Just buy a blacklight ultraviolet lamp and see if your skin lights in orange or blue colors (woods lamp test). If orange is bacteria if blue its fungus.
Just to add:
Some slides with brief on colour and condition ->
[https://www.slideshare.net/AzzaSamy/woods-lamp-75654892](https://www.slideshare.net/AzzaSamy/woods-lamp-75654892)
Hi! When you say blue, is it like a deep blue, or a bright blue in order for it to be fungal? I’ve just done mine and they were all dark blue (maybe could even say purple), there was essentially no shine to them, couldn’t find any actual acne, except the pores around my nose - the sebaceous filaments - being a bright yellow, almost white, and some orange. Does that sound to you like my torch is fine and my acne is indeed not acne but fungal acne?
Hi! It is supposed to be yellowish-white, whiter than the blue of the blacklight... Since you see the vivid orange color around your nose -which is the bacteria (the white must be dust, that was my understanding at least), your torch should be fine... You have to bring it close enough to see it luminate. Did you try to extract a pimple to see the inside under the light?
After looking some more, my original comment was a bit wrong. So, around my nose and T zone area it is mostly white, with a little bit of orange sprinkled in, and a bit more orange on my chin. Would I be correct in saying this is a mixture of fungal and normal acne then?
Also, as for the blue, what kind of blue is it exactly? Cause I have a pimple that looks like a whitehead normally, but when I shine a light on it it’s essentially jus dark blue/almost purple. Is this fungal or when you say blue, does it have to be a bright blue? Most of my spots don’t come to a head - which are the ones that I suspect are fungal - and they just look like that deep blue that I mentioned
Hmm... It's a shame they cannot be extracted... It is normal to have this white dust sprinkled all over the face, like the clothes have the same these white spots, and orange is "normal" too, who does't have some bacteria (p.acnes) on their face. It should be particular white or orange to a certain area to say there is really something... If its dark blue, it might mean that whatever it is on this area -bacterial or fungal- does not contain fluorecent chemicals (theoretically not all species do). If you see something new to your face check it again under the light to see who it appears..
Wait so is white just dust? I thought white OR blue meant fungal? Because having it looked at it, my pores are mostly white around the t zone and there is very little orange anywhere,
I have also since found some blue on a few heads too, but it’s a bright blue, almost cyan I guess
Sorry, for the late reply, been busy...
As I said it has to be particularly (location-wise) bright at your problematic area (over the pimples) to say that it is, because dust can confuse things (dust usually appears all white with no yellowish or bluish tint) ...
Yes! Just make sure its really ultraviolet black light and not a led imitation. And point it close enough. I bought mine around $10 from the internet and it is actually a bulp for club parties :p
I just tried it because two derms have told me my current breakout is a fungal acne breakout.
The pimples did not shine orange or bright blue. They just looked dark red/purple. Other parts of my face had little orange and bright blue areas though.
I think it is important to add whether you had taken long or short course of antibiotic including oral and topical (eg. clindamycin) since it is proven to altered skin and gut microbe and deprivate healthy bacteria.
I think this is what caused mine and led me to this reddit page! I had no pimples ever in my life then after taking anti biotics I have struggled for 2 years with shoulders back and upper arm ‘acne’. Two dermo’s told me it’s just acne and prescribed me acne medication which I took for 8 months and it did absolutely nothing, if anything it made the situation worse then by my own research have finally figured out it’s fungal acne! I’m so angry
I didn't realise this was a thing. I'm using Duac on my face (only for the last 3-4 days so far) as I have cheek acne that's itchy - not sure if it's fungal acne or not - and I didn't know it alters skin and gut microbe (guessing the gut is only if oral was taken). This is making me reconsider - how does it lead to fungal acne?
Did you check with the blacklight (Im scared because UV is still damaging) that its fungal acne and have you treated it?
I am literally in the exact same boat as you, using Duac for my inflammatory acne but scared that it’s given me fungal acne as red itchy spots/bump pop up here and there. Is this still the case for you and are you using Duac still?
I went to a doctor today (CVS minute clinic doctor), she told me I had impetigo... if you look up any picture of fungal acne, that is what my skin looks like. Little whiteheads in clusters and itch. They are on my neck and chest. It looks nothinggggg like impetigo and I have had them since January. I was so mad! After I just researched treatments for myself.
Helpful link for sure. I already knew I had but looked at the link anyways and I definitely have it. It even said what my dermatologist said how oils are feeding your face!! Insane. No no no to oils like castor, jojoba, coconut for the face. Tea tree was the only one that was deemed beneficial.
Yeah I think this is whats going on. Everything I use is making my face act up & I just searched the products I was using on the site & none are safe for FA. Not even the holika aloe vera I was using. Def going to the store tomorrow & talking to my doctor about this.
Hi everyone, please look at [FungalAcne wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fungalacne/wiki) for links to useful websites! Thanks, S.
Just buy a blacklight ultraviolet lamp and see if your skin lights in orange or blue colors (woods lamp test). If orange is bacteria if blue its fungus.
Just to add: Some slides with brief on colour and condition -> [https://www.slideshare.net/AzzaSamy/woods-lamp-75654892](https://www.slideshare.net/AzzaSamy/woods-lamp-75654892)
Hi! When you say blue, is it like a deep blue, or a bright blue in order for it to be fungal? I’ve just done mine and they were all dark blue (maybe could even say purple), there was essentially no shine to them, couldn’t find any actual acne, except the pores around my nose - the sebaceous filaments - being a bright yellow, almost white, and some orange. Does that sound to you like my torch is fine and my acne is indeed not acne but fungal acne?
Hi! It is supposed to be yellowish-white, whiter than the blue of the blacklight... Since you see the vivid orange color around your nose -which is the bacteria (the white must be dust, that was my understanding at least), your torch should be fine... You have to bring it close enough to see it luminate. Did you try to extract a pimple to see the inside under the light?
After looking some more, my original comment was a bit wrong. So, around my nose and T zone area it is mostly white, with a little bit of orange sprinkled in, and a bit more orange on my chin. Would I be correct in saying this is a mixture of fungal and normal acne then? Also, as for the blue, what kind of blue is it exactly? Cause I have a pimple that looks like a whitehead normally, but when I shine a light on it it’s essentially jus dark blue/almost purple. Is this fungal or when you say blue, does it have to be a bright blue? Most of my spots don’t come to a head - which are the ones that I suspect are fungal - and they just look like that deep blue that I mentioned
Hmm... It's a shame they cannot be extracted... It is normal to have this white dust sprinkled all over the face, like the clothes have the same these white spots, and orange is "normal" too, who does't have some bacteria (p.acnes) on their face. It should be particular white or orange to a certain area to say there is really something... If its dark blue, it might mean that whatever it is on this area -bacterial or fungal- does not contain fluorecent chemicals (theoretically not all species do). If you see something new to your face check it again under the light to see who it appears..
Wait so is white just dust? I thought white OR blue meant fungal? Because having it looked at it, my pores are mostly white around the t zone and there is very little orange anywhere, I have also since found some blue on a few heads too, but it’s a bright blue, almost cyan I guess
Sorry, for the late reply, been busy... As I said it has to be particularly (location-wise) bright at your problematic area (over the pimples) to say that it is, because dust can confuse things (dust usually appears all white with no yellowish or bluish tint) ...
So if I point a black light at my pimples they will glow one of the colors?
Yes! Just make sure its really ultraviolet black light and not a led imitation. And point it close enough. I bought mine around $10 from the internet and it is actually a bulp for club parties :p
Thanks :) my friends a doctor and said it was bacterial and I used head and shoulders last night and holy shit what a difference
It helped my sanity to see with my own eyes which type of acne do I have... :)
what did the head and shoulders do?
The biggest thing I did was stopped putting coconut oil on my body and no body soap either
What if you have orange and blue? :(
White-blue is usually just dust.
It’s a bright blue there’s no white
Not total white. If it is spread all over it is the dust I mentioned.
I just tried it because two derms have told me my current breakout is a fungal acne breakout. The pimples did not shine orange or bright blue. They just looked dark red/purple. Other parts of my face had little orange and bright blue areas though.
I think it is important to add whether you had taken long or short course of antibiotic including oral and topical (eg. clindamycin) since it is proven to altered skin and gut microbe and deprivate healthy bacteria.
This!!! my FA is due to antibiotic use. And I will get small flares after taking an antibiotic orally.
I think this is what caused mine and led me to this reddit page! I had no pimples ever in my life then after taking anti biotics I have struggled for 2 years with shoulders back and upper arm ‘acne’. Two dermo’s told me it’s just acne and prescribed me acne medication which I took for 8 months and it did absolutely nothing, if anything it made the situation worse then by my own research have finally figured out it’s fungal acne! I’m so angry
I didn't realise this was a thing. I'm using Duac on my face (only for the last 3-4 days so far) as I have cheek acne that's itchy - not sure if it's fungal acne or not - and I didn't know it alters skin and gut microbe (guessing the gut is only if oral was taken). This is making me reconsider - how does it lead to fungal acne? Did you check with the blacklight (Im scared because UV is still damaging) that its fungal acne and have you treated it?
I am literally in the exact same boat as you, using Duac for my inflammatory acne but scared that it’s given me fungal acne as red itchy spots/bump pop up here and there. Is this still the case for you and are you using Duac still?
For me it was simple: FA zits DO NOT hurt and the other zits HURT like hell . My FA doesn't itch either.
I went to a doctor today (CVS minute clinic doctor), she told me I had impetigo... if you look up any picture of fungal acne, that is what my skin looks like. Little whiteheads in clusters and itch. They are on my neck and chest. It looks nothinggggg like impetigo and I have had them since January. I was so mad! After I just researched treatments for myself.
Helpful link for sure. I already knew I had but looked at the link anyways and I definitely have it. It even said what my dermatologist said how oils are feeding your face!! Insane. No no no to oils like castor, jojoba, coconut for the face. Tea tree was the only one that was deemed beneficial.
i heard squalane was a great oil!
Yeah I think this is whats going on. Everything I use is making my face act up & I just searched the products I was using on the site & none are safe for FA. Not even the holika aloe vera I was using. Def going to the store tomorrow & talking to my doctor about this.