An infection of the hair follicles on your skin is known as fungal acne. It often manifests as tiny pimples with little variation in form or size, sometimes accompanied by itching.
Whiteheads and skin irritation are side effects of fungus acne. It is often mistaken for acne vulgaris. This kind of acne is the one that is most often accompanied with blackheads and whiteheads.
However, acne caused by a fungus and acne vulgaris are two distinct disorders. The same approach won’t work with them. Continued use of acne medications may exacerbate fungal acne.
Therefore, it’s critical to comprehend the symptoms and progression of fungal acne. Continue reading to discover how to treat and prevent outbreaks as well as the symptoms and indications of fungal acne.
What factors give rise to fungal acne?
The term “fungal acne” is a little misleading. Contrary to acne, fungal acne isn’t mainly fueled by bacteria and oil in pores, yet oil and sebum production plays a significant role in supporting the growth of these germs.
Instead, an overabundance of yeast, a form of fungus, is what causes the bumps that resemble pimples and the irritated skin associated with fungal acne.
It is frequently known as “fungal acne” for this reason. Other names for it include Malassezia folliculitis and Pityrosporum folliculitis.
On your skin, the yeast that causes fungal acne is constantly present. Normally, the yeast, various fungi, and bacteria that are also a component of your skin may be balanced by your body.
But if that natural equilibrium is disturbed, an overgrowth could happen. At that point, the hair follicles get infected and acne-like symptoms start to manifest.
This equilibrium of bacteria and fungus may be disturbed by a number of factors, including:
accumulated moisture. Long-term use of sweaty training attire might promote yeast development. If you reuse your exercise clothing without washing them, fungus that have developed in the garments may contact your skin.
Medication. The amount of germs on your skin may be decreased by taking antibiotics. That could encourage a fungus to grow too much.
Immunological system is suppressed. The likelihood of developing fungal acne may be higher in those with weakened immune systems.
Food choices. By balancing your consumption of sweets and carb-rich meals, you may be able to inhibit the development of fungi and yeast.
Clothing that is too tight. Wearing unbreathable clothing often might lead to increased sweating and wetness. This could encourage a skin condition where yeast can develop easily.
Humid, warm surroundings. Fungal acne may be more common in those who live in warmer areas where sweating is more probable.
Which signs do fungal acne exhibit?
Fungal acne resembles acne vulgaris, or bacterial acne, in appearance, which is one of the reasons why it may persist for such a long time.
Unaware of the distinction, those who have fungal acne can choose to use conventional acne skin care products to cure it. These remedies are ineffective and may even make the problem worse.
Here’s how to distinguish between bacterial and fungal acne:
Size. Fungal acne often results in pus-filled pimples that are all almost the same size. Whiteheads and pimples of various sizes may be caused by bacterial acne.
Location. On the back, chest, and arms, fungus acne often manifests. It may also occur on the face, which is where bacterial acne often occurs.
Itching. Itching is a common side effect of fungus acne. A few times, bacterial acne does.
Clusters. Small whitehead clusters are a common feature of fungus-induced acne. Acne caused by bacteria is less crowded and more sparse.
As a consequence of yeast development, which causes fungus to form on the skin, you could also have psoriasis and dandruff. This might assist you in figuring out if another factor or yeast is to blame for your outbreaks.
How is fungus-induced acne identified?
Consult a dermatologist if you think you could have fungal acne problems. Dermatologists are experts in identifying and treating skin disorders.
A dermatologist will inquire about your symptoms in order to identify whether they are due to fungal acne. This probably includes:
- Length of time since the breakout
- How you’ve been treating it
- What signs and symptoms you’re seeing
In some circumstances, the supplier could additionally wish to:
- To check for any yeast that could be causing fungal acne, they might do a quick, painless skin scraping and look at the scrape under a microscope.
- A skin sample or biopsy may be taken. Simple office procedures are used for this. The sample will be submitted to a lab for testing to confirm the diagnosis of fungal acne.
How is fungus-induced acne managed?
Because it resembles ordinary acne so much, fungus acne is often treated incorrectly. Many individuals try to cure acne with over-the-counter medications, but they are ineffective.
You must reestablish the right ratio of bacteria and yeast on the skin in order to effectively cure the fungal infection. There are several treatments that may assist with this.
Take more frequent showers
If you often work out or have a profession that makes you sweat, consider taking a shower and changing soon away.
This may aid in washing away surplus yeast that may have begun to thrive in the warm, moist conditions that form in perspiration-soaked clothing.
Don looser clothing
When you wear tight clothing often, the friction and restricted ventilation might promote the development of yeast on your skin.
Choose loose, breathable clothing more often to improve the blood flow to your skin and promote balanced bacterial and fungal development.
Use body wash
Body washes may be created from dandruff shampoos that include selenium sulfide or pyrithione zinc. Although it is not a recommended application for these shampoos, it may be successful.
While you are experiencing a breakout, rinse your skin many times each week with one of these dandruff shampoos.
You may also think about applying it often, once a week, to keep the yeast and bacteria on your skin in a balanced state. For optimum effects, let the shampoo on your skin for a few minutes before washing.
Make use of OTC antifungal medications
There are several OTC antifungal creams and ointments available, including treatments for jock itch and athlete’s foot.
Look for items that include butenafine, clotrimazole, or ketoconazole.
Consider using a prescription oral antifungal drug.
If at-home remedies are unsuccessful in getting rid of the breakout, think about scheduling a consultation with your dermatologist.
Itraconazole or fluconazole are two examples of oral medications your dermatologist may recommend to treat the infection by going after the hair follicles.
How can I avoid getting fungus acne?
Even though fungal acne cannot entirely be avoided, the following actions may lessen the likelihood of recurrent infections:
Use a shampoo for dandruff often. This daily rinse could support the preservation of a balanced yeast population on your skin. You may reduce how often you use the shampoo as a body wash to as little as once per week after the outbreak has cleared up.
Put on breathable clothing. Airflow is made possible by breathable materials, which may lessen the warm, wet conditions that favor the development of fungus. Consider wearing comparable sorts of clothes if altering your wardrobe helps with fungal acne.
Then take a shower. After a sweaty exercise or a long day at the office, a simple rinse will help minimize yeast development problems.
Consume a healthy diet. In order to prevent overgrowth, balance your diet with fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Yeast and other fungi thrive on sweet carbs.
When should I see a physician?
Call your dermatologist if you’ve tried home remedies for your suspected fungal acne and the outbreak lasts longer than 3 weeks.
Topical remedies may not be as successful in curing the illness as prescription antifungal drugs.
And if the symptoms come back soon after you believed they had gone away, think about scheduling another consultation with your dermatologist.
There may be a therapy that may help halt the recurrence and avert potential long-term problems. With your doctor, you may also explore preventative measures.
The Lesson
A kind of infection in the hair follicles known as fungal acne is brought on by an overabundance of yeast. Despite the name, it doesn’t create whiteheads and blackheads as acne does.
For fungal acne, standard acne treatments are ineffective. Instead, in order to effectively treat this kind of illness, you must appropriately diagnose it.
You may avoid future outbreaks by learning how to recognize this particular form of skin illness.