How does Malassezia folliculitis, often called fungal acne, typically respond to standard acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide?
Answer
They often do nothing or may even make the condition worse
The response to conventional treatment is a critical diagnostic differentiator for Malassezia folliculitis when compared to typical acne vulgaris. Since Malassezia folliculitis involves an infection of hair follicles by yeast, standard topical treatments aimed at killing acne-causing bacteria or reducing typical comedone formation—such as benzoyl peroxide or topical retinoids—are ineffective. In some cases, these treatments can inadvertently exacerbate the underlying fungal proliferation because they do not address the yeast component of the infection.
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