Wheever

I saw a dermatologist. He wasn't much help. You are the first person to post that actually has experienced this condition. So, kudos on being the only person that read that closing paragraph. Do you happen to remember which antibiotic ointment you were given?

FBOATSB

My family doc recommended cornstarch for a similar situation. Although I didn't think something so simple and without chemicals and drugs could possibly work it was very successful and I have been using it ever since when the occasion arises.

fthomas

Wish I could remember the topical antibiotic ointment. I was in the Philippines at the time. Pretty common ones are clindamycin lotion or metronidazole lotion. The oral antibiotics was amoxicilin I am pretty sure, because I (my Dentist wife) are concerned about severe side effects of cipro or one of its derivatives.

It took longer for it to clear up than I would have expected. My wife insisted I wash the area with Betadine (caution it can stain everything).

My wife is a Dentist so I am always shuffled off to one of her many MD friends, but this one had me seeking out a Dermatologist.

Wheever

Here's an update for anyone still following: apparently the problem is not from cycling! I've been using the laundry disinfectant on my jerseys as recommended by my dermatologist, and my folliculitis had almost completely cleared up. Just a few little zits, and not particularly juicy.

Then, this week, it suddenly came back...But I hadn't been riding, and it hasn't even been particularly hot. The problem? I think It's still in my shirts, whatever the bacteria is, and wherever I picked it up. I hadn't been disinfecting my shirts/regular laundry because I was assured by both doctors and internet that detergent and dryer would do the job. Apparently, that's not the case. So, into the washer all my shirts go with the disinfectant. And hopefully, that will be that.

Strange, right? Right.

fthomas

I have been wearing (cheap Performance Bike) mountain bike shirts / T Shirt Type made of all synthetics. I will not buy any more because they are a petri dish for bacteria. After a long ride they already smell so bad it is disgusting. Your shirt fabric could easily be contributing to the problem. I'm also guessing that you might be having an allergic reaction to something used in the washing process - soap, fabric softner, etc.

What are you using as a disinfectant?

canklecat

I get some weather related skin irritations, mostly on the backs of my hands around the knuckles and in the webbing between the fingers. Began getting painful cracking in my 40s. Took years and several doctors to get a correct diagnosis: plain ol' fungus, probably ringworm, most likely picked up from nasty funky reused hand wraps and gloves when I was an amateur boxer as a teenager in the 1970s. But it never showed up until the late 1990s when my immune system was compromised.

Turns out it can be exacerbated by some fairly ordinary stuff, like ibuprofen. So I have to watch my diet and intake of prescription and OTC meds. Topical steroids help, but too much causes defatting and thinning of the skin.

KBentley57

Can you tell us what the antibiotic cream is specifically? benzoyl peroxide + clindomycin perhaps? or is it just $antibiotic + glycerin gel? ect..

KBentley57

Technically a run through the dryer should be killing all bacteria on the clothes; which is one of the problem with machine washing + air drying bike uniforms.

canklecat

Most bacteria, yes. But I mentioned tinea as a possibility because outbreaks can resemble bacterial infections yet are more difficult to treat symptomatically and require much higher heat to kill in clothing, bedding, etc. The heat needed may be high enough to quickly wear out fabrics, so it may be more cost effective to buy less expensive, easily replaceable clothes for cycling than expensive dedicated cycling jerseys and shorts.

You'd think almost any doctor could spot the differences between rashes but it took years before I got a proper diagnosis and treatment. And the appropriate diagnosis finally came from a PA, not an MD.

qcpmsame 

OP, what is the laundry disinfectant you were/are using? If it works for your condition it would be good to know what worked for you. Also, are you noticing any extra wear from the washing with the disinfectant of your kit? Most of the jerseys and shorts made from the newer polyester fabrics are careful to warn about what is used to wash them, and the settings used on the washer and dryer.

I was told to use Dreft, formulated for infant laundry use, and is very mild, yet is effective on ridding things of bacteria. I've used it for over a year and my kit is holding up well, and no outbreaks of the follicles or my other skin tissues, so far. Thanks for the updates on your issues.

Bill

Wheever

The laundry disinfectant is made by a German company called Persil. You can buy it from their website persilproclean.com. The product is called hygiene. It goes into the rinse cycle, and I haven't noticed any change to my kit. (It shipped out of Ohio, so it's not so exotic as buying it from Europe!)

Wheever

I was given muciprocin. Pretty mild, really.

tg16

I have had skin rash problems from both running and riding. As it turns out, my doctor suggested I change the detergent my clothes are washed in and also commented that some fabrics as well as the HRM may be aggravating the situation. The laundry detergent as well as personal soap change helped a great deal. I now use unscented products that are safe for infants. I also changed my deodorant to something mild and a little more natural. As for the HRM, I bought the new Garmin HRM to replace the old one that was mostly plastic.

qcpmsame 

Thanks much, I will keep this on mind if I have any problems with breakouts. So far I am in good shape in that aspect of riding. I guess that being really OCD about keeping my kit clean, and rotating it through the days has stood me well, so far.

Bill

SA_Brak

I have the same problem only it isn't as bad as you described, just some small red bumps. At first I thought it was bug bites, perhaps fleas from my dogs. Later realized they align with my GPS strap. Since they don't get infected and they don't bother me I don't worry about it.

esther-L

My Mom does not bike. She was having issues kinda similar to this on her behind.
She had bought laundry detergent pods at a marvelous discount. It turned out that her washing machine needed an extra rinse cycle for underwear with the dose of detergent in the pods.

There is 1 guy in my Tuesday night ride group who gets a chest rash from some jerseys, and has to wear one of those wicking exercise sleveless undershirts now under a bike jersey. Perhaps one of these might be worth a try for you, to see if that plus no HRM strap makes any difference.

kingfishr

Do you have a source for that claim? I googled it and found the advice that UV rays from sunlight kill bacteria, and to avoid the dryer. In either case this was an eye-opening article:

Dirty Laundry? Germs and Bacteria Last in Washing Machines - ABC News

Onfixiate

Have you tried a base layer (different material) under the jersey?

JanMM

Yes, water in a dishwasher or washing machine is not hot enough to sterilize dishes or clothes unless the water heater is set to 140-150 F, which is hot enough to cause scalding.

KBentley57

Well, I've got to admit, I'm basically wrong, except for a few corner cases. I thought I had read in the past that clothes dryers on high were able to reach the lowest pasteurization temperature - 145F. After some googling, I see that it's not really that common for clothes dryers to reach that temperature now, or ever. Time to break out the blow torch and burn down the house.