Case Reports
9 May 2025
Early Access
https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2025.10242

Cutaneous complications of cyclosporine: a case of drug-induced folliculitis in atopic dermatitis

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Cyclosporine, cyclosporine-induced folliculitis, acneiform eruptions, cutaneous side effects
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Authors

Mohammad Al-Haddab
malhaddab@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6607-7092
Dermatology Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rema Alkahtani
Dermatology Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Faisal BinKhonain
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4905-3819
Dermatology Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Amany Fathaddin
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4334-2989
Pathology Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cyclosporine-induced folliculitis remains underreported and underrecognized in clinical practice, posing diagnostic challenges for dermatologists and clinicians. In this case report, we present a compelling case of cyclosporine-induced folliculitis. A 40-year-old patient with severe atopic dermatitis was treated with topical steroids, calcineurin inhibitor, and phototherapy for 6 months. After starting cyclosporine 150 mg, acne-like eruptions appeared, and a 4 mm skin biopsy revealed folliculitis and perifolliculitis. Cyclosporine-induced folliculitis is a rare adverse effect of cyclosporine therapy, requiring prompt management through dose adjustment, discontinuation, and adjunctive therapies.

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Cutaneous complications of cyclosporine: a case of drug-induced folliculitis in atopic dermatitis. (2025). Dermatology Reports. https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2025.10242
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