Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It Looks LikeHow It DevelopsWhen to See a DermatologistTreatmentReducing Symptoms
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Looks Like
How It Develops
When to See a Dermatologist
Treatment
Reducing Symptoms
Pityrosporumfolliculitis—also known as fungal acne orMalasseziafolliculitis—is aninflammatoryskin disease affecting your face, trunk, and neck. Though it looks likeacnevulgaris(common acne), this condition is linked to a yeast called Malassezia or Pityrosporum. This yeast lives naturally on your skin.
This article describes Pityrosporum folliculitis symptoms, growth, and treatment.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNetdermnetnz.org2023.
How Do You Recognize Pityrosporum Folliculitis?
Symptoms of Pityrosporum folliculitis are similar to the effects of traditional acne. As a result, it is often confused with and misdiagnosed as acne. However, unlike acne, Pityrosporum folliculitis causes itchy lesions in 80% of cases.
The following symptoms also define this type of yeast:
The diagnosis of Pityrosporum folliculitis can also be complicated because it can occur at the same time as traditional acne and the following skin conditions:
Types of Pimples and How to Treat Them
How Does Pityrosporum Yeast Turn Into Folliculitis?
Pityrosporurm yeast is a normal inhabitant of your skin within the hair follicles. This makes it different from the yeast that causes an infection likethrush(a yeast infection in your mouth) or vaginalcandidiasis(a vaginal yeast infection.
Pityrosporum yeast turns into folliculitis when Pityrosporum yeast overgrows and clogs hair follicles. While it’s not known exactly why this overgrowth happens, research indicates that certain factors may contribute to the formation of fungal folliculitis.
Taking systemic antibiotics can increase your risk for Pityrosporum folliculitis because these medications kill normal skin-inhabiting bacteria that compete with skin-inhabiting yeast for space on your skin. When antibiotics suppress bacteria, it creates the perfect environment for Pityrosporum to flourish and overgrow.
Other factors can also support the yeast overgrowth type leading to Pityrosporum folliculitis. Having one of the following characteristics can increase your risk of this condition forming:
Folliculitis, Furuncles, and Carbuncles Skin Infections
When to See a Dermatologist for Pityrosporum Folliculitis
It can be difficult to identify Pityrosporum folliculitis on your own. Consult with adermatologist(a medical doctor who specializes in treating conditions of the skin, hair, and nails) if you have any of the following symptoms that may indicate a case of Pityrosporum folliculitis:
A dermatologist can accurately diagnose Pityrosporum folliculitis so you can begin the right treatment. A skin scraping for yeast may be used to confirm the diagnosis.
Pityrosporum Folliculitis vs. Acne Vulgaris
Pityrosporum folliculitis is often misdiagnosed as acne. While these conditions may appear similar, they have distinct causes, symptoms, and treatments:
Pityrosporum folliculitis:
Acne vulgaris:
Pityrosporum Folliculitis Treatment
Pityrosporum folliculitis treatment must be directed at the overgrowth of yeast as well as any predisposing factors to prevent the problem from recurring. Since it can be hard to know all the factors that make you susceptible to Pityrosporum folliculitis, it is common for the problem to recur after you finish a course of treatment.
Treatment for Pityrosporum folliculitis can involve oral and topical treatments, home remedies, and lifestyle changes.
Oral Treatment
The most commonly used oral treatments are the followingprescription oral antifungal medications:
The length of treatment varies based on the extent of symptoms and how you respond to medication. Oral treatment is usually prescribed daily for one to three weeks.
For severe cases of Pityrosporum folliculitis, treatment with oralisotretinoinmay be appropriate.
Topical Treatments
Topical antifungal medication may be appropriate for mild cases of Pityrosporum folliculitis. These treatments can provide an effective option for people who can’t take oral antifungals due to side effects or other medication problems.
Topical treatments can be used in combination with oral treatment. They can also be used to maintain results and prevent recurrence, which is common.
Common topical treatments include the following treatments:
Topical antifungals and shampoos are often important to maintenance therapy. After the initial treatment, therapy usually continues two to three times weekly for one to two months.
Home Remedies
The following home remedies can help relieve symptoms of itching and inflammation in pityrosporum folliculitis:
The following natural ingredients can be used to make a paste to relieve symptoms of pityrosporum folliculitis:
Lifestyle Changes
Change your diet to decrease the intake of foods that promote yeast growth:
Change factors that could be contributing to the cause of damage, such as the following:
What Causes a Fungal Rash on Your Face?
Reducing Pityrosporum Folliculitis Symptoms on Antibiotics
If you are taking Pityrosporum folliculitis with some form of antibiotics, discontinuation of antibiotics may result in improvement of the folliculitis without treatment. However, you may need to use antibiotics for another reason while you have Pityrosporum folliculitis.
Research indicates that takingprobioticsalongside antibiotics can lessen or prevent some antibiotic-induced side effects. Probiotics may help to preserve the diversity and composition of the bacteria. They may even help protect some “friendly” bacteria that reduce inflammation.
Summary
Pityrosporum folliculitis is a skin disease that occurs when yeast in your hair follicle overgrows. Though often confused with common acne, this disease is set apart from acne and other problems because it causes itching.
This problem causes pimples on your forehead, cheeks, trunk, and neck. It can’t be treated with common acne treatments. Instead, these treatments may support the spread of this disease rather than heal it.
Oral or topical anti-fungal drugs provide the best results. Treatment often continues after the problem clears to avoid recurrence. Making lifestyle changes can help promote healing and lower your risk of having the problem return after symptoms clear.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Malgotra V, Singh H.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis masquerading as recalcitrant acne.Cureus. 13(2):e13534.Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.What is fungal acne, or pityrosporum folliculitis?Rubenstein RM, Malerich SA.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014;7(3):37-41.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).Pityrosporum folliculitis.Saunte DML, Gaitanis G, Hay RJ.Malassezia-associated skin diseases, the use of diagnostics and treatment.Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020;10. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.00112American Academy of Dermatology Association.Acne-like breakouts could be folliculitis.ScienceDaily.Take probiotics alongside your prescribed antibiotics to reduce damage to your gut microbiome, says the first review of the data.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Malgotra V, Singh H.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis masquerading as recalcitrant acne.Cureus. 13(2):e13534.Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.What is fungal acne, or pityrosporum folliculitis?Rubenstein RM, Malerich SA.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014;7(3):37-41.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).Pityrosporum folliculitis.Saunte DML, Gaitanis G, Hay RJ.Malassezia-associated skin diseases, the use of diagnostics and treatment.Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020;10. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.00112American Academy of Dermatology Association.Acne-like breakouts could be folliculitis.ScienceDaily.Take probiotics alongside your prescribed antibiotics to reduce damage to your gut microbiome, says the first review of the data.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Malgotra V, Singh H.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis masquerading as recalcitrant acne.Cureus. 13(2):e13534.Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.What is fungal acne, or pityrosporum folliculitis?Rubenstein RM, Malerich SA.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014;7(3):37-41.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).Pityrosporum folliculitis.Saunte DML, Gaitanis G, Hay RJ.Malassezia-associated skin diseases, the use of diagnostics and treatment.Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020;10. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.00112American Academy of Dermatology Association.Acne-like breakouts could be folliculitis.ScienceDaily.Take probiotics alongside your prescribed antibiotics to reduce damage to your gut microbiome, says the first review of the data.
Malgotra V, Singh H.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis masquerading as recalcitrant acne.Cureus. 13(2):e13534.
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.What is fungal acne, or pityrosporum folliculitis?
Rubenstein RM, Malerich SA.Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014;7(3):37-41.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).Pityrosporum folliculitis.
Saunte DML, Gaitanis G, Hay RJ.Malassezia-associated skin diseases, the use of diagnostics and treatment.Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020;10. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.00112
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Acne-like breakouts could be folliculitis.
ScienceDaily.Take probiotics alongside your prescribed antibiotics to reduce damage to your gut microbiome, says the first review of the data.
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