Could You Have Fungal Acne? We Asked Dermatologists How to Tell

From hormonal acne to cystic acne and everything in between, it's fair to say that decoding your breakouts can be a bit of a challenge.

However, it's important to note that there are instances when your "acne" really isn't acne at all: Fungal acne, for example, may look like a regular, run-of-the-mill breakout... but it's not. The common name used to describe this skin condition is Malassezia folliculitis (aka Pityrosporum folliculitis), and according to Austin-based dermatologist Dr. Adam Mamelak, MD, it usually occurs as a result of an infection of the hair follicles on the skin caused by a yeast.

You may be tempted to throw your usual acne-fighting products at it — but the treatments are very different. As such, we asked Dr. Mamelek, alongside other board-certified dermatologists, to share everything you need to know about fungal acne — including, of course, how to treat it like a pro.

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