Acne.org Products
I don't think chemicals are good for your skin. They certainly don't help me and have only made my acne worse. I did a lot of research on the internet in to natural remedies and an underlying theme was that certain natural oils were good for acne. Apparently they can regulate the sebum your skin produces. I'm not too confident when it comes to making home remedies so I searched the internet and came across a product by mama nature called teenage dreams. They said they gave a money back guarantee and since they had good feedback I took the plunge. I didn't really notice any real difference for the first week but after that my skin was less greasy and the spots started to reduce. I haven't completely got rid of my acne but it is hardly noticeable now. Considering how bad it was before I think this product must be amazing either that or my acne got better on it's own. I can't say for sure but I continue to use it anyway. It has jojoba oil and essential oils which are supposed to kill the bacteria that causes acne. Hope this can be of help to someone.
It's well known that acne-prone individuals should avoid formulas that contain oils as they tend to clog pores and make acne worse.
Unfortunately it seems that is the mistake many people with acne make. Certain natural oils do not clog the pores and can actually dissolve the sebum unclogging pores. I like many others tried stripping the oil from my skin treating the symptoms rather than the cause which is regulating sebum production so your skin doesn't produce excess oil in the first place. Jojoba oil apparently mimics the oil of your skin therefore fools your skin into not producing it's own oil. The difference is that jojoba oil doesn't clog your pores. .
It is like people with greasy hair. Believe it or not the best treatment for oily hair is to apply oils regularly as this regularises oil secretion making their hair less greasy. Hope this makes sense.
I've noticed that my Cetaphil daily moisturizer turns my face bright red in the areas that I have the dermatitis (apparently from this fungal infection). I also feel a hot/burning sensation.
Would Jojoba oil allow me to moisturize and get around this problem? Or any other recommendations for a redness-reducing moisturizer would be great, thanks.
"Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer includes the redness-fighting ingredients cyclomethicone and glycerin."
I can't be sure if it was the weather changing or my regimen, or both, but I no longer have bumps on my face, and 90% of the bumps on my chest, shoulders, and back are gone. I still have a lot of redness though and will be working on getting that under control. Looks like I will be trying some different things:
(Face)
CeraVe Foaming Wash
CeraVe AM/PM Moisturizers
(Body)
AmLactin - though I will be very careful with this, as I don't want to overmoisturize and create a nice environment for infection again
And later I may try Physiogel Cream (Face). This stuff is expensive so I'm going to see how the CeraVe does and go from there.
Few years ago I was diagnosed with PF. Derm put me on Loprox cream (worked), Clarifoam EF (worked like a charm) but all this stuff just kept coming back. Prescriptions get pricey so I'm still trying to find a simpler solution. I'm at the point now where I really don't know what I have anymore. They say that if you take antibiotics you suppress all good and bad bacteria leaving room for your normal flora like yeast to take over. Well, when I was sick the dr. gave me Amoxicillan and like magic my skin was perfect! So...I'm a bit confused. Do I have PF? Or do I have something else? I did a bit of research on Amoxicillan and from what I gathered it's a type of penicilian that affects gram positive bacteria--not yeast or fungi. I've been back to the derm since then and told him all this so he gave me Aczone and what a mess that made my skin. I get the breakouts on my face/chest/and a little on my back and torso. I stopped Aczone and they gave me samples of Ziana. To be honest, I'm not a fan of the stuff. It's helping a little but not as much as I'd like it to. My face is still covered in those little bumps. Chest looks better. Back is making some improvement. I'm not even sure what to do anymore. Skin biopsy? Now THAT'S the real pricey choice but if it pinpoints the cause, I'm all for it.
Also, thanks NothingToFear for your updates. I may try the AMlactin. I try to avoid most moisturizers as they tend to make things worse. It's strange because my skin gets oily but at the same time it's really dry. How does that even make sense?!
A note on the AmLactin - the Lactic Acid will likely make your skin itch like crazy for a short while.
It is useful for Keratosis Pilaris and rough dry skin.
--Today I start a new regimen--
Doctor has put me on Lamisil (Terbinafine) 250mg. Once a day for 14 days. He says it should clear up the fungal infection wherever it may be, which includes the jock itch.
Also I will be applying Metronidazole cream .75% to my face nightly. He says this should help with the seborrheic dermatitis. He isn't convinced I have a fungal infection on my face, and I did raise the concern of using an anti-biotic and the implications it could have for making the MF get worse. We'll see...
I ended up splurging on the Clarifoam and all the while I'm using an AHA lotion that I had in the cabinet for a while. I almost gave up on the lotion since it didn't seem like it was working up until I checked back and realized it expired last year. xD So next time I go to the store I'll grab a bottle of Amlactin. I don't expect the two products to interfere with each other...Of course I'm taking the risk of not knowing which one is really helping more--is it the clarifoam or amlactin? I already know Clarifoam works for me so in the meantime I'm only going to apply it to my face and chest. As for the lotion, I'll use that for shoulders and back so I can compare results...if any. 
I feel more confident in the lotion now than I was before. When I went to a derm. he did a skin scrape sample and said he saw a lot of fungal activity that is associated with dry skin. This is when I got confused. I have dry skin, sure, but I also get oily on the face. If I apply more lotion, it might do me more harm. This dr visit was a couple years ago and he just told me to use Aveeno lotions. I did and it did nothing but this amlactin stuff its much different and I think worth a shot. I'll update too if I start seeing any changes.
I was diagnosed with PF 3 months ago. Derm gave me Itraconazole. I got abdominal cramp (one of the side effects), stopped taking after 5 days. 2 months later went to another derm. She diagnosed me with PF on my chest and on my back. She prescribed oral ketoconazole for 10 days, topical anti fungal + hydrocortisone, and 2.5 selenium sulfide antidandruff shampoo for body cleanser. I didn't get abd cramp from ketoconazole. Right now, my back and my chest is cleared up. The thing that bothers me is 2.5 % selenium sulfide shampoo tends to make my skin dry. to moisturize I used shea butter body butter and it works. I'm afraid that shea butter body butter will make the fungus grows again since it is so oily.
Well, it turns out I've had P.F. for over 10 years and it hasn't been properly identified! Tiny little bumps that come and go throughout the day all over my chest and back, which haven't responded to the Regimen like my facial acne has.
I'm going to try the Propylene Glycol, got it at a tractor supply store (they use it to treat infections in cows, apparently). Got a big jug for only $20. Going to mix it in 50% water like the Australian guy said to do, and spray it on twice a day. If it works I'll let you all know, because it could be a very easy, cheap cure without nasty side affects.
I really think that I might have pityrosporum folliculitis, and it's ruining my life!
It started when I was 17 years old, (I'm 25 now) and I started getting 'pimples' all over my chest. I tried to hide them with my hair and high-cut shirts, but they didn't go away.
Clearasil with benzoyl peroxide seemed to do the trick for awhile, but then i moved somewhere with city water, and within a month, I constantly had over 100 small red pimples all over my chest area, from right below where my neck started, to my breasts.
I moved back home for awhile, and within a week I cleared up. Now, I'm back in a city, and again struggling.
I have been to a dermatologist nurse practitioner, and she tried benz-e-foam and aczone, but that only worked when I had well water. Now, they really don't touch this 'acne'. Sulfur creams don't work either, and neither do salycylic acid products.
I went to a dermatologist last week, and she said that it's folliculitis. She prescribed an antibiotic ointment, but said that if it didn't work, we would try an antiyeast. Well, a week later, the pimples are just as bad as ever.
I always thought that it was weird that I only break out on my chest, with hundreds of pimples, and nowhere else. I have a few on my back and shoulders, but my chest is the real problem. They also tend to come up in clusters, and it's like if I don't fight it and try to at least minimize it (even though it's always there) with anti-acne creams, it spreads like wildfire.
When i do get pimples on my face (one or two per month), they go away quickly and easily, with the help of a simple drugstore acne cream.
I can't even stand to look at my chest right now. I called my dermatologist's office for a new prescription, and they said that they would check with her and call me back, but they never did. I have been using some clotrim 1% cream on it, but it's just continuing to get worse.
The weird thing is that it doesn't itch, and so far, this clotrim cream (been using it for two days) isn't helping...but otherwise, it looks and sounds exactly like pityrosporum folliculitis.
I really hope that I can find a treatment soon, because I'm so sick of constantly having this rash all over my chest and only being able to wear crewnecks and turtlenecks.
I haven't logged in so long I had to create a new account just to ask this question....
Has anyone research or tried "Theacnepratice" boot camp. No bad reviews are listed on internet however I also can not find the ingredients?
I have chest/body acne and the only thing that HELPS is AHA tx and using a loofah in the shower. I've even been on accutane with no success. I've tried it all since I worked at a derm practice for a while and I've been battling PF/Acne since I was 15...I'm in my 30's now. I've done allergy testing, diets, peels, every RX, and homemade potion. I'm done with trying just dealing with this condition now.
The fungus is coming back after a month (in less frequency). I think it could be related to my exercise in the gym. I started yoga class 3 days ago and I used their mat. I found in another website, many people got PF after they use mat from the gym. I'm now using Daktacort (Miconazole nitrate + Hydrocortisone) and 2.5% Selsun Yellow. I'm thinking to buy ZNP Bar Soap. Is it good? found in earlier pages that it will cause dryness and irritation.
after using 2.5% Selsun yellow and daktacort cream, now the fungus is cleared up. I'm also using the body shop tea tree body wash, but I think it is too much drying for daily use so I change. Any suggestion on soap brand? What about Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar? Is it okay to use? Right now, I'm using German-made Sebamed Liquid Face&wash. It's good, not really drying and moisture our skin plus the pH is 5.5 which is good for the skin. I'm worried it will make the fungus grows back.
I find it interesting that for Daktacort, they state "do not apply to face". Is it because of the hydrocortizone? If so why?
I think daktacort can not be applied because of hydrocortisone. long-term use of hydrocortisone on the face will cause cushing's syndrome, adrenal gland suppresion, telangiectacsia (enlargement of the blood vessel), and thinning of the skin.
What about twice a week?
You mean using Daktacort twice a week? actually, when I looked up on the net, you can apply steroid topical cream to your face, but it's prescribed by dermatologist. I don't really know about this, you should check with your derm. my friend once used steroid cream on her face for years (her derm prescribed it) and now she is suffering spider vein (telangiectacsia).
Hi guys,
I was diagnosed with PF almost a year ago. But first I had to mention I have mild acne, eczema and seborrhic dermatitis as well. All these conditions make you more prone to PF. In fact, SD also causes PF from what I have read. For me it started with tiny red bumps on my neck. I had been working out 2-5 times a week for a year after I had my baby and all of the sudden I had this rash. I tried BP which made it worse. My derm gave me antibiotics which didn't have any affect and then did a punch biopsy. The results came back PF. They said because I workout at the gym the sweaty, humid environment causes the overgrowth of yeast. With all my skin conditions I can't fight off the yeast as well as normal skin. I have been treating it with Ketoconazole 2% cream twice a day and using triamcinolone for the itching. Unfortuantely, triamcinolone is a steroid and I have to switch it out with a no steroidal cream (Epiceram) after a few days. Long term use of steroids causes resistance and also thickening of the skin. I don't need all creams everyday except the Ketoconazole which is an anti fungal. I apply it only to the areas which is a couple spots on my neck and a few on my back. Using Head and Shoulders once a week as a body wash has kept it at bay. Up until recent months I didn't use Head ana Shoulders on my face. I ended up getting a few spots on my face and they become peels and painful. Luckily, the creams are helping resolve them. I just started seeing an aesthetician for the post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation. We started microdermabrasion treatments once every 2 months. After the first treatment my old spots have faded quickly. I'm Filipina with darker skin and even the smallest pimple leaves spots. The folliculitis causes them even if they are tiny. I use Differin to keep my acne at bay and to help diminish the spots along with microdermabrasion. The aesthetician also recommended using a Clarisonic brush to help with the folliculitis. It helps exfoliate and skin and clear the pores enabling the medication to seep in better.
I have to say after using the Clarisonic brush with Cetaphil cleanser it is keeping my skin clearer and keeping most of the folliculitis at bay. Every time I go to the gym I end up getting new spots or worse inflaming old ones. I'm going to try rubbing alcohol after workouts or propylene glycol with water to see if it helps because I can't always shower tight after. I'm not 100% clear but I have two spots on my face which are fading quickly and the spots on my back are drying up. The creams seem to be working and I hope once they dry out I can try body peels to get rid of the dark spots on my back. One more thing, I found soaking in salt baths a couple times a week help dry the spots out. I am also going to try Mandelic acid washes between for days when I don't use Head and Shoulders. Hope this helps, and I'll keep you up to date if I every completely am able to overcome this completely.