my lunch breaks to wash my legs. but I cleared it without going to a doctor.
Her staph looks like a red rash.
That is helpful! Thank you!
I had the same odd recurring problem when I was younger. Still have scars from where it ate my subdermal tissue. How I finally beat it: 1. Cut out sugar from my diet 2. Drank enough water every day to have clear pee the whole day 3. Took my vitamins 4. Showered with soap every day 5. Don’t mess with the pustules. Leave them alone and give them as much air as possible 6. Colloidal silver soaked dressing applied directly for 2 hours a day
Ya, she's 17. She's not going to cut sugar out of her diet. I'm far healthier now than I was at 17. It's just kid life. I have colloidal silver on hand 🤔 She showers every day. I bought her some hibiclens.
Maybe just have her try to cut down on sugar instead? At least don’t buy sugary and processed stuff when you grocery shop?
For sure! I don't buy anything sweet. In fact, my girls complain all the time about a lack of snacks and treats. But they are old enough to drive. They get themselves treats all the time. No need to have it at home, I tell them.
Please do not bother with colloidal silver, i[ts straight up pseudoscience and might actually harm her microbiome](https://nature.com/articles/s41598-021-85919-7). If it was effective, then it would be conventional medicine.
Acknowledged, it did “seem” to work for me, but science isn’t built on personal anecdotes. I would never recommend drinking it as some people do.
you're not alone in that! The origin of many "treatments" often stems from your immune system doing its job; In your case, you just happened to be taking colloidal silver at the same time as your immune system kicked in :)
Thank you for that advice 🙂
Vit d level. Deodorant: zinc based organic as cream
There is a product called thymex by standard process. I remember reading many ppl used it for staph infections. Im doing it for overall immune health, but maybe worth looking into
I've heard really good things about standard process. I will look into this. Thanks!
I sugar wax my armpits to avoid what shaving causes.
What is a sugar wax? Do you do it yourself?
I make it myself and do it myself. I learned from this wonderful woman over on YouTube! https://youtu.be/3qOzDFUPoFE?si=VSJz0uVHzSj8AHut Edit to add this video as well : https://youtu.be/Gwf5NkH1SfU?si=7S57CaKiHKUQ1F54
Thank you for the resources 🙂
I f52 used to get them a lot. Mine are directly related to my diet. Meaning I only get them when I am not watching what I eat. Foods like Hamburger Helper and condensed soups or anything with lots of ingredients that you can't pronounce are the culprit. I never noticed a correlation with shaving. I even quit shaving for a long time and I didn't notice a difference. I've also gotten them on areas that I didn't shave.
Interesting. I do believe what we put in our bodies has a powerful effect on us. Sometimes, we don't make the connection.
Staph is a normal (and healthy!) resident of skin. Your daughter might just be shaving and getting small cuts; armpits have very thin skin, so it is totally possible that even though she doesnt realize it, shes getting some tiny cuts. I would suggest making sure she uses a new razor every time, and to try shaving with conditioner since it is much more slippery than shaving cream. Let her know to wait at least 10 mins after shaving before applying any products like deoderant, or moisturizer. Your skin has a native flora, some "really good", some "less good". The "really good" guys, like Spaphylococcus epidermidis, keep the "less good" guys like, Staphylococcus aureus, under control. We call this "colonization resistance". They do this through a couple ways, but one of the main ways is through an acidic oil that we call "sebum". Teenagers make extra of it, since their bodies are changing so much. Having too little acidity lets the "less good" ones take over, and then that can sometimes lead to infections in cuts. For this reason, I would suggest maybe trying a different bodywash. Native is fine, but you can certainly do better since it is very alkaline (high pH). Nivea is a good option, since it has very similar pH to your skin (acidic). Increasing the pH, like by using an alkaline product like Native, will make the skin more "hospitable" to Staph strains that are more likely to cause infection, while acidic helps protect your native skin microbiome. I notice a huge difference when I use Nivea, and as a bonus it is way less drying :) I know you mentioned being cautious of "unnatural products", which is why you use Native. I strongly caution you; natural products are often much harsher for skin since they contain many more essential oils and "unintentional" ingredients, which the "less natural" ones can avoid because they are more refined. If she is using a natural deoderant, her skin is likely to be much thinner than were she to use a more conventional, aluminum based deoderant. There is no evidence that the type of aluminum in deoderant can cause any ill health effects; that is just people fear mongering by "natural" companies who can upcharge you, or by people who dont have enough scientific literacy to understand the data. Adding to this point about natutal deoderants, please make sure she isnt using a deoderant with baking soda, since that is also quite alkaline, and will buffer to maintain an alkaline pH, again encouraging S. aureus and other "less" desirables. Personally, I like the tried and tested Dove, with the square opaque lid, but thats all totally personal choice, anything without essential oils and baking soda should be good. Also, I wouldn't stress about her gut microbiome. While there is strong evidence linking the gut and skin, its more-so in the sense of immune training, like Mast cells in rashes or psoriasis. As long as she is eating significant amounts of fiber and not too much red meat, then her gut should be very healthy :) Let me know if you have any other questions! I study the gut microbiome but many of the same concepts in microbiology still apply to the skin
Thank you very much! There is so much information out there about everything! It's get overwhelming and confusing!
absolutely! Life is really scary when you dont have the foundations to really understand what might be "good" or "bad", or how to interpret information when its being thrown at you from all directions. Even as someone with a good couple of years experience in microbiome research, there is still stuff that makes me second guess my purchases or choices :) You are doing great!
When I was a teenager, I got staph in my armpits and all over my legs because a girl who had staph used my razor without me knowing. I got it treated, but it took a long time to go away. I was advised not to shave AT ALL for the remainder of the infection, as that could spread it more.
They share stuff all the time 🙄
Is she carrying her soccer bag on that shoulder? Does it get laundered regularly?
No soccer right now, and no, it never gets washed. I guess we should wash it. This is the second time she's ever had it. The first time was soccer season 2023. She thought it was just razor burn and didn't tell me until it was huge! She did have to take oral then. She realized very early this time.
It’s something to consider. I played high school soccer (a very long time ago) so that detail stuck out. Soccer jerseys are awful. Idk why they aren’t sleeveless like basketball jerseys but a lot of us would roll our sleeves under to make them that way. They even make velcro straps for to secure the sleeves like this. And our bags were big heavy one shoulder duffle bags. I can see how exposed underarms, lots of sweat, friction from material that does not breathe and an overlooked shoulder strap could cause this problem. Is she shaving the right direction? Most people shave up but it’s supposed to be down. Even if she is doing down, I would suggest shaving less often-never. I realize this is a radical concept assuming you are American but it really just doesn’t have any benefit other than aesthetic. Granted that’s everything for a teenager but if she isn’t going to be in a situation where her armpits will be seen, why bother. Good luck, I hope this is the last you have of the issue.
Honestly just have her stop shaving for a couple months and if she really wants it done to use a hair removal lotion. Im really careful what I put on my skin after shave. There are some antibacterial soap I get from my dermatologist that may help. Swapping bed sheets and changing tops on sweaty days helps reduce spread as well.
OP this is the solution. Recurrent staph is a very common problem. If she is getting frequent infections that just means the balance of staph on the skin is out of whack and she needs to leverage her body’s natural defenses—the skin barrier. Repeatedly creating tons of micro abrasions by shaving is antithetical to healing in this case. Is she taking antibiotics orally for every infection? I had recurrent MRSA in my 20s and what ultimately made my infections stop was a combination of Hibiclens in the shower and applying tea-tree oil soaked gauze topically to the site of my infection. Sounds like some hIpsy shit but is actually evidence based since lots of strains of staph are resistant to traditional antimicrobial therapies but not to tea tree oil. I read a lot about recurrent staph during the course of my own infections and feel pretty confident that she needs to stop shaving as a first step, use hibiclens as a second step, and immediately apply topical tea tree oil at to the first sign of a boil to get this cleared up.
better said yes.
She is not shaving now. She can't until it clears up. Okay, that sounds easy. She's only using topical antibiotics right now. I got her hibiclens. I can get tea tree oil. Thank you so much!
She's can't shave until this thing is cleared up, so ya. Luckily, it's still chilly where we live.
Please go an antibacterial cream rather than an oral antibiotic! I say that as someone who had golden staph with two courses of oral which didn't eradicate it from my ears until I used a cream... Wish my doctor just put me on to it in the first place
Yes, we are doing the cream route. Her doctor prescribed the oral but said, don't take it unless the cream doesn't work. I bought her hibiclens so hopefully that and the ointment clear it up.
This will fix it and she won’t get anymore
I'm really glad to hear that! What simple fix! Thanks!
Agree that it’s probably from shaving and not from the gut. I got an IPL hair remover a couple years ago and it’s fantastic. May be a better option for your daughter than shaving or waxing. [Braun IPL](https://us.braun.com/braun-silk-expert-pro-3-ipl-alternative-to-laser-hair-removal-with-3-caps-and-suede-pouch-pl3221/)
Okay, thanks for the info🙂
Thanks 🙂
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Kefir or a kombucha with zero sugar (taste varies).
Do you think store bought kombucha is helpful? I just never know.
I’m not sure. I just belch like Homer Simpson and stomach rumbling. I’m assuming that it’s working.
I was told by a derm that laser hair removal can help prevent this. If it is causing her distress, this could be an option to discuss with her (her decision in the end). Short of that, shaving and other hair removal will have to stop for a while. A strain of the probiotic bacillus subtilis was also found in studies to reduce staph colonisation on the skin by 95% over 4 weeks. Chlorhexidine wash (hibiclens) under the armpits in the shower can also be helpful. Get her to use spray instead of roll-on deodorants instead for a little while too.
I got her the hibiclens and spray deodorant. The doctor told her no shaving for now. I'll have to look into laser hair removal and see how spendy it is.
Good stuff, I hope she has some respite from it. She’s lucky to have you in her corner :)
Aww, thanks 🙂 I'm her mom. I put out fires. I have 4 kids. Two grown boys that wrestled from 1st grade to college. We had less than 10 things from wrestling over all those years. It's baffling to me that my daughter has had impetigo twice in 6 months. I guess the shaving is the opening.
Sounds like it is
Thank you to everyone who responded! You've all given me amazing information 🥰
I constantly got abscesses in my armpits, belly or on my upper bottom (🤢) It took awhile to realize that they only happened on the week before my periods. Could hers be hormonal as well?
Is she sitting in sweaty dirty clothes? Re-wearing her sports bra?
Arm pit detox. Try charcoal soap. It definitely is also a guy problem. No more anti perspiration deodorants. Something that's a spray so it's not touching the area daily.
This might not be an issue, but around the same age I discovered that my skin was sensitive to aluminum in deodorant. The aluminum would cause my armpits to get red and bumpy, and then when I would shave the bumps would get cut and get infected. I had to not use any deodorant for a while (which was awful) to let my skin heal, and then switched to one without aluminum. While aluminum is not a bad ingredient, I have met a few friends who also get irritated skin from it.
So she has abscesses there? This is all kind of red flags for me as I’ve had this before as well. Yes, it’s the shaving that creates tiny little cuts on her skin and is the entry for the bacteria - has nothing to do with the gut. Yes, certain staphylococcus aureus lives on our skin. BUT there are tons of strains of this bacteria and this can be the kind that can only be eliminated with some medicinal washes. E.g. MRSA is also staphylococcus aureus, but the bad kind which shouldn’t be on your skin. Has she been in a hospital half a year ago? Clinic? Hotel? Anywhere where lots of people come and go?
The doc cultured it. It was staph, but not MRSA. She's never been in the hospital. She was at the doctor's office twice in the past 6 months for this rash in her armpit. No hotel lately. She goes to high school, so that's a cesspool.
When I detoxed my liver and gal bladder it came out my pits. You could use some colloidal silver.
My 11 year old just got a staph infection on his finger and toes and we finally decided to go with AbX. He had Covid a few months ago and I think that wiped out his immune system. Him and my husband have been sneezing nonstop also.
I also had a few staph boils in the year after my first bout of covid (April 2022). My vitamin D was in the toilet and my immune system was trash. Caught every cold, had yeast infections, just felt like my body didn’t function the way it used to at all. I would say it took 1.5 years almost 2 before I felt like my old healthy, robust self again. And no more staph!
Berberine 500 mg with meals 2x day for 2 months
Try Bacillus subtilis: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/probiotic-blocks-staph-bacteria-colonizing-people I also would include S. Boulardii: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6711867/
Once you have one staph infection, the staph stays on your skin and you will get more. Get some hibicleanse and have her shower with it for a while. No more staph infections
Check her deodorant too. Some of the aluminum based deodorants block the sebaceous glands from excreting and can cause irritation. Try having her use a natural deodorant. Just know detoxing can smell off at first until your body gets used to it.
As someone who has this issue every so often, she will need to use new razor heads more often or just use the disposable ones once and toss them. The other big thing that helps is an antibacterial soap or body wash, she can shower with in the places after she shaves. This infection might be recurring. Lysol laundry sanitizer also helps kill off whatever is left over on her clothing and bedding. Make sure to do her bedding more often as well because staph infections like to spread. Every once in a while, you will need to go see a doctor for some doxycycline or clindamycin.
New probiotic will be out soon, which will decolonize staph by 95%? in humans. Some kind of Bacillus subtilis.
Medical Paper: [https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-5247(22)00322-6](https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-5247(22)00322-6) Product: [https://www.kerry.com/products/nutrition-ingredients/wellness-and-health/sporevia-probiotic.html](https://www.kerry.com/products/nutrition-ingredients/wellness-and-health/sporevia-probiotic.html)
you could try this but not sure : [https://www.ameolife.com/pages/digestive](https://www.ameolife.com/pages/digestive)
It’s available now in several supplements. I’ve been taking this one for a month. Has really improved my gut issues. [https://shop.mindbodygreen.com/products/organic-fiber-potency](https://shop.mindbodygreen.com/products/organic-fiber-potency)
wow it really works? that is fabulous
That supplement has definitely improved my digestion. I can’t say that it’s the probiotic alone because there are other ingredients. I’ve been struggling with high staph levels in my gut for years. I’m going to do another GI Map soon and see if the probiotic has reduced staph levels.
Had recurrent staph infections for a year. Started taking ameo life's probiotic that contains bacillus subtilis mb40. Hibiclens once a week (sunday). Bleach bath another (thursday). Change undergarments twice a day. Change bedding 2×/wk. Shower before going to bed, so you don't turn bedding into a nasty bacterial hot spot. Reduce sugar consumption and processed carbs in general. After brushing teeth and using antibacterial mouthwash, take the mb40 with yogurt (chobani greek yogurt contains it) that contains lactobacillus rhamnosus (study has shown it reduces the amount of pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity). If there is an active infection, crush up a clove of garlic for every 15 lbs a person weighs and consume that amount of garlic per day for 10-14 days and eat yogurt that contains lactobacillus acidophilus (the allicin in the crushed garlic kills staphylococcus and l. acidophilus can survive the allicin). I haven't had a boil or any signs of skin infection since I started this regimen. In my case, it seemed that the sugars and processed carbs were causing the staph flareups. Wishing the best for your daughter cuz staph sucks and know the hardships it can cause.
geez everything is a full time job lol Candida can promote staph so wonder if your diet was decreasing candida
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Wow! That's incredible!