A California man had a horrible experience after using his roommate's razor to clean up his child. Nick Holterman, 24, who accidentally used his roomie's shaving razor to shave his face, and ended up contracting a horrific bacterial infection that left him with agonizing pustules all over his chin and jaw.
The horrific incident, with a swelled chin and bacteria hanging form it first came to light in April via a series of viral TikTok videos, but Holterman divulged the full story only recently giving details about the deadly bacteria that has been surviving on his flesh now. He said that his jaw too is affected now and he suffers severe pain.
Costly Shave
Holterman, a Los Angeles resident, mistakenly picked up his friend's razor one fine morning before work earlier this year and used it to get rid of some untidy stubble on his chin and cheeks. However, he never realized what was in store for him that would make hi suffer for months.
Although everything looked normal after the shave and Holterman didn't have any problem or irritation initially, a few days later, he started feeling unwell after he suffered with what he describes as a "really bad upper respiratory infection." He then noticed that there were innumerable sores that looked like "spider bites" on his chin.
"I got these deep pustules and sores on my chin and along my jawline," Holterman told Jam Press of the infection. With no understanding of what had happened and excruciating pain, Holterman rushed to see a doctor, who prescribed him a round of antibiotics. Unfortunately, the drugs had no effect, and the personal assistant's condition began to deteriorate further, with the bumps lingering for several weeks.
"My sores ballooned in size so I went back to the doctors 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," he said.
Holterman was eventually prescribed Bactrim, a combination medication consisting of two antibiotics. Finally it worked.
Dangerous Experience
He was also given more information about what might have caused the sores to form in the first place. "It wasn't until I was put on Bactrim that the infection began to clear up. I was diagnosed with Impetigo caused by either an antibiotic resistant staph [Staphylococcus bacteria] or an antibiotic-resistant strep [streptococcus],"
However, even then, Holterman didn't realize that the infection resulted from using his roommate's razor. It was only when the doctor probed him further that it became clear that it might have been from the razor. But as for what caused the infection in the first place, Holterman says he and his doctors remain unsure of whether it was the result of dirt and germs on the razor, or simply an adverse reaction to his roommate's "skin flora."
"I felt like I was going to throw up constantly for a week because my body's natural bacteria and gut flora was being ravaged by three different antibiotics. I had to eat a lot of yogurt to regain those probiotics."
Holterman later posted a TikTok PSA in April warning others not to make the same mistake.
"Just want to remind anyone not to share razors or use random people's razors. You can get an antibiotic-resistant flesh-eating bacteria that is extremely painful and oozes pus all the time," he warned in the video, which has till now garnered around 10 million views on TikTok.
The shaving-accident survivor, who sports a chin bandage in the clip, added that the "antibiotics will make you constipated for two weeks, and if they don't work, you will die."
Social media users have been left shocked hearing his experience, with one person saying: "Lock up your razors when guests are over."
"You know what? I'm just gonna stop shaving altogether," added someone else.
Someone else gave an extra warning of the dangers of sharing razors.
"Also hep c!!!!!! Please just don't share anything with potential open wound transmission," wrote another TikTok user. "New anxiety: unlocked," added someone else.
"Plot twist: it was his razor," joked another person. Others shared their own experiences, with one woman commenting: "My mom did this and had to get this cyst full of liquid cut off under her armpit."
