How To Know If You Have Fungal Acne

Nizoral For Fungal Acne

One of the best ways to treat fungal acne would be Nizoral and ketoconazole. It is an antifungal treatment that is effective in treating a variety of fungal infections on our body. Another best shampoo is Ketomac which contains ketoconazole, an anti-fungal agent.

It comes in two forms: a liquid concentrate that mixes with water and a shampoo. The proper form depends on the severity of fungal acne on your body.

Nizoral is used as both a shampoo and cream for external use. The cream is applied once or twice a day to the affected area. The main ingredient in Nizoral inhibits the growth of fungi by interfering with its cell membrane, causing it to disintegrate. This causes the dermatophytes to die off and helps restore healthy skin tissue and relieve the symptoms of the condition.

Why Is Fungal Acne Trending Right Now

I believe this is such a hot topic right now because people who are prone to breakouts and blemishes arent happy with the results theyre getting from their current skincare routine, and theyre looking for a cure. The reality is that acne is a skin condition with no known cure, and just because your current routine isnt working, doesnt automatically mean youre dealing with something thats fungal vs. bacterial. Acne is stubborn, and it can be difficult to address, but its not impossible. Your best bet when dealing with acne is to use products that are formulated for your specific skin type. Its also helpful to consult a skin expert, such as an esthetician or dermatologist, to develop a personalized approach.

There you have it. I hope this post has shed some light on fungal acne and why its trending on social media. I hope it also gave you insight as to why its probably not the missing piece to your acne puzzle.

When To See A Dermatologist

If you have fungal acne, changing some habits and trying the over-the-counter treatments above may help it improve. However, if your acne lasts longer than a few weeks, is getting worse or not improving, or makes you feel shy and embarrassed, you should see your healthcare provider. They or a dermatologist will work with you to develop a treatment plan that is right for you.

Recommended Reading: How Much Is Laser Acne Scar Removal

How Can I Tell If Im Experiencing Fungal Acne

Despite what social media might lead you to believe, fungal acne isnt actually all that common. While extremely popular on the internet, in reality, it is quite rare, Dr. Zeichner says. In the past decade, I can say that Ive only seen it a handful of times. It is much more common in parts of the world where the weather is more humid, like in the Philippines.

Since its relatively uncommon and it can be tricky to diagnose, its critical that you visit a dermatologist if you think youre dealing with fungal acne. If your dermatologist finds that its indeed fungal acne, they will likely provide you with an antifungal medication. Using traditional acne products, which commonly contain antibacterial ingredients, wont do much of anything. In some cases, it could actually make the situation worse by negatively affecting your microbiome and encouraging more yeast growth. So, if you have any suspicion at all that what youre dealing with is fungal in nature, head to your dermatologists office. As Dr. Zeichner puts it, knowing what you have means you can treat it the right way.

Tip : You Have Other Skin Conditions

Are you suffering from dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, or other mysterious skin rashes? These can be indicators that you already suffer from a fungus-based skin condition. Ironically, the products used to treat these conditions often make them worse.

If youre at a total loss as to whats going in with your skin, I want to give you some encouragement here!

The biggest tip-off for me is the fact that I have had severe eczema, rashes, and contact dermatitis on my lip, my ear, my hands, neck, and arms for YEARS. And though Ive tried every remedy I can find online or buy in a store, nothing ever made these conditions better.

After suffering from severe cystic acne for a majority of college/young adulthood, I finally got my skin more stable, but I was never able to truly clear my acne. I noticed that my face was always feeling itchy- especially after slathering on lotions, potions, creams, or a full face of makeup.

All in all, if youre experiencing a combination of these symptoms, I would consider looking into how you can treat your skin differently, because its worth a shot! Just be warned, the journey ahead may become intense. Its going to require a mind shift and a lot of reading labels, but thats why Im here to help!

Also Check: What Birth Control Pill Is Best For Acne

How To Tell If You Have Fungal Acne

February 22, 20217 min read

Usually, when we think of acne, we think of bacteria induced inflammations. However, acne can also be caused by fungal infection. As a result, they are left with persistent bumps that do not go away no matter what they try.

Did you know that we all have fungus on our skin as part of its natural composition? It can also look similar to an acne breakout when the fungus gets out of control and causes a yeast infection?

The fungus which causes the acne-like bumps is called Malassezia. This term is usually difficult to memorize, so we will refer to this skin condition as fungal acne even if it isn’t technically a type of acne. Acne-like bumps that’s caused by a fungal infection appears as small red bumps or closed comedones. It can look like a cluster of whiteheads that are usually on the t-zone since it feeds off of sebum.

Here’s how to tell if you have fungal acne and the common ways to treat it.

WHAT IS FUNGAL ACNE?

Afungal acne is a type of infection found in your skins hair follicles that commonly appears as small whiteheads on the chest, upper arms and back or T-zone. It is often left with persistent bumps that do not go away with conventional acne treatments targeted toward reducing bacterial acne.

Fungal acne is often confused for regular acne or acne vulgaris, but it is different type of skin condition that doesn’t respond to acne treatments like topical antibiotics or benzoyl peroxide.

Other Skin Conditions Related To Fungal Acne

How To Use Fungal Acne Treatments

If youre ready to test out a topical, heres what Wood suggests for application.

Fungal acne treatments can be used either morning or night once daily. I recommend using it first to maximize efficacy.

If youre going the oral medication route, ask your derm for specifics on when to take it, for how long, and whether to take it with a meal.

Also Check: Does Aloe Vera Help Acne

What Are The Symptoms Of Fungal Acneand What Does It Look Like

Dr. Jenkins says fungal acne is more common on the chest and back because of how those areas are often covered by our clothing .

Fungal acne may or may not look like typical acne it’s often itchy, with a rashy, uniform appearance. The red bumps also tend to appear at the same time.

“It may present more suddenly and the breakouts tend to be monomorphic, all areas look similar,” Amie Sessa, MD, a Maryland-based dermatologist, tells Health. “They more often have pustules and are often itchy.”

RELATED: What Is Stress Acneand How Can You Get Rid of It? Here’s What the Experts Say

How Long Does Treatment Take

This is the burning question for many people who suffer from fungal acne symptoms. Some find that even when they have been put on oral antifungal medication, the infection doesnt clear up as fast as they had hoped. Poorly or untreated fungal acne can last for months or even years depending on the person, their lifestyle and climate they live in.

This is due to the ability of the yeast cells to get deep into the hair follicles. Oral medication does penetrate further into the follicles than other topical treatments like shampoos but can use a bit of help from time to time.

But how can you help medication be more effective?

By using the very thing it is trying to treat, your skin and pores. Regular exercise, such as going for a run or getting stuck in at the gym will naturally create sweat, which has been shown to pull the active ingredients of the medication through the skin layers and into the follicles which need treatment. Just dont sit around in those non-breathable clothes.

You May Like: Can Calamine Lotion Help With Acne

Antifungal Shampoo Or Body Wash

Antifungal shampoo and body wash can help slow down the growth of the fungi that cause infection. Most products can be purchased over-the-counter, but some may require a prescription from a doctor. They are applied to the affected area and rinsed off immediately or after a few minutes. While these products can be very effective, they can lead to side effects such as skin irritation and discoloration, oiliness or dryness of the hair and scalp, or abnormal hair texture.

What Is Fungal Acne Anyway

We all have a magical ecosystem of microflora living on our skin. What is that? Bacteria, yeasts and fungi! The good, the bad and the ugly living in harmony together on your skin. Untildysbiosis occurs. How does this happen? Well, there are a number of possibilities which may lead to the skin responding in a way that shows up as red, itchy acneic looking skin. This fungus then feeds on oil on our skin and inside our pores including other oils or oil-rich ingredients that are applied to the skin. Yes! Your products that you thought were helping solve the problem could very well be perpetuating it.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Treatment For Severe Acne

Fungal Acne Is A Thing And You Could Have It

• Although fungal acne has come onto the scene as a relatively new discussion, its not a new condition.
• Fungal acne looks a lot like hormonal acne or bacterial acne, but the culprit isnt the same as other types of acne. Instead, it is an overgrowth of yeast that hangs around in the hair follicles.
• Researchers have observed fungal acne crop up after events that compromise the immune system, such as certain illnesses, transplants, etc. among other causes. Or, fungal acne can occur without a major event that weakens the immune system.
• Heres how to identify fungal acne, and what to do about it.

If you have breakouts that wont budge, no matter what treatments you try, you could be dealing with fungal acne. Although the term fungal acne might be new to you, its not a new condition. In fact, its not even really acne. Thats why you can put all the benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid you want on fungal acne, and it wont disappear. Heres what you need to know about fungal acne, including what it looks like and how to treat it, so you can figure out once and for all what kind of acne youre dealing with and get back to clear, radiant skin.

What Are The Causes Of Fungal Acne

Fungal acne is a bit of a misnomer. Unlike acne, fungal acne isnt caused primarily by oil and bacteria in pores, although oil and sebum production are a big part of helping feed the bacteria that cause fungal acne.

Instead, the pimple-like bumps and irritated skin associated with fungal acne are caused by an overgrowth of yeast, a type of fungus.

Thats why its sometimes called fungal acne. Its also referred to as Pityrosporum folliculitis or Malassezia folliculitis.

The yeast responsible for fungal acne is always present on your skin. Typically, your body is able to balance the yeast, other fungi, and bacteria that are also a part of your skin.

But if that natural balance is upset, an overgrowth can occur. Thats when the infection of hair follicles develops and acne-like symptoms show up.

Several conditions or events can upset this balance of bacteria and fungi, including:

Also Check: How To Remove Scars From Acne On Back

Bacterial Acne Versus Fungal Acne

Bacterial acne is usually caused by, you guessed it, bacteria that grows in the skins hair follicles due to build up of dirt, oil, makeup, dead skin cells, or other pollutants.

On the other hand, Fungal acne, also known as pityrosporum folliculitis, is caused by an overgrowth of yeast called Malassezia in the hair follicle that causes inflammation and an acne-like reaction.

We all have yeast on our skin, which is totally normal. However, it can become an issue when the yeast increases due to hot, humid, or sweaty conditions. The more yeast there is, the more it leads to inflammation, which then leads to pimple-like bumps. The fancy, technical term for it is Malassezia folliculitis.

So how can you tell the difference between fungal and bacterial acne?

Great question, you smart cookie you. For one, bacterial acne is most often found on the face and will likely include a mix of pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads of various sizes. Although fungal acne can sometimes pop up on the face, it tends to show up on more commonly on the upper arms, chest, shoulders, back, and other areas that dont get a lot of ventilation.

The Best Fungal Acne Routine

Treating fungal acne isn’t only about using the right productsyou’ll also want to make some changes to your everyday routine if you want to prevent it in the future. Since excess sebum production and sweating can worsen fungal acne, Dr. Kim says it’s super common in anyone who exercises a lot or sits around in tight, non-breathable fabrics, especially while getting all hot and sweaty. So make sure to change out of your sweat-soaked clothes right away and shower immediately after your workouts.

Dr. Kim also recommends stopping all antibacterial cleansers and topical and oral antibiotics for the time being, but of course, consult your doctor before making changes to your regimen. Actually, the best idea is to consult your doctor from the get-go because like the name implies, fungal acne looks just like acne, so better to leave it up to a doctor. Got it? Cool.

Read Also: How To Be Acne Free

Can Any Yeast Cause Fungal Acne

Dont worry, baking bread and cakes with yeast or even having other fungal infections like candida or thrush will not put you at increased risk of fungal acne.

This is because the yeast is a specific type, malassezia, hence the alternate name given by the scientific community.

There are many types of malassezia with odd sounding names like furfur and globosa. Regardless of the type, they all have the same effect on your skin.

A Gentle Fungal Acne Treatment

One safe but relatively unknown treatment option is to use a shampoo which contains sulfides in it. Yes you read that correctly, using shampoo on your skin. A number of anti-dandruff shampoos use sulphur containing compounds such as selenium sulfide, which help combat yeast cell growth. Just make sure you read the ingredients on the label to make sure the brand you pick does actually contain the sulfides you need. In terms of using the shampoo as a wash, just rub it into affected areas for a couple of minutes before rinsing well with water.

Also Check: How Does Retinol Help With Acne

Apply A Topical Tea Tree Oil

Touted for its antiseptic, antifungal properties, tea tree oil is an effective treatment for fungal acne. Dilute one to two drops of tea tree oil with 12 drops of a carrier oil and apply topically . Since some with sensitive skin have experienced an allergic reaction to those with sensitive skin, it’s best to do a patch test before applying the concoction all over the affected area.

How To Know For Sure That You Have Fungal Acne

A few things can clue you in that youre dealing with fungal acne:

• Your acne doesnt respond to over-the-counter or prescription acne treatments, or they make the problem worse
• Your acne feels itchy or burns to the touch
• You have other signs of fungal overgrowth, like dandruff, tinea versicolor, psoriasis, eczema, etc.

The only way to know for sure whether your acne is fungal or bacterial is to have your dermatologist grab a sample of the surface skin cells and test them. Dont worry it takes a few seconds and its painless.

While youre waiting for answers, you can experiment with over-the-counter and natural ways to fight fungus in your body .

Read Also: How Do You Get Rid Of Cystic Acne

Get A Prescription For A Topical

If your fungal acne is stubbornas many cases can bea prescription-strength treatment may be needed. Rabach notes that she’ll often prescribe “an antifungal cream, like Ketoconazole 2%, twice a day, for two to three weeks to help reduce the yeast on the skin, leading to a significant reduction in the lesions present.”

What Causes Acne Bumps On Skin

While the red bumps and pustules in folliculitis may look like acne, they are actually caused by irritation and inflammation of the hair follicles. How can a hair follicle get irritated? Shaving is a big problem. Friction can also irritate these follicles, for example where the straps of a heavy backpack touch the skin.

You May Like: What Do Dermatologists Recommend For Acne