Are licorice root pills good for folliculitis?!

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Folliculitis is inflammation of the hair follicles.
Licorice root might help with the inflammation part of the disorder as licorice has known anti-inflammatory properties...though it won't address any offending organisms (infection) present within and outside the affected follicles.
Your mum needs to get to the root cause to prevent any further recurrences. And if there is any infection present, your mum will need to either take antibiotics for a time or use a topical antibiotic cream ideally. The problem with some of these topical creams is that the bacteria in the skin can develop resistance towards them...so they should not be used long term. Antiseptic essential oils/natural products could be tried ....such as manuka honey, or an essential oil/oil blend of oils such as thyme, myrrh, turmeric, cinnamon, geranium, lavendar, lemon and tea tree (to name a few) in a carrier oil such as jojoba or olive oil. Essential oils do need dilution.....they should not be used neat. Or: your mum could also apply a topical cream containing licorice for its anti-inflammatory effects and a drop or two of an antiseptic essential oil(s) could be added to this in the palm of the hand prior to applying.

You can read more regarding the causes and treatment of folliculitis here.....your mum should read this:
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Follicul…

You can read more regarding licorice here:
http://www.rain-tree.com/licorice.htm

This is especially important: if your mum is on any medication or has any medical conditions she will need to talk to her doctor or pharmacist first before taking licorice internally. It can raise blood pressure. And it could interact with some prescribed medications....corticosteroids as well as blood pressure pills for instance.

Regular gentle exfoliation of the skin may help prevent recurrent folliculitis. But your mum needs to be sure there is not a medical component to the disorder if this is recurrent or ongoing. If it is recurrent or ongoing your mum really needs to see her doctor.

Best wishes.