Early Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp Following Repeated Microinfusion of Medication Into the Skin in a Patient With Androgenetic Alopecia and Long-Term Exogenous Testosterone Use: A Case Report
May 2026
in “
Cureus
”
Studysummary This case study describes a 34-year-old male developing painful inflammatory scalp nodules post-scalp microinfusion of medication. The findings suggest that repeated microtrauma or bacterial colonization might trigger dissecting cellulitis in susceptible individuals, with exogenous testosterone as a potential modifier, not a direct cause. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This case report discusses a 34-year-old male with androgenetic alopecia who developed early dissecting cellulitis of the scalp after undergoing repeated microinfusion therapy and long-term exogenous testosterone use. The patient presented with painful inflammatory scalp nodules 45 days after the procedure, which involved a 27-needle device. Histopathology confirmed dissecting folliculitis. Treatment with antibiotics and corticosteroids resulted in partial improvement. The report suggests that microtrauma from the procedure and testosterone use may have contributed to the condition, emphasizing the need for early recognition and awareness of potential risks associated with scalp microinfusion therapies. While causality cannot be established from this single case, clinicians should consider dissecting cellulitis in their differential diagnosis when encountering early inflammatory nodules post-procedure.
