Pseudofolliculitis resembles folliculitis but lacks what component?

• A. Pus or infection
• B. Oil production
• C. Inflammation
• D. Hair follicle

Answer: (A)

The key idea is what differentiates a noninfectious inflammatory response from an infected one. Pseudofolliculitis looks like folliculitis because it involves the hair follicle and an inflammatory reaction after shaving, but there isn’t an infectious process producing pus. That absence of pus or bacterial infection is what sets it apart from true folliculitis, where the hair follicle is infected and pus-filled lesions can form. So, the defining feature is the lack of infection and purulent discharge. The other features—inflammation and the involvement of a hair follicle—are common to both conditions, and oil production isn’t the distinguishing factor.