Biglou. I've had this condition for over 30 years and been married with five children for nearly 20 and none of them have gotten this condition. However, about a year ago my husband noticed a red postule on his head that was painful and I told him DON'T scratch it whatever you do. He left it alone and it's gone away and not spread. Unfortunately, so many of us are naive to what is on our head when we first get the condition and the scratching we do spreads the bacteria, or fungus, and then it's done for. Don't share any hair tools with your girlfriend because hair tools scrap the bacteria onto them and can spread to another person if they have a cut or something.
I'm going to start some of the regimends recommended of late in a couple of the other threads you need to check out. I'm visiting family right now for a wedding and don't want to focus on the treatment till I'm home. I use my own pillow when I travel. The biggest place for you to potentially spread the bacteria or fungus is a hair salon. Tell them what you have and insist they properly clean their instruments before and after working with your hair. As one other person recently suggested, you should try to find someone who owns a home hair cutting business who will work with you and be more careful of their tools.
Anti biotics worked for me at first too, but when I got off the one that helped for a few months, when I tried it again after the condition came back, my folliculitis had indeed built a resistance and it no longer responds to any anti-biotics. Since anti-biotics have a host of side effects that I hate on their own, like terrible yeast infections occuring, I gave up using internal ones all together. With the other sufferers on this site I'm trying new treatments. Maybe together, we can find some real hope for others like ourselves.
good luck
Jujubee83