182 replies to this topic

[LionQueen]

just thought I'd update .....

I had to stop using Nizoral on my face; it was far too drying and irritating. I am still shampooing with it 2-3x weekly, but I'm not letting the suds get on my face.

I'm using the ZNP bar to cleanse once or twice a day, and not leaving the suds on very long. I'm also using mandelic acid on the affected area.

So far, results are excellent .... I only have one tiny patch of the folliculitis bumps left, and it's barely noticeable. I wouldn't even know it was there except that it itches a little.

[itsnever4ever]

shit. then how are ppl supposed to tell the difference between real acne and the fungus just by looking? i used to have acne, then i used this cream and it got rid of 90% of the acne. but then i stopped using it for months(cuz i was pretty clear) and i started using it again when i bunches of clogged pores.. and it iddn't help. it just made it worse..is it possible that the cream stopped working for me? or do have this fungus?

[CottonFresh]

Wonderful news to everyone!

I think I now somehow understand our acne problem.. Pores get clogged especially for a lot of us who has oily skin type. Then the two plausible causation for the inflammation and reddening, proliferation and worsening of the pore's condition is either BACTERIA or FUNGUS. If it is bacterial, then benzoyl peroxide treatment (a.k.a. Dan's complete regimen) is the ultimate solution. But if it is FUNGAL, then topical treatment of anti fungal solution is the best, or if it is really bad, systemic treatment is the benchmark treatment as in ketoconazole tablet usually for two weeks. And voila, clear skin is revealed..

So my advise to everyone who has chronic acne is this, go to your nearest diagnostic center, extract a sample specimen from your pore (prick it safely) and submit it for culture and sensitivity to determine the main culprit. From there, you could proceed to the treatment that will kill the causative agent..

As for our cleanser, go for something that is both anti fungal and anti microbial so that we can prevent infection even from the start..

Goodluck to everyone! And by the way, changing pillows every three or four days is a very nice habit!

[dragonite]

I don't have much acne but I do have many acne scars. I have Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) and very mild facial sweating so my skin is very sensitive and scar really easily. I wanted to try Dan's products to get my skin crystal clear.

But I am in need of help! I think my skin is reacting to Dan's cleanser or BP!

This was a pic of my skin before I used Dan's products: Click here for pic

And now since after using Dan's products for a week, I'm starting to get little red bumps on my skin: Click here for pic

Is my skin reacting to his products or what?! Or is this suppose to be the the natural break-out for beginners?! I need definite answers please! I scar really bad/easily so I can't afford assumptions!

[spoofy2]

It looks like that is just your basic non-inflamed acne. That type of acne really doesn't scar because it's so small. Just DO NOT pick at it! If that BP is giving you that reaction then I'd stop and use something else. When it comes to new products your skin may react in many ways. In general, I don't like BP, it can cause early signs of aging, dries out skin, and is not the best product when dealing with sensitive skin. To get rid of small, irritating bumps, try Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA). That's what I use and it seems to work pretty well and I have sensitive skin too. Well, I hope that answers your question! =3

I don't have much acne but I do have many acne scars. I have Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) and very mild facial sweating so my skin is very sensitive and scar really easily. I wanted to try Dan's products to get my skin crystal clear.

But I am in need of help! I think my skin is reacting to Dan's cleanser or BP!

This was a pic of my skin before I used Dan's products: Click here for pic

And now since after using Dan's products for a week, I'm starting to get little red bumps on my skin: Click here for pic

Is my skin reacting to his products or what?! Or is this suppose to be the the natural break-out for beginners?! I need definite answers please! I scar really bad/easily so I can't afford assumptions!

[undefined]

I used to have small skin-colored bumps on my forehead as well. I have oily skin and the bumps would appear all summer long when it is hot & muggy.

With my derm's recommendation I began using Head & Shoulders on my hair and spread some onto my forehead to soak for several minutes during my shower. I never had noticeable dandruff but apparently it was the cause of the bumps.

Anyway, the treatment worked and my forehead has been perfectly clear for a couple of years now, and I'm particularly happy that it didn't require any expensive medication! Now I just use H&S a couple of times a month for maintenance.

Maybe this will work for others too.

Just be very careful not to let the shampoo drip into your eyes. Make sure you let it soak in for a few minutes, and give it several weeks to work. Good luck!

[spoofy2]

Huh. Interesting...You're just one of the lucky ones I guess =) Good for you.

I used to have small skin-colored bumps on my forehead as well. I have oily skin and the bumps would appear all summer long when it is hot & muggy.

With my derm's recommendation I began using Head & Shoulders on my hair and spread some onto my forehead to soak for several minutes during my shower. I never had noticeable dandruff but apparently it was the cause of the bumps.

Anyway, the treatment worked and my forehead has been perfectly clear for a couple of years now, and I'm particularly happy that it didn't require any expensive medication! Now I just use H&S a couple of times a month for maintenance.

Maybe this will work for others too.

Just be very careful not to let the shampoo drip into your eyes. Make sure you let it soak in for a few minutes, and give it several weeks to work. Good luck!

[answerme]

this topic reminds me of the product i bought from vmv last year (Id sweat acne and overall antibacterial monolaurin gel). http://www.vmvhypoal...laurin_Gel.html

i never really took the possibility of having Pityrosporum Folliculitis on my back and chest that seriously so i used it only a few times as i primarily bought it for my insect bites and other itchy rashes. i'm gonna try using it again on my back for a longer period of time.

thanks for sharing on this topic.

[BlueState]

I'm not sure if this thread is still active or not, but while I was suffering from these tiny bumps, this was one of the places I went to seeking information. Now that I finally have tried something that worked, I wanted to share it.

My experience was typical to that described by others here. I had been following Dan's regimen for years and had my skin well under control ... and then these bumps formed last summer on my forehead. I have oily skin; summers were I live are hot and humid; the school where I teach is basically a sauna. Perfect recipe for what is folliculitis, though I didn't know it was folliculitis at the time. Thinking it was a different type of acne, I started playing around with my regimen.

Big mistake. I'll spare you the details, but I tried stronger BP doses, various AHA's and BHA's, new cleansers and moisturizers, and found my skin a complete mess. I started having breakouts in addition to the bumps, the likes of which I hadn't seen since adolesence (I am just shy of 40 now).

When I finally found reference to folliculitis, I tried some of the things mentioned on this site--particularly the ZNP bar and Nizoral. Both seemed to help with the bumps, unfortunately, both seemed to break me out as well. Badly. Especially after a couple of days.

I went to the doctor, and of course was prescribed an antibiotic that did nothing for it (because it was a fungus, not a bacteria). Finally, in desperation I looked up alternative treatments, and this one has been working for me. At the end of 4 weeks I am almost entirely bump (and acne) free.

A site I found said to use tea tree oil and to take Golden Seal Root capsules, and cautioned that it could take up to 6 weeks to clear up completely. I am not very new-agey, and not particularly "all natural," but when I found out that Tea Tree Oil had been given to soldiers in WWII as part of their first aid kits, I figured I would give it a try. Being a veteran, I have respect for a lot of the standard issue stuff. Anyway, I found out that Tea Tree Oil kills not only bacteria (and so has been used against acne), but also fungi and viruses. Apparently, BP only kills bacteria.

There weren't any instructions on the site, so I sort of came up with my own strategy. First of all, I went back to my standard DK regimen and products: Purpose Soap, 2.5 BP, etc. This, for the acne.

But now, I integrate into this a bit of Tea Tree Oil for the bumps. I got some cotton rounds and a 2 oz. bottle of tea tree oil at Target. After washing my face, I wet the cotton round, squeeze out any excess water, and then add a few drops of Tea Tree Oil. I wipe it over the area where the bumps were forming, along my forehead. Then, I let it dry and follow my normal regimen, putting the BP on after about 15 minutes.

For what it is worth, I took 5 capsules of Golden Seal Root a day for 10 days as well, since the site said to take it. The oral stuff doesn't entirely convince me, but the Tea Tree Oil does. (I am just letting you know what I did so you can decide on your own.)

That said, I cannot say enough about Tea Tree Oil. It won't be replacing my regimen, but as a part of it, I find it amazing. Not only are the bumps going away, but my skin is far less oily and much smoother.

It does have a rather pungent smell, almost like cedar. Also, it feels a little like menthol does on your skin at first, then it passes. I know Paula Begoun says that any cool burning sensation is bad, but as someone with extremely sensitive skin, I can only say I have had no problems with it. I wouldn't put it directly on my skin, but diluted on a moist cotton round it seems to work well. My skin feels great after using it. You may have to play around with the amount you put on the cotton round at first. I read on-line about people burning themselves because they just put it directly on large patches of skin without diluting it. That is probably an exaggeration, but I do think you have to be mature about it, and test a small area. Start with just a little bit, then figure out how much you should put on your cotton round to get the job done.

Since there may be a relationship between dandruff and folliculitis, I just ordered a Tea Tree Oil shampoo as well. That, I am hoping, may be a way to prevent the folliculitis from coming back.

One last word: that site I found said it could take 6 weeks. The Tea Tree Oil did not work overnight. It felt good and I noticed my skin looked a little bit better after using it, and I was committed to sticking with it for 6 weeks. Only now, after 4 weeks, do I feel like this is finally going completely away, that my skin has returned to 99% normal, with both the acne and the bumps under control, and that I should let others know about it.

I hope this is helpful. This past year was horrible for me: experimenting with different products that just made my skin break out; taking antibiotics that did nothing; trying meds for the folliculitis that irritated my skin. Hopefully, this will save you all some of the grief. If your regimen works, stick with it. Just incorporate a little Tea Tree Oil in it.

Cheers,
BlueState.

[babowc]

Thank for sharing your experience bluestate!

I believe i've got the case of folliculitis as well..
after taking doxycycline as a part of my regimen, I started to develops odd very itchy patches of bumps on my chin and jawline area!!

I was browsing through this section to read up on what to do with my blackheads and thank god I stumbled on this thread!!

I purchased a 1% Nizoral shampoo at Kroger about a week back and have been using it everyday and night and letting the suds stay on my face. The folliculitis bumps are disappearing and now I seem to have only a couple whiteheads leftover from irritation and where I touched.

I also have a bottle of Tea Tree Oil, but I stopped using it because it broke me out! Little did I know that you were supposed to dilute it!

I'll try the Tea Tree Oil one more time on my forehead area and see how the bumps react.

[Mans]

Hi, anyone had success with treating this fungus with nizoral?
What if it's on your face? Does it break you out?

One thing I'm concerned with is that It may get rid of the folliculitis but it may in return give me zits and stuff.

Any other OTC topical / soap that my help with this other than nizoral?

Any advice? Thanks

[Critical_impact]

I think perhaps I have this as well. Obviously not trying to sound like a me too kind of person but for the most part my face is pretty clear. I did have smaller bumps before I started using BHA, but the BHA gave me larger bumps or at least brought them out. Basically they are headless for the most part and spew out white pus whenever I try to pick at them. Even when I do they seem to come back.

I may try some Nizoral Anti-Dandruff shampoo and see how that goes. These are really annoying me a lot as they are really noticeable.

EDIT: Oh yeah would it be smart to put on aloe vera gel + tea tree oil on the affected area then leave it overnight?

[supercoolasianguy]

is the 1% nizoral shampoo safe to use on your face? well...i *think* i have this fungus on my chin area....so is it safe to use on my chin would be a better question? just like alot of u guys, ive tried almost everything to make these little white bumps go away but they arent budging... so im pretty sure its this fungus.

[White Fox]

is the 1% nizoral shampoo safe to use on your face? well...i *think* i have this fungus on my chin area....so is it safe to use on my chin would be a better question? just like alot of u guys, ive tried almost everything to make these little white bumps go away but they arent budging... so im pretty sure its this fungus.

Yes, it should be safe.

[pakifairy]

you know what this is interesting. about a year ago i had REALLY SEVERE acne all over my face (this is after accutane twice, etc) it just suddenly came so while my derm was giving my different, etc it was just not working. so i went to get some facials from this lady in my apartment complex (she has a facial place) she kept convincing me she could fix my acne. so i went... and after her facials she said "this is a special cream from vietnam take it and apply it everyday" and i read the ingredients it was just basic lotrimazol (sp???) ANTI FUNGAL CREam. like the one used to cure athletes foot. i applied it regardless and it never did anything. but it was interesting that she thought my acne was fungus. (btw my acne is under 90% control now with tazorac but i still get breakouts on jawline)

she would even refer to my face as a rose with fungus growing on it. ugh.

[jtm]

This is really interesting.

I've always, until recently starting spiro, had oily skin and always had these bumps. I would also always exfoliate and i did some glycolic peels, but they never went away. They went away only once in my life, around May when i took a cortisone/clindamycin medication because i broke out into these itchy big red bumps (i think it was an allergic thing to the glycolic). Of course, they came back.

However, i went away a few weeks ago on vacation and i was also starting BHA to attempt to clear the bumps (no luck, just irritation!) and i got these itchy spots too, and some newer big white bumps (but not whiteheads, hardly noticeable). I'm thinking i might have this yeast problem. My tiny bumps everywhere now (mostly just cheeks and forehead) don't itch, but i see yours didnt either. I'm seeing a specialist on Tuesday so i will definitely bring up this idea to him. I guess it would make sense too that exfoliation doesnt help for these bumps if its a yeast problem! (since that wouldnt fix the fungus).

Thanks for posting this. Im hoping this is what i have because there is a cure for it. It gives me hope!!

Woah! That sounds exactly like me...

I used to have moderate acne on my forhead (basically only on my forehead, some spots on chin & nose occasionally). Then, I used Clindoxyl Gel (Clindamycin + BP). I get the occasional papule or pustule, and some whiteheads every few days, but they go away in 1-2 days when I apply the Clindoxyl. (Interesting, because your medication had Clindamycin in it, too... hmmm..) I don't itch either, and have really oily skin. I've got these strange red bumps and under-skin acne with only small amounts of discharge, when they do have discharge, which isn't often. My WHOLE forhead is covered and it's really frustrating when it gets bad .

Just to clarify, my the Clindoxyl just gets rid of the papules/pustules/whiteheads, but not the small bumps (sometimes it decolours/fades them a little bit but nothing too noticable..). And they appear in 'clumps/clusters' too, in the most oily areas.

I have a few questions:
1. Does anyone know if the fungus can appear like under-skin acne??
2. Can you have the fungus and acne at the same time?
3. What are the most common medications to treat them (I know they must have been mentioned here but everyone names like 5 meds so I'm confused which ones are for acne and which ones for fungus )

Any help would be awesome

[White Fox]

This is really interesting.

I've always, until recently starting spiro, had oily skin and always had these bumps. I would also always exfoliate and i did some glycolic peels, but they never went away. They went away only once in my life, around May when i took a cortisone/clindamycin medication because i broke out into these itchy big red bumps (i think it was an allergic thing to the glycolic). Of course, they came back.

However, i went away a few weeks ago on vacation and i was also starting BHA to attempt to clear the bumps (no luck, just irritation!) and i got these itchy spots too, and some newer big white bumps (but not whiteheads, hardly noticeable). I'm thinking i might have this yeast problem. My tiny bumps everywhere now (mostly just cheeks and forehead) don't itch, but i see yours didnt either. I'm seeing a specialist on Tuesday so i will definitely bring up this idea to him. I guess it would make sense too that exfoliation doesnt help for these bumps if its a yeast problem! (since that wouldnt fix the fungus).

Thanks for posting this. Im hoping this is what i have because there is a cure for it. It gives me hope!!

Woah! That sounds exactly like me...

I used to have moderate acne on my forhead (basically only on my forehead, some spots on chin & nose occasionally). Then, I used Clindoxyl Gel (Clindamycin + BP). I get the occasional papule or pustule, and some whiteheads every few days, but they go away in 1-2 days when I apply the Clindoxyl. (Interesting, because your medication had Clindamycin in it, too... hmmm..) I don't itch either, and have really oily skin. I've got these strange red bumps and under-skin acne with only small amounts of discharge, when they do have discharge, which isn't often. My WHOLE forhead is covered and it's really frustrating when it gets bad .

Just to clarify, my the Clindoxyl just gets rid of the papules/pustules/whiteheads, but not the small bumps (sometimes it decolours/fades them a little bit but nothing too noticable..). And they appear in 'clumps/clusters' too, in the most oily areas.

I have a few questions:
1. Does anyone know if the fungus can appear like under-skin acne??
2. Can you have the fungus and acne at the same time?
3. What are the most common medications to treat them (I know they must have been mentioned here but everyone names like 5 meds so I'm confused which ones are for acne and which ones for fungus )

Any help would be awesome

1) Check out these pictures: http://dermnetnz.org...lliculitis.html
2) YES!
3) Common treatments you can find using a simple google search for "Pityrosporum Folliculitis
"

[leet]

Im thinking this is what I have had for years. Cept mine are larger and more "connected" like a line of them on both sides of my jawline. I know that I want to check out more on Candida cause I know that my uncle has it and possibly others in my family that dont know that they have it.

Time to do some digging on the internet. that Derm appointment cannot come quick enough!!! lol

[Tyron]

This is probably what i have on my forehead ( since mid-june). The whole story fits the oily skin, the hot, the sweating even the sunscreen part lol. I've been using Head&Shoulders but avoiding it from touching my face should i use it on my face too?

[White Fox]

This is probably what i have on my forehead ( since mid-june). The whole story fits the oily skin, the hot, the sweating even the sunscreen part lol. I've been using Head&Shoulders but avoiding it from touching my face should i use it on my face too?

You could let Head & Shoulders stay on your skin in the shower for about 5 min. However I would rather recommend something like Tea Tree Oil/Manuka Oil or a cream containing ketoconazole(Nizoral, Daktarin gold).