What Is Fungal Acne? This May Change The Way You Are Treating Your Acne.

In this article we tell you what fungal acne is and the difference between fungal acne and bacterial acne.

What Is Fungal Acne?

Fungal acne is a condition in which an overgrowth of yeast on the skin can lead to folliculitis, which is infection in the tiny hair follicles. This infection of the hair follicles leads to small lesions or red bumps. Fungal acne can appear anywhere on the body but occurs most commonly on the chin, forehead, side of the nose, arms, upper back, and shoulders. The condition is often also referred to as Pityrosporum folliculitis or Malassezia folliculitis, as it is an excess of Malassezia yeast that leads to the infection.

What Fungal Acne Looks Like

Fungal acne takes on the appearance of clusters of papules (spots) like whiteheads or blackheads that are uniform in size and often itchy. Fungal acne looks like regular acne but it is not the same.

Why Should It Be Treated Differently Than Bacterial Acne?

While bacterial acne is caused primarily by a clogging of the pores with oil and dead skin cells, fungal acne is a caused by a yeast infection in the pores. If patients treat fungal acne with bacterial acne care products, there is the potential to make the infection worse. That is why it is paramount to have fungal acne diagnosed by an expert dermatologist.

What Are The Causes Of Fungal Acne?

Fungal acne is caused by yeast overgrowth on the skin. This yeast (Malassezia yeast) is always present on your skin along with many different varieties of bacteria. Normally, the yeast and the bacteria balance each other out in the skin. However, if yeast growth exceeds the amount of the bacteria on the skin or the bacteria is somehow diminished (as a result of taking an antibacterial, for example), folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicles, can develop, leading to fungal acne. Malassezia yeast growth is accelerated in warm, moist environments, which is another of the many risk factors that can contribute to the development of fungal acne. The yeast on your skin also feeds off of the oil and sebum produced on your skin, meaning that fungal acne is also more likely to occur on oily skin or in places where oil production on your skin is high.

What are the risk factors for developing fungal acne?

There are many risk factors that can lead to the development of fungal acne and habits that are relatively easily avoidable. One condition under which fungal acne is apt to develop is being in a warm, moist environment. Yeast is more likely to grow in hot, humid climates where people sweat more. One research study showed, for example, that fungal acne was much more common in the Philippines than in United States as a result of the warm and humid climate there. Similarly, the overgrowth of yeast is stimulated where there is trapped moisture. This can occur if you stay in sweaty clothing for a long time after a workout or after being someplace hot. Wearing workout clothes again before you wash them can cause you to be exposed to fungi that may have grown on the clothing in the time between wearings. If you are working out or spending time someplace warm, it would be better to wear loose clothing. Tight, unbreathable clothes have a higher tendency to trap moisture, which can lead to fungal growth if you are sweating.

Why Wearing A mask May Make Your Acne Worse

Covid-19 masks are another moist environment that is a risk factor for the development of fungal acne and particularly common at this moment in time. Wearing a mask is so important to protect others, but if you are wearing an unbreathable type of mask, you may be at risk for developing fungal acne along your nose and on your chin. Single-use surgical masks and other cloth masks don’t always allow the moisture from your breath to escape, creating the moist environment that is ripe for yeast growth. You can avoid this by changing out your masks if you need to wear one for a long period of time, and/or purchasing masks made of a more breathable material, like cotton.

Medications Which Cause Fungal Infections

Uncontrolled yeast growth, or an imbalance between the amount of yeast and bacteria that occur on your skin, can also be a side effect of certain medications. Oral antibiotics, for example, are prescribed to kill bacteria in your body that are making you sick. However, antibiotics can also kill the “good” bacteria that is serving a positive purpose, like the bacteria on your skin. When this “good” bacteria is reduced, there is an imbalance between the bacteria and the yeast on your skin which can lead to Malassezia (pityrosporum) folliculitis. Using skincare products that contain high amounts of oil, such as coconut oil, can further feed the growth of fungal acne and clog pores.

Can I Get Rid Of Fungal Acne?

Yes! If you are wondering how to cure fungal acne, the answer is that there are many excellent treatments that range from topical anti fungal creams to oral medications.