Pityrosporum folliculitis represents acne-like lesions that are caused by the overgrowth of normal yeast flora. The yeast (fungi) is present in most people but usually only becomes problematic in people who live in very humid environments since yeast (fungi) love warm, moist conditions.

The lesions are either asymptomatic or pruritic (itchy) and usually occur on the torso, less so on the neck or face.

Treatment for widespread lesions is usually with oral anti fungal meds, while more limited lesions are treated with topical antifungals.

Do you live in a very humid environment?

Closed comedones are whiteheads, which may be what you have. Would need more of a history to narrow down what you have.

Overhydrated skin (from moisturizers or humidity), chemical peels, smoking, some dairy products, and high glycemic index foods can increase comedonal acne.

Using oil-free cosmetics, stopping smoking (if you do), benzoyl peroxide, and retinoid creams, are just some of the treatments for comedonal acne.

I dont live in humid environment. But i have oily skin. When using differin and duac my skin is super oily, that should clogged my pore and cause closed comedones?

I never had this type of acne. Two years ago when i got off birth control pills, i got broke out on cheeks with just imflamed cysts, not this type of acne. My skin was soft, except the area where are imflamed acne. This time when i got off birt control. This happen to my skin. I am so confused, what could they be.

But i noticed that now that i when i started taking oral antibiotic my skin condition got worse. At first i got only some imflamed pimples and some of them on my cheeks, now after 3 weeks of using oral antibiotic and topical treatment (duac and differin), they are more and more, spread from cheeks to chin, jaw line, forhead. They became more visible. Some of them became inflamed, when i put duac and differin on them. I dont know excatly what they are. My back and chest broke out of these bumps too.

I heard that Glycolic Acid AHA or BHA should help too. I order Paulas Choice Aha and Bha product. I will continue use differin on night and skip duac gel (because it contains clyndamycin - antibiotic) - this maybe aggravated my skin and spread them more.

Anyone can advice? The bumps are spreading more and more (( that is maybe IB??? guys who have deal whith this problem, will they turn into imflamed cyts? Hope anyone help? Should i keep using differin and duac?

lamtmanhu,

Do you mind posting pics of the new bumps that are spreading more and more so we have a better idea of what's going on?

Firstly sorry for my poor english.

Actually i dont know, seems to me they are more and more ( my acne is worsening, i am having ib now, every side of cheecks are 5 and more big zits that dont go away, they are so deep, there is no white pus, i dont know what kind of acne is that, all of my tiny bumps became imflamed, i am really afraid my face will cover of that big cyts i visit my derm yesterday, told her to take skin test if they are bacteries or fungal infection but she refused told me that they are acne.

Last year i have 2 lessons of n lite treatment, i was clear no big cyts, only before period 1-2 small pimples. My skin was smooth. But after i stop taking control pill i develop these small tiny bumps, at first i didnt care about them much, but when the became imflamed into big cyts, i went to take 1 more laser treatment. Now i links it together and maybe from that laser treatment, the place where se treat my acne, the tiny bumps apper and spread. Could i get from laser treatment some infection? I know that my skin condition now is because i got off birth control and hormonal imbalance. But i never had bad state of these acne. Mainly these small bumps. Now i am using salicylic acid peel for these tiny bumps. But they wont come away, they are so stubborn.

For me my follicultis will be red papules that are itchy. Those small skin colour bumps seems to closed comedone rather than follicultis to me.

I think you might be experiencing the purging phase cause by differin. Differin does get rid of the closed comedones but you have to be patience with it.

I am not sure if you should still use the salicylic acid peel as differin already accelerate the shedding of the skin.

Sometimes derm will prescribed prednisolone(steroid pill) to help with the initial breakout , maybe you can check with your derm about it.

The purguing phase usually last how long? I am heading to the end of 4th week now and no progress. My face looks worse and worse. My acne is so deep. The old is not healling yet and the new became imflamed. This is my first time using topical treatment. I think i cant handle this phase. Really wanna get on birth control pills now hu hu. I think my problem is mainly inner. I am trying to find the cause. I am on strict diet now. Drinking 2-3 l of water, green tea, aloe vera juice. I am taking probiotic and 50 mg zinc now. But it seems that doesnt help much. My skin is so oily. Will be taking B5 help to reduce oil?

Yeah and I had been on blood test. Everything seems ok. The liver test fine too. My testosterone level is normal. So if my problem is hormonal. Usually getting off birth control means you are estrogen dominance? I am right? My naturopath only did test for testosterone level. I will ask my gyn for more detailed hormonal test tomorrow.

Around 1 - 3 months depending on the individual. For B5 you would have to take a overdose in order to reduce oil but that would cause other problem such as hair loss. The only thing that works for me for oil control before taking accutane is nizoral shampoo. I used nizoral shampoo as a cleanser for my face, nizoral shampoo is also use to treat folliculties. You can also try drinking a green smoothie daily for its high vitamin A which help against acne.

For me, when it is skin deep, its mostly due to internal problems. (Too heaty)

Try incorporate more FRESH fruits/ vegetables (if u dont) and drink plenty of water.

I used to get them too, i cut down on oily food, less white rice and carbonate drinks.

It might help.

Thanks for advice 🙂 yeah i think that too, that is cause by some inner problem, i tried to figure what it could be but not lucky yet. I eat only vegetables, some fruits with low sugar cause i think taking antibiotic for 3 months, i will sure get yeast infection or maybe i already have :((((

Around 1 - 3 months depending on the individual. For B5 you would have to take a overdose in order to reduce oil but that would cause other problem such as hair loss. The only thing that works for me for oil control before taking accutane is nizoral shampoo. I used nizoral shampoo as a cleanser for my face, nizoral shampoo is also use to treat folliculties. You can also try drinking a green smoothie daily for its high vitamin A which help against acne.

Yes you can use nizoral when your breaking out, just do a spot test first. I am not sure about the salt water.

Hi I have these too! And after so many months of trail and error they haven't gone away i only have them in my chin and some on my left side . They definitely seem to be spreading slowly. I have tried everything. Chemical peels , bha, aha, changing my diet (I mean a very strict diet) hormonal tea, Im also taking , cod liver oil which has vitamin a and d , and taking zinc as well. The only thing that has helped out of everything has been the clay mask with APV and salysic acid and that's just to keep that at bay and no get inflamed. The cod liver oil helped immensely with the rest of my face and I don't even breakout on my chin anymore (which is where I have the clogged pores and closed comedones) but the little pumps persist and never ever go away no matter what . That's why I'm convinced that it is Pityrosporum Folliculitis . After doing so much research on it they don't have to be red or itchy to have folliculities. It could also be periorial dermatitis which shown in this picture http://mainelaserclinic.com/tag/clinic/ it's exactly what mine looks like.

I started doing this research after I found this post http://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/1uxny3/just_wanted_to_share_my_story_with_you_lovely/ . I recently purchase the zinc soap so I can't say if it's working or not but after trying everything and reading so many thing about periorial dermatitis and pytorosporum folliculitis, I believe I have to have one of those , now I went to a dermatologist when this all started which was the beginning of this year and all he said was that I have acne prone skin and gave me benexol peroxide and an acne antibiotic . None of which helped me.( I have never had acne like this before just the occasional pimple during that time of the month ). I am now going to go to another dermatologist with all the research I've done and demand they do a test to see if I have a fungus . I'm not saying that you have this but if there's is a possibility it could be this and you Spent all this time wasting money and doing strict diets with no results only to find out it was a fungus in the first place you won't be happy . I spend aloft of money on every type of product , home remedies, vitamins , cleansers , lotions , you name it and nothing has worked . I hope this has been some help as I am on the same journey as you :/

Hi I have these too! And after so many months of trail and error they haven't gone away i only have them in my chin and some on my left side . They definitely seem to be spreading slowly. I have tried everything. Chemical peels , bha, aha, changing my diet (I mean a very strict diet) hormonal tea, Im also taking , cod liver oil which has vitamin a and d , and taking zinc as well. The only thing that has helped out of everything has been the clay mask with APV and salysic acid and that's just to keep that at bay and no get inflamed. The cod liver oil helped immensely with the rest of my face and I don't even breakout on my chin anymore (which is where I have the clogged pores and closed comedones) but the little pumps persist and never ever go away no matter what . That's why I'm convinced that it is Pityrosporum Folliculitis . After doing so much research on it they don't have to be red or itchy to have folliculities. It could also be periorial dermatitis which shown in this picture http://mainelaserclinic.com/tag/clinic/ it's exactly what mine looks like.

I started doing this research after I found this post http://www.reddit.com/r/SkincareAddiction/comments/1uxny3/just_wanted_to_share_my_story_with_you_lovely/ . I recently purchase the zinc soap so I can't say if it's working or not but after trying everything and reading so many thing about periorial dermatitis and pytorosporum folliculitis, I believe I have to have one of those , now I went to a dermatologist when this all started which was the beginning of this year and all he said was that I have acne prone skin and gave me benexol peroxide and an acne antibiotic . None of which helped me.( I have never had acne like this before just the occasional pimple during that time of the month ). I am now going to go to another dermatologist with all the research I've done and demand they do a test to see if I have a fungus . I'm not saying that you have this but if there's is a possibility it could be this and you Spent all this time wasting money and doing strict diets with no results only to find out it was a fungus in the first place you won't be happy . I spend aloft of money on every type of product , home remedies, vitamins , cleansers , lotions , you name it and nothing has worked . I hope this has been some help as I am on the same journey as you :/

Glad to see that someone is on the same boat. I went to the next dermatologist and said to him that i wanna test my skin. He refused. And told me that is only acne closed comedones. My skin is horrible now. After using antibiotic and 7th week on duac gel and differin. I still breaking out. These tiny bumps unders skin became big imflamed pustule and papule. And they are so close togeter, seems like some cysts. They took so long to away and not shrink at all. Are your bumps red. Mine is under skin, can see them only in the certain light. Sometimes they are itchy. First i thought that could be fungus cause my acne. Now i think maybe that could be demodex mites, which worse my skin condition. My eye lashes are falling down and my eyes are sometime itchy. During the thay my face is sometimes itchy and the small bump or boil appear and after few hours they are gone. I heard that demodex live in the skin pore and love oily skin. My skin is super oily now. My derm prescribed me some zinc ointment. I helps a little. But my face is a big mess now. I am thinkin to have some laser or oxygen facial treatment. Do you think it will help with my cystic acne, papules and pustules?

Dear, I think I might have a similiar problem. You say you get bumps, tiny, small ones that are hard to touch and may feel itchy (they dont have to, but mine itch from time to time). I assume it can be facial dandruffs, or pityrosporum folliculitis, one kind of seborrheic dermatitis in general. This nightmare is caused by yeast, called Malassezia furfur, which is cause also for typical hair dandruffs. Your skin may appear dry, because the sebum - basically your natural oil produced by your sebacious glands, is food for the malassezia yeast. I used many acne products, nothing seemed to help , I was desperate...I went to derm and what would she do? Said it was acne. I pleaded her if she couldnt do some test, so that it would prove its not a fungal issue, but a bacteria one, as she would always insist. But of course she refused - she again prescribed me antibiotics and another acne cream (many creams used so far) all fighting bacteria. Nothing against fungus (yeast). Even though I said its never pus in my pores if I pick the stuff out. Its like hard rice-like hair follicle or something and its usually very hard to pick it. I used to pick them out like stupid because I was so desperate I could not get rid of them, but they would always come back on the same place even under the scar that stayed after picking, so it formed like a tiny hard cyst. Also, this rash is itchy as well, just like in case of pityrosporum foliculitis (but it doesnt have to be itchy or red in every case of PF, but usually its always those small hard little bumps). She would not listen however. So I decided insted of taking those pills and anti-acne stuff again, rather to buy an Nizoral shampoo with Ketoconazole in it. I gently wash my face with it in the morning and in the evening as well. Also for my scalp I started using Head and Shoulders shampoo, which contains Pyrihione Zinc, again fighting against Malassezia. There is a lot of helpful stuff for this condition out there, just google it. And what is very important, dont try to pick them out, because they tend to spread even more easily. What helped me a lot as well is using Benzoyl Peroxide for night, which dries up your skin a lot, so that yeast would starve . For a day, I apply noncomedogenic, oil free and water based moisturizer and noncomedogenic makeup. I think this condition is like chronic because I did not cure completely, I just keep it in condition that is quite OK. .........I am not saying this is PF, I am not a derm but it looks just like it - based on the picture and what you wrote about your skin condition as well. I also read that people who were taking antibiotics, contracption pills or people having a problem with a digestive system may be more prone to PF (or seborrheic dermatitis in general). Try to gather as many info about what this rash might be as you can, so that it would not get worse due to treatment that is not suitable. I hope we will get better soon.

Dear, I think I might have a similiar problem. You say you get bumps, tiny, small ones that are hard to touch and may feel itchy (they dont have to, but mine itch from time to time). I assume it can be facial dandruffs, or pityrosporum folliculitis, one kind of seborrheic dermatitis in general. This nightmare is caused by yeast, called Malassezia furfur, which is cause also for typical hair dandruffs. Your skin may appear dry, because the sebum - basically your natural oil produced by your sebacious glands, is food for the malassezia yeast. I used many acne products, nothing seemed to help , I was desperate...I went to derm and what would she do? Said it was acne. I pleaded her if she couldnt do some test, so that it would prove its not a fungal issue, but a bacteria one, as she would always insist. But of course she refused - she again prescribed me antibiotics and another acne cream (many creams used so far) all fighting bacteria. Nothing against fungus (yeast). Even though I said its never pus in my pores if I pick the stuff out. Its like hard rice-like hair follicle or something and its usually very hard to pick it. I used to pick them out like stupid because I was so desperate I could not get rid of them, but they would always come back on the same place even under the scar that stayed after picking, so it formed like a tiny hard cyst. Also, this rash is itchy as well, just like in case of pityrosporum foliculitis (but it doesnt have to be itchy or red in every case of PF, but usually its always those small hard little bumps). She would not listen however. So I decided insted of taking those pills and anti-acne stuff again, rather to buy an Nizoral shampoo with Ketoconazole in it. I gently wash my face with it in the morning and in the evening as well. Also for my scalp I started using Head and Shoulders shampoo, which contains Pyrihione Zinc, again fighting against Malassezia. There is a lot of helpful stuff for this condition out there, just google it. And what is very important, dont try to pick them out, because they tend to spread even more easily. What helped me a lot as well is using Benzoyl Peroxide for night, which dries up your skin a lot, so that yeast would starve . For a day, I apply noncomedogenic, oil free and water based moisturizer and noncomedogenic makeup. I think this condition is like chronic because I did not cure completely, I just keep it in condition that is quite OK. .........I am not saying this is PF, I am not a derm but it looks just like it - based on the picture and what you wrote about your skin condition as well. I also read that people who were taking antibiotics, contracption pills or people having a problem with a digestive system may be more prone to PF (or seborrheic dermatitis in general). Try to gather as many info about what this rash might be as you can, so that it would not get worse due to treatment that is not suitable. I hope we will get better soon.

Mine bumps are hard skin colour they form time to time itch too not every time, mostly in the evening at night, when i apply duac gel (clyndamicin and benzoyl peroxide). Most of them became imflamed papules with no pus. I am thinking that i have fungus infection and demodex mites on the skin that cause my acne so worse. Today i went to the derm, told him that my acne are very itchy, somtimes i get some red bump and they about in hours shrink. Those are itchy. I cant stand my face now. Active papules, scars, hpigmentation, hard small bumps under skin. My skin is now the worst i had ever have. I am thinking about getting low dose accutane. 10 mg per day. Could be this cure for my skin condition?

I have this same problem for 3 months it's so annoying but I've managed to get rid of most of them ....I take 2 evening primrose capsules and one zinc pill, I exfoliate like 3 times a day and use acv as a toner ...I also pray...I've had a hard time understanding that everything will be okay but it truly will! You can also ...like user said above I think I got mine because of some antibiotics I was taking for a tooth ache!

Scientific evidence has shown that the presence of certain vitamins or their deficiency in the diet is closely linked to the development or regression of acne. This group of vitamins can be called acne vitamins and include (but is not limited to) vitamin A, vitamin C, Vitamin E and some vitamins of B complex.

These bastards made me go on accutane. My face was covered by them,and by the time they started to transform into pimples,nothing stopped them (differin,antibiotics,retin a). (the funny thing is that they just kept appearing )

I hope you get a solution darling. Keep fighting.

These bastards made me go on accutane. My face was covered by them,and by the time they started to transform into pimples,nothing stopped them (differin,antibiotics,retin a). (the funny thing is that they just kept appearing )

I hope you get a solution darling. Keep fightiTh

These bastards made me go on accutane. My face was covered by them,and by the time they started to transform into pimples,nothing stopped them (differin,antibiotics,retin a). (the funny thing is that they just kept appearing )

I hope you get a solution darling. Keep fighting.

Thanks for encouraging :). Did accutane help you with these bumps? Did these bumps under skin appear or spread more while you re on accutane? I am waiting for them to surface and treat them with accutane, but I am afraid that going on accutane, more of them will appear, process of purging or in. break out!!!!

I have this same problem for 3 months it's so annoying but I've managed to get rid of most of them ....I take 2 evening primrose capsules and one zinc pill, I exfoliate like 3 times a day and use acv as a toner ...I also pray...I've had a hard time understanding that everything will be okay but it truly will! You can also ...like user said above I think I got mine because of some antibiotics I was taking for a tooth ache!

Zinc make my skin more oily, could this be zinc increase testosteron leve. I took Zin for 2 weeks and noticed my skin are more oily.

Thanks for encouraging . Did accutane help you with these bumps? Did these bumps under skin appear or spread more while you re on accutane? I am waiting for them to surface and treat them with accutane, but I am afraid that going on accutane, more of them will appear, process of purging or in. break out!!!!

No problem,i love helping other people that suffered the same things i did.

I'm on my third month (40mg) and closed comedones are mostly gone. (from over 250 to less than 10).

I did had a kinda bad breakout (purging),but my face was already a mess before starting accutane,so it wasn't that notorious. They did not spread but they were closer to the surface,so the comedones were a little bit more visible.

By month 2 after the purging phase,comedones and blackheads were reduced by at least 80%.

Right now,closed comedones count are less than 10. I don't have any active acne on my face,and texture fells smooth and spectacular. Now i just have these annoying red marks that time will fix lol.

So,accutane definitely helped me a lot with the closed comedones and pre-existing acne. They did not spread,but i had to go trough a bad purging phase for a month or so.

Hi

I'm having similar bumps on my face as well. I started to get these when I stopped birth control pills. But it gotten so much worse a couple months ago when I used a wrong face wash and got bad allergic reaction to it. First few weeks, I tried to fix the problem myself using oxygen mask but my skin got super oily after that. I think the mask was too stimulating causing my skin to produce more oil.

I'm doing laser treatment right now. It seems to help with active pimples but does absolutely nothing to the closed comedones. My advice to you is to stop using anything that is too drying. When your face is dry, it's trying to compensate by producing even more oil. If you use acne gel, try to moisturize your face before you apply medication or try to use it every other day instead of everyday. The key is to not over dry your skin and be very gentle.

Hi there, I have been reading these forums for days now trying to get an idea of what I have.

It started out as a teeny tiny bumps (sometimes with a little white head) on the tip on my arms. Just up and down my arms. Then it moved to my chest. I went to the derm, She said I just have Folluclitis - she told me to get on Doxcycline and Codran cream. It spread. It got worse! All over my back and moved up to my face.

I got off the antibiotics and it cooled down for a little. Well it's been super hot here and it's now everywhere. my legs, my chest, my arms and my face. Even some on my stomach. It's sometimes a little itchy but not terribly bad. Just looks horrible. and it's irritating on my face.

Do you think this is Pityrosporum Folluclitis? From the beginning until now I've had it for 3 1/2 months.

Hey nbrown224 - I just replied to your post on the other forum--your photo does look like the chest PF flareup I recently had, and the fact that it sounds like it got worse with antibiotics also really seems to point to PF. But I didn't realize until I read this version of your post that it had spread so widely--sorry to hear that! ( I had suggested trying a test-run with over-the-counter, anti-fungal topicals, which worked for me AND confirmed the PF diagnosis. GIven that yours is more widely spread, I know topicals might be difficult to deal with, and ultimately *maybe* you would need something systemic (oral) to wipe things out fully...but I still think it's worth a shot to try the topicals, maybe focusing mostly on one area--because if it helps, that at least gives you evidence to take to a dermatologist and figure out next steps.

Even I have those tiny things. On my cheek all over. I love picking them up and all what I find is a small rice like structure with a hair follicle covered in it. Its been on me since like a year. Got more worse since past 3 months. After picking them, I infected one and now I have a bump on my cheek with pus. Doc said me its S. Aureus infection. And it explains I had been working in microbiology lab a month ago before they broke out. But at that time I used to have steam once a week. I went off steam and bam they be back. Now am again planning to have a whole body steam. I was on antibiotics for past 3 days cause of that infection. Hope that doesn't worsen it. I suspect mine to be s. Aureus infection or something. I cannot steam now cause of that open infectious boil. But once it is healed I'll try whole body steam.