Why Monsoon Causes Fungal Acne in Indians

When the monsoon arrives in India, it normally brings a pleasant relief for most of the Indians from 

• Extreme heat
• Dusty winds
• Dry skin days

But for many people, the rainy season also brings unwelcomed skin problems like tiny itchy bumps on the 

• Forehead
• Chest
• Back
• Jawline
• Shoulders

This may look like acne but normally does not behave like ordinary pimples. This is often what people term as fungal acne.

Fungal Acne

It is commonly known as Malassezia folliculitis. It is basically a condition in which yeast that normally lives on the skin multiplies excessively in the anoxic humid microbiome on the skin. The result is a uniform, often itchy, acne-like bump on the skin that can flare badly in the monsoon. Monsoon is the perfect season for this problem to thrive in 

• Humidity
• Sweat
• Friction
• Damp clothing
• Heavier skincare routines

In India, the issue tends to be very common during monsoon because the season combines several triggers at once such as

• Tropical hot and humid weather
• Excess sweating
• Repeated loop of wet-dry clothes
• Commutes in crowded vehicles
• Occlusive clothing 

Understanding why fungal acne flares during monsoon can help you prevent it instead of chasing the solutions for its prevention after it appears.

What Is Fungal Acne?

Fungal acne is an infection or overgrowth involving hair follicles, usually caused by Malassezia furfur. This yeast already exists naturally on most people’s skin. Trouble starts when the pilosebaceous units of the skin behave abnormally and the pores of the skin become clogged with 

• Excessive oil production 
• Altered sebum quality
• Poor desquamation

The yeast gets the ideal environment to multiply. 

Fungal acne usually shows up as 

• Small
• Red / Skin-colored
• Filled with a little pus
• Similarly sized bumps

A basic hack to identify the fungal acne is pimple-like lesions with itching on the affected area. This is more typical of fungal folliculitis than common acne. 

This distinction is significant because people often treat fungal acne like regular acne and accidentally make it worse. Use of

• Strong exfoliants
• Greasy products
• Comedogenic creams 
• Antibacterials

May disrupt the skin microbiome rather than controlling the yeast.

Why Monsoon Creates The Optimum Conditions?

The first trigger is Humidity

The air holds more moistness. 

Sweat is basically not able to evaporate as easily from the skin during the monsoon. 

Your skin stays 

• Warm
• Damp
• Sticky 

Yeast usually prefers to thrive in exactly this kind of environment in the skin microbiome where high relative humidity increases the feeling of greasiness on the skin.

This can promote clogged follicles. It consequently makes fungal acne more likely to flare.

The second trigger is Sweat Retention. 

• Trapped sweat under common things usually in direct contact with the skin can damage the skin barrier including clothes that are damp from rain or perspiration in Indian monsoon conditions like

• Backpacks

• Helmet Straps

• Bras

• Collars

• Tight T-Shirts

• Commute in crowded public transport

• Spend hours in non-breathable footwear

This ultimately

• Creates added friction and prolonged moisture

• Irritates the hair follicles

• Even encourages the overgrowth of Malassezia

The third trigger is Occlusiveness. 

People may switch to heavier creams, layers of sunscreen, long-wear makeup or water-resistant products during the rainy season. Thick, oily or poorly suited products can create a sealed environment over the skin. 

This added occlusion can totally worsen the problem. 

• Oily moisturizers
• Heavy sunscreens 
• Harsh exfoliants 
• Comedogenic skincare products

These can be a trigger in people with acne-prone skin if the follicles are already under stress from heat and sweat.

Other Factors Contributing To Fungal Acne

Poor Desquamation

Continuous deposition and entrapment of trapped debris of dead skin cells with hyperkeratinization can add to the clogging of pores. 

Sedentary Lifestyle

Fluctuations in cortisol release with

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Improper sleep schedule
• Smoking &  Alcohol
• Junk foods
• Too fried and oily foods
• Certain dairy products

This hormone stimulates the receptors at sebaceous glands and results in over-production of sebum for microbes proliferation.

Environmental Stress

Harsh pollutants can make the skin feel dull and tired. Hot humid climate can make skin more sensitive to moistness in monsoon and render it susceptible to microbial invasion. Dry cold winters can make skin dry, the application of heavy comedogenic moisturizing agents over the dry skin may just worsen acne with increased incidence of clogged pores in the skin.

Hormonal Imbalance

Fluctuations in the levels of the hormones in the body like 

• Estrogen
• Progesterone
• Cortisol
• Testosterone

Due to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, stress, consumption of contraceptive pills, etc. can stimulate the oil glands to produce more sebum making skin excessively oily and more prone to acne.

Genetic Predisposition

• Genetic predisposition influences 

  • Shape and size of the pore

  • Structural design and productivity of the sebaceous glands

  •  Immune response to acne. 

• Receptor hypersensitivity influenced by genetics causes oil glands to overreact to mild swings in the normal hormone levels.  
• Retention Hyperkeratinization 

It is basically a genetic defect that causes dead skin cells to clump together inside follicles instead of shedding, leading to clogged pores. 

Key Differentiating Factors For Monsoon Fungal Acne In Indians

Fungal Acne vs Bacterial Acne

The common key differentiating features in bacterial acne and fungal acne are mentioned below:

1. Primary Microbe
   For Bacterial Acne - Cutibacterium acnes
   For Fungal Acne - Malassezia furfur

2. Visual Appearance
   Bacterial acne may vary widely in size, shape and depth.
   Fungal acne is highly uniform and appears as monomorphic tiny bumps.

3. Common Symptoms
   Bacterial acne is generally painful, tender or sore to manage.
   Humidity fungal acne is relatively more  itchy, burning or tingling.

5. Distribution
   Bacterial acne is generally randomly scattered pimples across the skin.
   Fungal acne is normally grouped, dense, rash-like clusters of many tiny bumps.

6. Response To Topical Anti-Bacterials
   Bacterial acne shows improvement in the condition as it’s effective against Cutibacterium acnes.
   Rainy season fungal pimples can worsen the condition, as it’s ineffective against fungal infection and it even disrupts the normal skin microbiome.

When To See A Dermatologist?

You should get professional help if

• Your bumps on the skin are itchy, stubborn and recurring in humid regions.
• The rash simply spreads to the chest, back, shoulders or hairline.
• Common acne skincare is not working effectively.
• You have used occlusive creams containing skin irritants.
• You have frequent fungal infections elsewhere in the body.
• You have low immunity or repeated skin infection.
  

A dermatologist can basically help you distinguish fungal acne from acne vulgaris, bacterial folliculitis, heat rash, contact dermatitis and medication-induced eruptions. 

How To Prevent Fungal Acne During Monsoon?

Choose Comfortable Fabrics

• Cotton and moisture-wicking fabrics usually work better than tight synthetic materials that trap sweat. 
• Looser fits also reduce friction over the chest, shoulders, back and other areas of the body prone to fungal acne.

Keep High-Risk Areas Dry

• The upper back, chest, hairline, neck folds, under-breast area and feet need extra care. 
• Pat gently and do not aggressively rub the skin dry after bathing. 
• Dry feet thoroughly and change wet socks in a prompt manner.

Rapidly Change Out Of Wet Clothes

• This may be the most effective step.
• Commuting or exercise, switch into dry breathable clothing as soon as possible after rain exposure. 

• Pay special attention to 

  • Innerwear

  • Socks

  • Workout clothes

  • Formal wear

Cleanse Gently

• Wash your face twice daily with a gentle exfoliating acid Cleanser

• A mild salicylic-acid cleanser may absolutely help such as

• Alite Anti-Acne Face Wash

• Alite Oil Control Face Wash

• They effectively

• Reduce congestion in the pores

• Support barrier repair

• Minimize the trapped debris of 

• Dirt

• Pollutants

• Dead skin cells

• Makeup

Simplify Skincare

• Use lighter and  non-greasy moisturizers
• Avoid layering many heavy products on the skin at the same time
• Opt for barrier supporting actives like Niacinamide
• You can also use Alite Anti-Acne Gel power packed with Niacinamide, Contacticel and Silanediol Salicylate. Apply after cleansing which is basically

• • Non-greasy

  • Non-comedogenic

  • Paraben-Free

Shower After Heavy Sweating

• A quick shower can absolutely help to reduce the buildup on the skin after exercise or a long humid commute including

• Sweat

• Oil 

• Yeast 

• This is very useful if you tend to break out on the body on a daily basis.

• You can use Alite Skincare Body Soap for use on a regular basis.

• These are made with 

• High TFM (Total Fatty Matter)

• Non-comedogenic ingredients

• Acne-fighting actives

• No SLS or Parabens

• These include

• Alite Anti-Acne Soap

• Alite Neem And Turmeric Soap

• Alite Neem And Aloe Vera Soap

Myths And Facts

Tips To Prevent Fungal Acne

• Use light, non-greasy and oil-free moisturizers
• Stay away from particularly comedogenic oils or heavy moisturizers
• Shower after the gym or strenuous activities so your skin gets rid of excess sweat and sebum
• Wear loose-fitting clothing
• Make sure the clothes you wear are preferably made of cotton in summers
• Avoid use of very oily or waxy products to style your hair
• Make sure to pin back greasy hairs away from your face
• Clean and Change pillow cases on a regular basis
• Ensure oils shouldn’t build up on the skin’s surface with direct contact of dirty pillow cases
• Resist to pick, pop or squeeze the bumps
• Disinfect glasses and sunglasses every week with rubbing alcohol 

• Skip products with 

  • Oils

  • Esters ending in –ate

  • Polysorbates

• Clean makeup brushes and sponges after every use to maintain hygiene in application of cosmetics on the skin

• Sanitize your mobile on a daily basis with wipes

What We Discussed

Monsoon can literally cause or aggravate the fungal acne / Malassezia folliculitis because the rainy season in India is hot and humid, creating a perfect breeding ground for yeast to proliferate in the clogged pores.

While bacterial acne manifests with pimples that can range in size and may be painful, fungal acne often looks like small, uniform red to skin-colored bumps which tend to be itchy, burning or prickly. Commonly affected areas are the forehead, hairline, upper chest, back, shoulders, jawline and any other areas that get trapped with sweat and moisture. 

The main monsoon triggers for fungal acne include the excessive humidity, being exposed to prolonged heat and high moisture, being in damp clothing for long periods, backpack straps, helmets and tight-fitting clothing, crowded commutes, non-breathable shoes and heavy cosmetics or creams. 

These conditions create moisture and occlusion of the skin, resulting in irritation of hair follicles and a prime environment for Malassezia to proliferate. Certain other risk factors for fungal acne include the amount of oil on the skin, changes in the composition of sebum, poor shedding of dead skin cells, hormonal fluctuations, stress, lack of sleep, diet, pollution and genetics.

Unlike the bacterial acne which is primarily caused by Cutibacterium acnes, fungal acne are typically closely aggregated and uniform-looking itchy bumps. Standard treatments for bacterial acne usually do not work against fungal acne and may even trigger more imbalances on the skin. 

Prevention of fungal acne centers on reducing moisture and sweat, eliminating friction and lessening occlusion of the skin. 

Wearing loose and breathable clothing with cotton or moisture wicking fabric, changing out of damp clothes immediately after use and keeping areas dry that get sweat trapped such as the chest, upper back, skin folds and feet clean and dry.

Taking a shower after a heavy workout, cleaning skin gently and consistently without overuse of soap and cleansing agent can prevent skin irritation. Simple skincare with the use of light-weight, non-oily & non-comedogenic moisturizer is recommended. 

Heavily oily, waxy or cream-based cosmetics should be avoided. Washing pillowcases frequently, cleansing makeup brushes often and sanitizing frequently-used items such as the mobile screen and glasses should be done regularly. Also keeping greasy hair away from the face and avoiding scratching and picking the bumps can prevent the spread of fungal acne.

For consistent, spreading or intensely itchy and recurrent bumps on the skin the consultation of a dermatologist is recommended in order to properly diagnose if it is fungal folliculitis or other type of acne, heat rash, dermatitis or other skin conditions and to begin the correct treatment.