Mostly we hear acne/ pimples/ breakouts but not “Fungal acne”. What most people mean is Malassezia (yeast) folliculitis—a rash of itchy, same-looking bumps caused by an overgrowth of skin yeast. Acne vulgaris or pimples is the classic acne caused by oil, clogged pores, bacteria and inflammation. They can look similar, but the solution is different. That’s where Clinderma comes and fixes it!
Look and feel
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Fungal (yeast) folliculitis: tiny, uniform bumps or pustules in clusters. Often itchy or prickly.
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Acne vulgaris: a mix of whiteheads, blackheads, red bumps, pustules and sometimes painful nodules. Usually not itchy.
Where they show up
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Fungal: forehead, hairline, upper back, chest, shoulders—areas that sweat and stay occluded under helmets, backpacks or tight tees.
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Acne: face (T-zone, cheeks, jaw), sometimes chest/back.
What makes it flare
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Fungal: heat, humidity, sweaty workouts, re-wearing damp gym clothes, heavy/oily products, long courses of antibiotics or steroids.
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Acne: comedogenic products, friction (mask straps, collars), gut upset, hormones, stress, etc
Response to products
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Fungal: barely improves with benzoyl peroxide or antibiotics; may even get worse after prolonged antibiotics.
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Acne: responds to retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid; antibiotics help when used correctly and briefly.
Can you have both? Yes.
It’s common to see yeast folliculitis on the forehead and true acne on the cheeks or jaw. In that case, both conditions are treated together.
When to see a dermatologist
We recommend approaching a dermatologist at Clinderma in either case as these conditions are long lasting, show remissions and flareups and often linked to day to day lifestyle factors. It becomes difficult to manage if some random solutions have been used before as the presentation of these conditions can change or they become resistant to routine treatment options available and may require higher doses of medications unnecessarily if self-prescribed.
At Clinderma, we start by analyzing your acne thoroughly—what shows up, where and why. Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) behaves differently from acne vulgaris, so our first step is to separate them. We review your products, habits, workouts, helmets, hair oils, and medications, then examine lesions for hallmark signs like itch, uniform bumps or comedones. For yeast-driven lesions we keep the routine light and sweat-friendly: gentle gel cleanser, non-oily moisturiser and sunscreen. We add an antifungal wash (ketoconazole or selenium sulfide used as a short contact therapy), and when needed a brief prescription antifungal course. For acne vulgaris we build a skin-friendly routine: cleanser, moisturiser, SPF 50, plus targeted actives—adapalene and clindamycin gel at night, oral retinoids or antibiotics. We precisely treat them so that you get targeted therapy without confusion and guaranteed results. We emphasise consistency over hygienic practices, avoiding many products and over-exfoliation. Lifestyle modifications—post-workout cleansing, fabric and friction fixes—are built in. We track progress with photos every two to four weeks, then refine. If marks or scars are there, we give pigment or redness care.
Clinderma targets the root cause seriously to prevent recurrence and not just provide skincare treatment as these conditions can recur again and again. Small changes in lifestyle habits or hygienic practices provide long term solutions.
