Inflammation of the hair follicles, especially around the opening or upper part of the follicle.
From Greek 'epi' (upon) + Latin 'folliculus' (small bag or pod) + Greek '-itis' (inflammation). The term specifically indicates inflammation at the superficial part of hair follicles.
Epifolliculitis is what happens when bacteria invade the upper part of your hair follicles—it's different from deeper follicle infections and is often seen after shaving or waxing when the follicle opening gets irritated.
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