I have just recovered from the worst outbreak of pityrosporum (malassezia) folliculitis ever. On hindsight, I should have taken photos to document my hellish experience but I was too ashamed! This is the story and I hope someday someone experiencing the same hell would stumble upon this blog and find a solution to their folliculitis problem.

Ive been a regular customer of Dans Benzoyl Peroxide. Best thing since sliced bread really! Used it for years and my acne (since I was 15) had been manageable since I discovered Dans products. My skin was brilliant. Then one rotten night, I woke up at 4am to some heavy itching around my neck, shoulders and back which later spread to my arms and legs. For the first time in my life I had severe food allergy.

Not sure what I had eaten (possibly shrimps?). The next morning, my entire body broke out in hives. It was HORRIBLE. Itching everywhere, the welts first formed individually and then they joined together. My eyes and mouth were swollen and my family panicked.

So we went to the GP and in the course of three visits he gave me two anti-histamine and steroid injections, steroid cream and more antibiotics. It didnt work to subside my itching and hives. My mom then decided to smoke me with frankincense resin and voila - It worked! The hives diminished and a week later I could return to work.

Little did I realized that all those anti-histamine, steroids and antibiotics were about to give me the WORST skin ever. Overnight exactly a day after the hives disappeared my face broke out in thousands of these tiny little whiteheads-looking bumps. It was everywhere, forehead, cheeks and even in the corners of my eyes! They were as many as one would have pores. My face looked hideous! It was an explosion of disgusting little bumps, so visible in any light spectrum!

I knew this wasnt my average acne. I NEVER had such a crazy tiny-bump breakout before. Heck, Ive had acne since I was 15 (Im 33 now) so I must know what my pimples look like! The bumps kept appearing, more and more, so my mom brought me to a dermatologist.

He wasnt much of a help. The Dr was offended when I suggested I may have pityrosporum and wanted anti-fungals. He was sarcastic, rude and told me since I was so clever I dont need a doctor at all. I told him calmly I know its part of acne, and that Ive had acne all my life so I would recognise what my regular breakout would look like and this was not it. I had to calmly explain to him that I wasnt trying to take his place as a doctor and was only hoping to help myself because at the end of the day, THIS is my skin and I have a lot of stake in it. The argument with the dermatologist didnt help with the situation. He insisted on giving me Roaccutane, but I refused. In the end, he prescribed Sporanox rather unwillingly (and even sarcastically added if this doesnt work, you are wrong!) and a bottle of a totally diluted red liquid which he claimed was Nizoral (which was what I had requested). The bill was ridiculously high, in which I assumed was a way to get-even with me because the Dr felt slighted that I had self-diagnosed myself. He obviously had NO CLUE what pityrosporum is!

So there goes my hope down the drain. I was on my own. I went to the pharmacy, got a bottle of Nitozol (2% ketoconazole) which cost $13 compared to the Drs diluted version of $70! He did slaughter me with the cost! Grr anyway, after a week of keto wash and finishing the course of Sporanox, the bumps remained and every waking day was a nightmare.

I tried the following over the course of a week and none of them worked:

Turmeric drink

Greek Yoghurt mask with added probiotics powder

Tea Tree oil

ACV with raw honey drink

Moor mud mask

Epsom salt spray/mask

Benzoyl peroxide (this is great for acne but NOT fungus!)

CLEAR anti-dandruff shampoo on my face (with zinc pyrthione)

None of the above worked for me. Then my sister in law (who is an A&E nurse) gave me a tube of Lamisil dermgel. That was my turning point!

Thank goodness it was festive week and we had 5 days off (I dont have to go to work and use makeup). In that week, I applied LAMISIL all over my face twice a day morning and night and soon saw drastic improvements on my face.

There were still some stubborn fungus growth left and then my order of Young Living oils arrived. Undeterred, I applied Oil of Oregano UNDILUTED, mind you on my entire face for two nights in a row. It stung like hell. It BURNED my skin and the pain was horrendous but it was well worth it. After two nights, my skin started peeling and the bumps began to clear. I think I literally burnt the damn fungus!

My bottle of mandelic acid that I ordered from Garden of Wisdom arrived as well. Im using it on my face at night three times in a week (alternate nights) and that helped SO MUCH!

Also, just in time too, my order for Dr Cynthia Baileys Calming Soap Zinc Pyrthione and Foaming Face cleanser arrived too. Its only been 3 days since Ive used both and I am seeing super fast result with all these combined!

So after a month of battling with the damn fungus, these are the things that worked for me:

ORAL:

Sporanox itraconazole 200mg x 7 days

Greek Yoghurt with added probiotics (look for acidophilus) daily for 14 days (eat not as a mask!)

TOPICAL the LAMISIL BATTLE

DAY:

(my normal face wash)

LAMISIL dermgel twice a day x 7 days

NIGHT:

(my normal facewash)

LAMISIL dermgel twice a day x 7 days

After the Lamisil 7 day battle

DAY:

Dr Cynthia Baileys Calming zinc soap x 2 times a week

Dr Cynthia Baileys Foaming cleanser x the rest of the week

Young Living Frankincense essential oil x 5 days (under makeup if you dont wear makeup, even better!)

NIGHT:

(my normal face wash which is also a makeup remover)

Dr Cynthia Baileys foaming face wash x 7 days a week

Young Living Oregano essential oil x 2 nights (if your skin is super sensitive, please try to dilute it somehow the burning pain is not for the faint-hearted!!) Use it only twice and then STOP!

Garden of Wisdom mandelic acid 10% (no alcohol/yes seaweed) x 3 nights (alternate) I might change this to no alcohol/no seaweed as seeing I may be allergic to shrimps, not a good idea to have iodine in my skincare!

Dan Kerns Benzoyl Peroxide on acne-looking spots

So yes, that was the story of how I managed to win the battle with the damn fungus for now. It took a solid month and lots of $$!! I know how it feels to be so disheartened. My colleagues were extremely sympathetic seeing me in such a state. They kept saying things will get better but at that time all I felt was putting a paperbag over my face. Worst still my job requires me to meet clients every single day! I am SO GLAD the fungus ordeal is over!

So.. hopefully this long-winded post will help someone. I want to thank all the great people who have suggested the above in previous years threads about pityrosporum and malassezia. Ive applied all their advice and that was how my treatment above came about. I am so thankful for the wisdom of the internet!

May my suggestion help someone too. All the best my fellow folliculitis warriors!