What is fungal acne? How to treat it with top 5 effective skin care tips

What is fungal acne?

Fungal acne is a sneaky infection that leads to inflammation of the hair follicles on skin that is brought on by the overabundance of yeast, resulting in red lumps and pus pimples on the face, back, and chest that resembles acne.

Pityrosporum folliculitis or Malassezia folliculitis are other names for it. Fungal acne is most often confused with acne. In addition to irritation in the afflicted region, fungal acne can have long-term consequences including dark patches and uneven skin tone.

Fortunately, fungal acne treatment can be done with right care and it will probably go away quickly.

Signs and symptoms of fungal acne

Many patients mistakenly think they have regular acne when it first arises because their pores are plugged with dead skin cells and oil. It is necessary to differentiate between both the skin conditions since they require distinct treatments. Listed below are some factors you should keep an eye on:

• Hair follicle irritation
• Skin outbreaks that are tiny and appear as small whiteheads
• Itchy skin is a possibility
• Red inflammation could appear
• Fungal acne does not develop into a bump like other types of acne
• Pimples of the same size that frequently appears in clusters at the same location

What exactly causes fungal acne?

Adolescents are more likely to experience fungal acne, probably as a result of the sebaceous glands producing more sebum (natural oils) throughout puberty. (Click here to discover how to unclog blocked pores).

The following can be the contributing factors of fungal acne:

• People with conditions such as immunological inadequacies, anomalies of the neurotransmitter system, diabetes, nutritional problems, organ or bone marrow transplant recipients, Hodgkin's disease, and HIV have a greater frequency of fungal acne.
• A person may also be susceptible to developing fungal acne if they have an immune-suppressing ailment or are on immunosuppressant medication. Malassezia cannot be properly regulated when an immune system is inhibited, which permits the yeast to proliferate.
• Even while a fungal acne eruption is typically not the result of food, if there is an imbalance, diet can play a big impact, especially if it is heavy in sugar. Think about a probiotic after a candida diet. Yeast will flourish in this setting.
• Yeast thrives on oil! It could be a trigger if you use cosmetics or skincare products that include esters, oils, certain polysorbates or fatty acids. There is a broad list of things that might make fungal acne worse. We shall concentrate on components that will combat it.
• Yeast prefers warm, humid environments. In these kinds of temperatures and seasons, fungus-related acne is more prevalent. Remember this after your workout! Always take a shower and thoroughly dry off afterwards! Fungal acne thrives when people sweat and use products with fatty acids.
• The severity of fungal acne can be exacerbated by long-term use of topical or oral antibiotics including minocycline, doxycycline, and clindamycin. Antibiotics kill all the good and harmful bacteria because they are unable to distinguish between both, which leads to dysbiosis and the growth of fungus on the skin.

How to treat fungal acne?

1. Use Oil-Free Moisturizers

Utilising comedogenic, greasy skin care products will accelerate the fungal infection. These products may clog your pores and promote the growth of fungus, making your acne worse. Throughout the therapy, your skin may experience periods of dryness and irritation.

Therefore, choosing an oil-free gel or water-based moisturiser would be the best option because they hydrate the face without adding additional oil that could get absorbed by hair follicles. You may buy them over the counter and incorporate them into your skincare regimen.

2. Take The Right Medications

Medication helps balance your skin's bacterial flora and reduce overgrowth of yeast. By addressing these two issues, acne can stop coming back. There are two categories of drugs that are used to treat fungal acne:

Topical Medications

They often include sulphur-containing anti-fungal shampoos. They must be applied to the scalp, lathered, and then kept on for a short period of time before being washed out. Topical drugs aid in preventing the reappearance of acne. When you have an active breakout, you must often cleanse the afflicted region with these products. You can use the product once a week when the inflammation has subsided.

Ketoconazole 2%, a widely used first-line treatment for fungal acne, is a broad-range anti-fungal drug. Apply it twice daily for two to three weeks to help control yeast infection. Use topical antifungal creams because they comprise oregano oil and tea tree oil as active components, which have antibacterial qualities that help destroy fungus and harmful bacteria.

Oral Medications

The length of oral antifungal treatments is determined by how severe your condition is. Once the itching and irritation go away, you can cut back or stop using the drugs.

Azoles are most widely utilised because they prevent the action of enzymes necessary for the formation of the fungal cell membrane.

3. Cleanse Your Skin

Cleaning to prevent an excess of oil production is one of the finest strategies to maintain clear skin. The yeast can be controlled with the aid of a topical sulphur cleanser that has antibacterial and antifungal qualities. Exfoliating skincare products will aid in removing dead skin cells and prevent pores from clogging.

4. Modifications to habits

Changing your habits might include taking a shower anytime you perspire excessively, changing your clothing immediately after exercising, and wearing breathable clothes. All of these modifications aid in reducing moisture accumulated on your skin.

We are aware that oily skin promotes the growth of fungal acne. Changing your skincare regimen can assist to minimise skin oils. Therefore, use non-oily skincare products, and cleanse thoroughly.

5. Home remedies for fungal acne

Fungal acne treatment at home can be done by utilising Lactobacillus, which generates lactic acid because it inhibits the growth of yeast. Therefore, increase your intake of yoghurt and consider taking lactobacillus supplements.

Honey has antimicrobial properties. Apply it to the afflicted region and leave it there for as long as you can, ideally for a few hours. Another antimicrobial that may be utilised is tea tree oil. Apply it solely on the affected area after diluting it with water because using it all over the skin will aggravate it.

Take Away

As long as it is accurately detected, fungal acne is frequently treatable. Managing fungal acne differs slightly from treating common acne since it is brought on by an abundance of yeast in the hair follicles. Taking personal hygiene measures to stop yeast development can frequently avoid fungal acne.

However, you should contact your doctor if your fungal acne persists for more than a few weeks, is becoming worse or not getting better, or makes you feel self-conscious and humiliated. A dermatologist will create a treatment strategy that is suitable for your skin type.

FAQs

Q. Is fungal acne itchy?

Ans. Yes, minor burning or itching may be brought on by fungal acne. The ideal practice is to avoid touching your face or any other area where you have fungal acne, since doing so keeps the fungus from spreading to other areas of your body.

Q. What causes fungal acne?

Ans. Yeast proliferation on the skin is the cause of fungal acne. Lack of cleanliness, a weakened immune system, and excessive sebum production can all act as fungal acne triggers.