Impetigo – here’s why you should never use someone else’s razor
Using someone else’s razor comes with countless sanitary concerns. Shaving can cause tiny nicks, allowing bacteria to enter and spread infection. Using someone else’s razor puts you at a risk of contracting an infection. What’s more, if there is blood on the virus, it can result in transmitting blood viruses. This article describes the case of a man who got an antibiotic resistant bacterial infection on his chin after he unknowingly used his roommate’s razor. Doctors diagnosed the patient with an antibiotic-resistant infection known as impetigo.
Although, he is still not sure whose razor he used, his skin immediately started to feel irritated after he used it.
“I’m still not sure if it was mine or my roommate’s, but I didn’t think about it at the time because my roommates and I share pretty much everything and I was in a hurry. I remember my skin immediately feeling irritated because I had been a little rough on my chin and jawline, but that was normal because I get impatient when I shave and don’t mind a few nicks here and there,” he said.
After a few days of using the razor, Nick developed 4-5 holes on his chin that looked like “mini spider bites”. The holes got bigger and started oozing pus after a while. He was simultaneously experiencing chills, aches and the what he described as the worst sore throat of his life. Assuming he just had strep throat and completely ignoring the irritation on his chin, he visited urgent care where they prescribed him an antibiotic. They prescribed the medication without testing him for strep.
The antibiotic worked for a few days till Nick felt even sicker than before.
The sores became bigger in size not too long after. Doctors advised several tests to rule out the cause of his sickness, however, they all came back negative. “To add insult to injury, my sores ballooned in size and combined to form like a mass of crusty nastiness on my chin. I went to another urgent care and they tested me for COVID-19, strep, mono, etc. They all came back negative, but the doctor correctly guessed that the cause was still bacterial and not viral, and decided to put me on a stronger antibiotic,” Nick explained.
Doctors ruled out viral infection and prescribed Nick stronger antibiotics. The effect of the new antibiotic was also short lived. It cleared up the sore throat and aches, but the sores on his chin persisted. He was “sprouting new and deeper sores” along his jawline. “I was sprouting new, deeper sores along my jawline. Keep in mind, this entire time they were ITCHY, like burning-hot red itchiness like I’ve never felt before. That’s not normal for mere ingrown hairs,” said Nick describing the discomfort.
Doctors finally diagnosed Nick with impetigo.
Nick reported to the ER where the doctors put him on Bactrim, which, along with Clindamycin and Vancomycin. Four days after using the medication, the sores finally started to clear up. Doctors diagnosed him with impetigo, a bacterial skin infection caused by an unspecified staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria.
This, ladies and gentleman is why you should never use someone else’s razor!
References
This Man’s Story About How He Got An Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria On His Chin Will Make You Never Want To Use Someone Else’s Razor Ever Again https://www.buzzfeed.com/shelbyheinrich/sharing-razors-flesh-eating-bacteria-tiktok
