Tag: fungal acne forehead

What ingredients causes fungal acne?

Before we get into the ingredients that cause fungal acne or Pityrosporum Folliculitis, aka Malassezia Folliculitis, what is it? Find out here.

Here is a list of common ingredients that have been known to cause fungal acne in skincare products:

  1. Fatty acids, such as caprylic acid and capric acid.
  2. Silicones, such as dimethicone, cyclomethicone, and methicone.
  3. Oils, such as coconut oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil.
  4. Waxes, such as beeswax, carnauba wax, and candelilla wax.
  5. Hydrogenated vegetable oils.
  6. Glyceryl stearate.
  7. Butylene glycol.
  8. Isopropyl palmitate.
  9. Isocetyl stearate.
  10. Isostearyl isostearate.

Fatty Acids that may cause fungal acne

Fatty acids, such as caprylic acid and capric acid, are commonly used as ingredients in skincare products due to their moisturizing and nourishing properties. Here are some common skincare products that contain these fatty acids:

  1. Moisturizers: Many moisturizers contain caprylic acid and capric acid as active ingredients to help hydrate and soothe dry or irritated skin.
  2. Cleansers: Some cleansing products contain fatty acids to help dissolve and remove excess oil and impurities from the skin.
  3. Oils: Many facial and body oils contain caprylic acid and capric acid to help moisturize and nourish the skin.
  4. Serums: Some serums and facial treatments contain fatty acids to help hydrate and rejuvenate the skin.
  5. Lip balms: Lip balms and lip treatments often contain fatty acids to help moisturize and protect the delicate skin on the lips.

These fatty acids can also be found in other skincare products, such as exfoliants, masks, and toners. It’s important to note that while these ingredients can provide benefits for some people, they may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with sensitive skin. Continue reading What ingredients causes fungal acne?

How to treat fungal acne?

Fungal acne is a condition that can cause a lot of discomfort and frustration. I remember when I first got fungal acne and felt insecure about my skin condition. I was confused and used the wrong products for my condition to treat it or just products in my skincare and makeup routine that wasn’t safe. Additionally, the condition can prove difficult to treat, and some treatments may not be effective for everyone. However, several treatments can help to reduce and possibly eliminate symptoms of fungal acne.

Anti-fungal creams or lotions are the first methods for treating fungal acne. These products contain active ingredients such as Econazole, Ketoconazole, and Selenium sulfide shampoo, which are effective against fungal acne. These products should be applied twice daily directly to the affected skin. Anti-fungal products can help reduce the symptoms of fungal acne, but it may take a couple of weeks to see full results. There is also skincare that treats fungal acne that I’ve reviewed, like Dermazen.

Continue reading How to treat fungal acne?

What is Fungal Acne?

Before we dive into my blog, do you know what is Fungal Acne or Pityrosporum Folliculitis?

Fungal acne, also known as Pityrosporum Folliculitis, is a skin condition characterized by pimple-like bumps, typically on the face, chest, and back. They appear to be small pimples grouped together and are often the same size as hair follicles. This happens when hair follicles have an overgrowth of yeast, aka a yeast called Malassezia. Our skin/body already has a certain amount of yeast which is generally found in our digestive system. Fungal acne can be the cause of consuming too much yeast in our diet, skincare especially expired products, and lifestyle, such as being athletic.  

It can look similar to traditional acne but is treated differently. Unlike acne, fungal acne is not caused by bacteria; you will need to use salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide and pair it with antifungal medications and products used to clear the yeast overgrowth and manage the symptoms. There is also a list of ingredients to avoid because Malassezia can feed off of these and worsen. Check out the deep dive into ingredients here. 

Fungal acne is new in the skincare world, and there is no way to get rid of it but to change your lifestyle and habits. This is the only way; I have been fungal acne-free for two years. The most important thing is to turn and read your skincare labels and take note of the ingredients of products that have caused a flare-up. Keep track of your skincare and makeup expiration dates and create a routine to finish up products before you open new ones. I always label my skincare with the expiration date based on its shelf life. A label maker and a skincare fridge were game changers for me. Let’s not forget these fabulous ingredient analysis websites, skinsort, sezia, folliculitisscout and skincarisma. These will be useful on your fungal acne journey.  Please take a look at some of my top 10 fungal-safe products to start with. Your skin will thank you!

Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Moisturizers

Hey, there! It’s been a while. But I had to return after testing out and searching for fungal acne-safe moisturizers for my readers. I think, as a consumer, it is a struggle to find safe products for our “skin condition.” Moisturizers and makeup removers are vain of my existence because I struggle with these a lot. Now, I can say that fungal acne is like a surprise trip. You never genuinely know what triggers YOUR fungal acne. And that depends on your fungal acne’s sensitivity to certain ingredients. All we can do is do our best to keep at least track of certain ingredients that are a BIG NO: esters, lipids, fatty acids, oils (not all), and polysorbates. How can I identify the ingredients that may trigger a fungal acne flare-up? Well, ingredient analyzers are your friend; Sezia, Skinsort, folliculitisscout, and Skincarisma are my favorite ones and are great for educating us on ingredients and the benefits based on skin types. Remember to patch test, track your progress, and enjoy your skin journey and struggles. Now here are my top 10 fungal acne-safe moisturizers and some honorable mentions.

 

Curel Intensive Moisture Facial Cream

I have repurchased this moisturizer three times. I am about to go to Amazon and repurchase it because I ran out while writing this post. This is my favorite moisturizer because of the formulation of this silky airy nourishing magic cream. This is a moisturizer with vitamin e that is specifically for dry and sensitive skin types. You can wear this during the daytime with SPF or at nighttime. I don’t believe in a day or nighttime moisturizers when facial oils like Happy Honey Oil by Sjoskin or 100% Squalane Oil by The Ordinary (any 100% squalane oil will do from any brand) can be added to a moisturizer to bump up the moisturizer to fit your needs for a more nourishing moisturizer. This doesn’t peel underneath makeup or SPF. It supports the skin barrier with ceramides, squalane, and glycerin and is pH-balanced, fragrance-free, and alcohol-free. Your skin will thank you and will be healthy and glowy.

 

Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer*

Malezia is a small skincare brand focused on formulations for individuals with fungal acne (Malessezia Folliculitis). This gel cream has key ingredients to support the skin barrier, especially during a fungal acne breakout. We all know that getting a flare-up can be rough on the skin barrier because of the treatment process and recovery. The star ingredient is urea which is also found in our natural skin as a molecule that is part of our skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF). It is an important ingredient for skin hydration and the integrity to treat dry & rough skin conditions. Urea can also help with wound healing by removing dead tissue in certain wounds to speed up the process. I discovered this moisturizer while looking for a fungal acne-safe brand, which means that the whole theme or purpose of the brand was to cater to individuals with fungal acne conditions.

This moisturizer is hydrating and emollient because of the skin-loving ingredients in the formulation. We talked about urea, but did you know that not only does it provide hydrating benefits, but it also locks moisture into the skin? It is a fantastic well-aging (anti-aging) ingredient. Paired with hyaluronic acid and allantoin makes the skin more hydrated and moisturized. Urea locks in moisture, and allantoin soothes the skin. This moisturizer is great for dry, sensitive, and dehydrated skin and also a great moisturizer when your skin barrier is compromised. This moisturizer will change your skincare journey in unique ways. Continue reading Top 10 Fungal Acne Safe Moisturizers