Acne does not suit any woman and she also follows an anti-acne skincare routine to get rid of it. But even after adopting an anti-acne skincare routine, you are seeing frequent breakouts on your arms, chest, back, and face, then you may be dealing with fungal acne. However, before treating it, you also need to know what exactly is fungal acne and what causes you to face this problem. Let us tell you that this condition of the skin is often the result of an unhygienic lifestyle. So today in this article we are telling you about fungal acne and its causes.
Fungal Acne is neither acne nor a fungus. So, it’s a kind of made-up name for a condition that Dermatologists call Malassezia or Pityrosporum folliculitis. It is a yeast build-up that occurs on the skin. So, it’s not a fungus, it’s eased. It’s a very different picture than a traditional acne picture.
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What Is Fungal Acne?
Fungal acne is not acne and is not even caused by fungus. It may sound strange to you but what we commonly call fungal acne is a generic term for Pityrosporum folliculitis or Malassezia folliculitis which is, in simple words, an infection in the hair follicles.
This infection is caused by an overgrowth of yeast and causes swelling, itching, and acne-like bumps on your face, arms, back, and chest. Although Malassezia is commonly present on everyone’s skin, it is often caused by certain lifestyle habits, medications, and recurrent medical conditions. And since it is not acne at all and that is probably why your regular anti-acne medicines will not have any effect on it and in some cases, it gets worse.
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Difference Between Fungal Acne and Traditional Acne
Fungal acne looks a lot like traditional acne. However, even then they mainly occur on areas other than the face, especially on the chest or back because you wear occult clothes and they are very itchy. Traditional acne usually occurs on the face and this is due to the production of excess oil.
Major Reasons behind the causes of breedings of fungal acne
Fungal acne is mainly related to your unhygienic lifestyle and many reasons can be responsible for it.
- If you have a habit of wearing your sweaty workout clothes for a long time or you wear them again without washing, then you may have to face the problem. This condition makes it the perfect breeding ground for yeasts, which cause fungal acne.
- At the same time, excessive antibiotics can also cause fungal acne. Antibiotics reduce the bacteria naturally present on your skin, which can lead to yeast overgrowth. It can then enter and multiply into your hair follicles, causing inflammation.
- Your immune system can also cause acne. Medical conditions, such as diabetes or HIV, weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to fungal acne.
- Your diet can mainly lead to developing the acne. Yeast can thrive on carbs and sugary foods. Therefore, if your diet is rich in these two components, it may be the reason for you to develop fungal acne.
- Constantly wearing tight clothes can trap sweat and bacteria on your skin, thereby creating a suitable environment for yeast growth and you have to face the problem of fungal acne.
- People who live in hot or humid temperatures tend to sweat more, which also puts them at a higher risk of getting fungal acne.
What does fungal acne look like?
Fungal acne is small pimples that are filled with pus. They are mainly like whiteheads, which are very small in size but there are many in one place. Mainly they are on the chest or waist.
How can you treat Fungal Acne?
Fungal acne is treated with antifungal medication. If you don’t have a lot of acne on your body, your dermatologist will give you a fungal body wash or antifungal shampoo that you can use on your body. If this doesn’t solve your problem, you may need to resort to oral antifungal medication.
Oral antifungal medications are believed to affect after 24 hours because when you sweat, the oral medications also come out with sweat, which affects the follicles and makes it a more effective therapy. Also, if you have fungal acne, you should keep your body dry and wear clothes in which your skin can breathe.
How can you prevent Fungal Acne?
Although it is very difficult to avoid fungal acne because it stays on your skin, still you can take care of some things.
Keep your skin dry
- Change your sweaty clothes immediately after a workout.
- To keep the skin smooth, use a salicylic acid cleanser or exfoliating cleanser while bathing.
- If you have a lot of fungal acne, then use anti-dandruff shampoo while bathing.
Increase probiotics in your diet
- Drink more water or beverages to flush out toxins.
Take shower regularly
If you often do exercise or perform any muscular task that causes you to sweat, then you should take shower or change the sweaty clothes to avoid the breeding of fungal acne on your skin.
This can comfort wash away extra yeast that may have initiated thriving in the warm, moist environments that evolve in sweaty clothes.
Wear looser clothes
If you more often wear tight clothes, this will increase the friction that can encourage yeast development on the skin.
You can prefer loose, breathable fabrics more often to improve your proper circulation and encourage stabilized bacterial and fungal growth.
How is fungal acne diagnosed?
If you are experiencing the symptoms of fungal acne, you need to visit a dermatologist. Dermatologists are specialized in diagnosing and treating fungal acne that affects the skin.
Some concerns that a dermatologist might ask you about the signs you’re experiencing. These are:
- Since how long you are suffering
- what you are doing to prevent it
- what signs or symptoms you’re experiencing
In some conditions, the specialists might perform a simple, painless skin scraping and explore the scraping under a microscope to check for the yeast causing fungal acne.
They may send the skin sample to a lab where it can be examined to ensure the fungal acne diagnosis.
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How do I know if I have fungal acne on my skin?
The signs or symptoms of fungal acne including:
- Very itchy skin.
- Clusters of small red bumps.
- Spots on your forehead and chin, and the sides of your face.
These signs will help to know that you have fungal acne on your skin.
Conclusion
By the way, there is no such thing as fungal acne because it is not some kind of medical terminology. However, people still have breakouts on the skin, which are itchy or look like acne, they are called fungal acne. This is a type of hair follicle infection, which people feel like acne. Malassezia occurs on the skin of every person, but as soon as the pH of your skin increases or the weather becomes mild, then their number increases.
Fungal acne is like pus bumps on the skin. They usually do not occur on the face but can occur on other parts of the body. If you liked this article, then do share it and stay connected to read our articles.
