What Is Pustular Dermatitis?

A pustule is a localized bulge on the skin that contains pus. Depending on the color of the pus, it is yellow or yellow-green. Pus is a thick or thin exudate formed during the inflammation of the body's tissues. It contains degenerate, necrotic white blood cells, and may or may not contain bacteria, necrotic tissue fragments, and exuded tissue fluid.

Basic Information

English name

pustule

Visiting department

dermatology

Common locations

Infectious pustules occur mostly on the face, back, and buttocks, and non-infectious pustules occur mostly in the wrinkles, extremities, and back

Common causes

Bacterial pustules are bacteria or fungi that invade human skin or mucous membranes, and sterile pustules are localized accumulation of inflammatory cells

Common symptoms

Fever, fatigue, soreness, etc.

Causes of pustules and common diseases

Pustules can be divided into bacterial pustules and sterile pustules based on the presence of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in the pus.

Bacterial pustules are mainly caused by bacterial folliculitis, acne pustules, rickets and rickets, rickets, cellulitis, lymphangitis, pustules and pressure ulcers formed after bacterial infection of the wound. It is mainly that bacteria or fungi invade human skin or mucous membranes, and then produce local inflammatory reactions, red painful nodules, and then pustules, redness, swelling, heat and pain. Pus is a thick or thin exudate formed during inflammation of the body's tissues, which contains degenerative, necrotic white blood cells, bacteria, necrotic tissue fragments, and exuded interstitial fluid.

Sterile pustules are mainly formed by the local accumulation of inflammatory cells and disintegrated epidermal cells and eosinophils. Common palmoplantar pustular disease, continuous acral dermatitis, herpes-like pustular disease, subkeratotic pustular skin disease, eosinophilic pustular folliculitis, pustular psoriasis, and acute generalized Pustular impetigo and so on.

Clinical manifestations of pustules

Pustules can occur anywhere. Infectious pustules mostly occur in the areas with strong oil secretion on the face, back, buttocks and parts that are vulnerable to trauma. They are scattered. The pustules are the size of grains to mung beans, and they form pustules for the tops of hair follicles and pimples. The pus is more viscous after rupture, leaving shallow scars after healing; non-infectious pustules mostly occur in wrinkles, extremities, and back. At the beginning, the basal surface is not erythema, and purulent masses ranging from the tip of the needle to the size of mung beans appear scattered, partially fused into a pus lake, and the epidermis exfoliates after rupture, exposing a bright red basal layer. Some patients are accompanied by fever, fatigue, and general soreness.

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pustules

Pustules with purulent secretions, yellow or yellow-green, needle point to the size of mung beans, and fusion of the site can be identified as a pustular rash based on the patient's skin and mucous membrane site.

For pustular rashes, the main difference is whether it is an infectious pustule or a non-infective pustule. Routine blood tests are performed, as well as bacterial culture and drug sensitivity tests for pustular secretions and pus. At the same time, it is necessary to carry out the necessary physical examination, whether there are other rashes, such as whether there is a rash of psoriasis, whether the nails are atrophic, absorbed, etc. effect. Comprehensive consideration of the results of various examinations, combined with the clinical symptoms of various organ injuries, and finally a corresponding diagnosis.

Pustule treatment principles

The treatment of pustules is mainly for the treatment of the primary disease and the corresponding symptomatic treatment. Infective pustules are treated with topical and systemic antibiotics and the area is kept clean and dry. Non-infectious pustules focus on the treatment of the primary disease, symptomatic management and appropriate supportive treatment.