Are those Bumps on Your Skin Fungal Acne?

If you’ve tried EVERYTHING on your acne but nothing works, maybe it’s not ordinary acne after all...

Do you have itchy acne-like bumps that never seem to go away? No matter how much money or time you’ve spent on the best acne-fighting products, they still stubbornly exist on your skin? Well, it might not be the products’s fault! Commonly referred to as “fungal acne,” Pityrosporum (Malassezia) Folliculitis isn’t acne at all and requires a completely different approach to treat them than regular acne.

Related article: What Type of Acne Do You Have? - The Different Types of Acne and How to Treat Them

If it’s not acne, then what in the world is fungal acne?

Unlike traditional acne which is caused by bacteria, fungal acne is caused by the overgrowth of yeast. These sebum-loving fungi lives on everyone’s skin, however problems arise when it starts “eating” too much sebum and grows out of control. This can happen due to excessively oily/sweaty/greasy skin and hot or humid weather, among other things. This is why fungal acne normally concentrates around the T-Zone, forehead, hairline, chest and back, areas where oil production is normally higher.

What’s the best way to treat fungal acne? (Other than visiting a derm, of course!)

If you want to take the OTC route to treat fungal acne, look out for these antifungal agents, which can be easily found in anti-dandruff shampoos (e.g. Nizoral and Head & Shoulders). This may sound a little bit crazy, but the use of anti-dandruff shampoos in the treatment of fungal acne is actually quite common. All you have to do is apply the shampoo like a wash-off mask, and leave it on for at least 5 minutes before rinsing it off!

The best thing about using sulfur is that it can be effective for both fungal and ordinary acne! As they tend to be drying, apply it like a spot treatment only on affected areas.

We all love moisturising, but doing it too much or using a moisturiser that’s too heavy can actually help the growth of fungal acne. Instead, switch to something more lightweight like the Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel, which is a calming gel formulated with 80% aloe and propolis, which have anti-fungal properties and can help hydrate and soothe irritated skin, while fading acne scars and brightening your skin tone.

Other than using an anti-fungal treatment like ketoconazole, you can also use exfoliating acids like COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and the COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid to keep your skin’s oil level in check!

What products have you used to treat fungal acne? Share your tips and skincare routine below!