{"id":4862,"date":"2021-03-25T17:18:52","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T17:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ungexau.com\/en\/?p=4862"},"modified":"2023-05-11T09:14:59","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T09:14:59","slug":"fungal-acne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ungexau.com\/en\/fungal-acne\/","title":{"rendered":"Fungal Acne: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment Insights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever been totally perplexed about your stubborn acne? Maybe it isn\u2019t even acne at all! Perhaps that’s why you’re not responding to acne treatment like you would expect.\u00a0 But if it looks like acne but actually isn\u2019t… What is it really? Join us to learn more about Fungal Acne<\/i>, its causes, and preventions.<\/p>\n

A Small but Busy World<\/h2>\n

Whether you like it or not, our skin is home to many microscopic creatures, a small but crowded world, much busier than the one we live in.<\/p>\n

Our skin’s microbial ecology consists of a variety of bacteria, fungi, mites such as Demodex, and other types of tiny beings. Under normal circumstances, they all live in peace. Since there is no war, their world -or in other words, our skin- is beautiful, unruffled, and completely normal.<\/p>\n

But when their balance is upset or our immune system fails to keep them in check, unrest begins!<\/p>\n

Some opportunistic microorganisms take advantage of others’ weaknesses to grow fast to seize power. This is where the war starts, and we may see its effects on our skin: pimples, acne, rashes, itching, and other skin issues.<\/p>\n

Do you see how much their lives resemble ours? It seems The Law of Jungle <\/span><\/i>judges everywhere. In forests, deserts, civilized societies, and even on our skin!<\/p>\n

One of the microorganisms that may overgrow under certain conditions is a fungus called Malassezia<\/i>. There are 17 different types of this fungus, which scientists have known about since 1800. Malassezia overgrowth can cause a variety of skin and hair problems, one of which is fungal acne.<\/p>\n

In this article, we discuss this topic more.<\/p>\n

What Is Fungal Acne?<\/h2>\n

Fungal acne is actually a skin infection that affects hair follicles. Although it is not classified as acne, it looks like regular, run-of-the-mill acne.<\/p>\n

In some people, Malassezia fungus overgrows for a variety of reasons, causing infection in our hair follicles. The condition looks like the breakout of small pus-filled pimples.<\/p>\n

Despite acne vulgaris that usually responds to antibiotics, fungal acne does not answer standard treatments. It may even worsen after a prolonged antibiotic therapy because antibiotics destroy the skin’s and intestines’ beneficial bacterial flora and cause more imbalance in the microbial flora, providing more opportunity for Malassezia fungi to grow and multiply.\u00a0 On the other hand, antibiotics weaken the immune system that controls fungi leading to further microorganisms overgrowth.<\/p>\n

Fungal acne usually affects the upper parts of the body – preferring the oily areas over other sites<\/span>. These areas include the face (especially the T-zone), lower back, chest, and upper arms.<\/p>\n

However, pimples caused by the Malassezia fungus are usually homogeneous, close together, and seen in clusters.<\/p>\n

Many people experience itching at the site of the lesions that appear to be exacerbated in humid climates.<\/p>\n

Causes of Fungal Acne and How to Prevent Them<\/h2>\n

Any factor that helps Malassezia fungi to overgrow can lead to fungal acne.<\/p>\n

Malassezia fungi colonize the baby’s skin from birth and hang out on the skin of approximately 92% of healthy people. However, if they grow too large, they may penetrate deep into the skin (instead of residing harmlessly on the surface), where they use the fatty acids produced by the sebaceous glands to feed. More nutrition means more proliferation. They gradually damage the follicles’ walls and cause them to rupture and become irritated, which eventually manifests itself in the form of small pimples.<\/p>\n

Just as an imbalance in intestinal bacteria leads to dysbiosis, which manifests itself with diarrhea and some other clinical symptoms, the high growth of Malassezia is, in fact, a form of cutaneous dysbiosis.<\/p>\n

This section introduces some of the factors that cause the overgrowth of this fungus as the skin microbes imbalance agents.<\/p>\n

\"Fungal-Acne\"
Fungal-Acne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Humidity:<\/b><\/h3>\n

Fungi love moisture, and Malassezia fungi are no exception. Studies show that in areas with hot and humid climates, the prevalence of Malassezia’s overgrowth is higher.<\/p>\n

So if you are battling<\/span> with this fungus, try to keep your body dry and avoid living in hot and humid areas as much as possible.<\/p>\n

Sweating:<\/b><\/h3>\n

Sweating provides<\/span> the moisture along with the heat that provides a suitable environment for fungi to grow.<\/p>\n

That is why it is recommended to take a shower and wash your body well after sweating a lot – for example, strenuous exercise. Also, be sure to wash your sports clothes before putting them on again. Otherwise, you have set a suitable stage for a Malassezia fungi party. They will grow on your clothes and, as a result of contact, are transmitted to your skin and can cause fungal acne.<\/p>\n

Occlusion<\/b><\/h3>\n

Occlusion is a flashy word to mean blockage. Anything that closes the skin’s pores is considered an occlusion and may lead to fungal acne.<\/p>\n

The pores are where the skin breathes, and sweat and oil extrude. If you close them, you definitely have provided a great circumstance for the fungi to grow.<\/p>\n

Occlusion may occur in a number of ways. For example, tight nylon wearings can close the pores, as do dense cosmetics. Even a thick layer of sunscreen can prevent the skin from breathing and the sweat from evaporating through the pores, leading to fungal acne.<\/p>\n

Try to wear cotton clothes. Avoid wearing tight clothing for a long time or<\/span> exercising with them on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do not use thick, oily powder or creams on your face and body.<\/p>\n

All of these promote flare-ups of fungal acne.<\/p>\n

A Weak immune system<\/b><\/h3>\n

The immune system acts as the border force, securing a country<\/span>. This system prevents bodily microbes from multiplying, either inside the gut or on the skin.<\/p>\n

When the immune system gets weak, microbes get a chance to grow and start to run riot.<\/p>\n

The immune system usually has everything under control. However, it acts poorly in some situations, including the following:<\/p>\n