Everything To Know About Fungal Acne Infection & The Best Products To Combat Em'

When it comes to acne bumps, we tend to treat all of them the same by using regular acne treatments. But the real question is, do you have bacterial acne or fungal acne? Yes, they are totally different! You might wonder why all of these years, your acne does not get any better, right? Beauty Insider has gathered all you need to know about fungal acne and how to treat it effectively.

Contents

What Is Fungal Acne?
What Causes Fungal Acne?
What are the Symptoms of Fungal Acne?
How to Treat Fungal Acne?
Best Products To Treat Fungal Acne

What Is Fungal Acne?

Fungal acne is scientifically known as pityrosporum folliculitis or Malassezia folliculitis and it is an infection that occurs in the hair follicle. It can be easily confused as acne vulgaris but it must be known that both of these skin conditions are different in the aspect of treatment and causes. It commonly appears on the chest, back, or even face in uniform papules and pustules. Unlike regular acne, fungal acne has a high tendency to spread as it involves yeast.

What Causes Fungal Acne?

Although acne is usually associated with oil and bacteria, fungal acne happens on the skin due to the overgrowth of yeast. Besides, in order to effectively minimize the risk of fungal acne, it is important that you need the causes of it.

Hot and Humid weather

The yeast exists on everyone’s skin and its amount increase when the weather is humid or hot. Subsequently, the high level of yeast affects the natural balance on the skin. Thus, it leads to more inflammation and infection of the hair follicles.

Antibiotics

The excessive usage of topical or oral antibiotics can actually trigger more fungal acne on your skin. As it affects the normal skin flora, it allows the yeast to overgrowth. Therefore, if you have been incorporating acne treatments, including antibiotics for a while but did see any improvements, the underlying reason might be because of fungal acne.

Sweating

It is somehow related with humid and hot weather, but fungal acne is also likely to occur when exercising. Although we prefer to take a brief rest in our sweaty clothes, you might want to think again. Instead, opt for loose clothes and avoid wearing spandex. Besides, it is important that you shower right away after you’ve done with your exercise or you can change your clothes.

Contact

As we have mentioned earlier, fungal acne has the tendency to spread and is contagious. Thus, you might get it if you have bodily contact with someone who has them.

What are the Symptoms of Fungal Acne?

There are several types of acne from acne vulgaris, bacterial acne to fungal acne. So, it can be difficult to differentiate between them. Plus, each of them requires different treatments to combat it effectively. Look out for these symptoms to know whether you have fungal acne or not.

It usually occurs in the chest, arms, back, and even face
Unlike bacterial acne, if you have fungal acne you will experience itchiness
It can be identified as it appears in clusters
The size is similarly the same, whereas bacterial acne tends to have varying sizes of bumps.

How to Treat Fungal Acne?

It is important that you incorporate products and follow certain methods to effectively treat fungal acne. Plus, remember to consult your dermatologist for more thorough examination.

1. Exfoliate

Well, exfoliation does not only help with sloughing off the dead skin cells, but it also helps to prevent fungal acne. The combination of impurities, oils, dead skin and dirt, is an open invitation to such skin condition. Therefore, to combat this issue, you need to regularly use exfoliator to minimizes the risk.

2. Choose oil-free moisturizer

Moisturizer is something that you should never skip even though you have fungal acne. Besides, the topical medication may also cause your skin prone to dryness and irritation. So, what’s a more, better way to moisturize your skin with an oil-free moisturizer? Below, we have listed a few options that you can incorporate into your routine.

3. Body wipes

Never underestimate the benefits of body wipes as they can help to keep fungal acne at bay. Make sure to carry around boy wipes, especially when you’re going to the gym, and use them to wipe your body before a shower. Plus, opt for wipes that are formulated with salicylic acid as they can prevent clogged pores.

4. Over-the-counter antifungal treatments

There are tons of over-the-counter products that you can use to treat fungal acne such as jock itch or athlete’s foot. You might be surprised but such conditions are similar to fungal acne as both athlete’s foot and jock itch are caused by a fungus. You can opt for a product that is formulated with clotrimazole, ketoconazole, and butenafine. However, if your skin condition does not show any signs of improvement, you can consult your dermatologist.

5. Anti-dandruff shampoo

One of the tips to treat fungal acne effectively is to use anti-dandruff shampoos! Indeed, you might have them in your bathroom now, right? They are formulated with anti-fungal properties, known as pyrithione zinc or selenium sulfide. You can apply it to the affected area and let its magic works before rinsing it off.

6. Apply tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is known to do wonders for people with fungal acne as it features anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. If you have sensitive skin, it is recommended that you do a patch test beforehand. Simply dilute two drops of tea tree oil with 12 drops of carrier oil and then apply to the affected area.

7. Shower regularly

Make sure to shower and change your clothes when you work out or feeling sweaty as it can help to eliminate the risk of yeast overgrowth. Just remember that warm and moist conditions are the signs that you need to avoid.

8. Wear loose clothes

If you want to prevent and treat fungal acne, you need to opt for loose clothes and breathable fabrics. Well, tight clothes and persistent friction can increase the level of yeast on the skin. So, it is important that the clothes you wear daily provide high airflow.

9. Blemish Serum

Fungal acne on the face can be troublesome, hence a good skincare routine is significantly important. One of the products that you should use is blemish serum and the rule of thumb is to look for a product that treats acne as well as minimizes the appearance of acne spots.

10. Prescribed medication

If you haven’t seen any improvements, you can consult with dermatologists for further examination. They will usually prescribe oral medication depending on the severity of your skin conditions.