Acne can occur due to various reasons. One of the reasons for acne breakouts is fungal infection. It is somewhat different from the regular acne which occurs due to clogged pores or bacterial infection. It occurs due to the growth of a yeast infection in hair follicles.
Fungal acne could be difficult to manage as it has a totally different concern from regular acne. Usual acne care products do not help in controlling fungal acne. It requires targeted action for dealing with fungal pathogens, which regular acne products might lack. You require a cleansing agent that effectively helps in controlling fungal infection.
A neem soap is one of the best available options for this. It is a natural ingredient which is plant based. It is known for its soothing and cleansing properties. This ingredient has been used for a long time as a traditional skincare ingredient.
Known for its antibacterial and antifungal activity it could serve the purpose of acne clearance. By incorporating a soap formulated with neem, it could be quite effective in controlling your acne concerns. You just need to be consistent and smart while using this for achieving results.
What is fungal acne actually?
Fungal acne is a category of acne which is called Malassezia folliculitis scientifically. This infection is caused due to the overgrowth of the malassezia yeast in the hair follicles. This yeast is present naturally under the skin. But due to hot weather, sweat or a disrupted skin barrier this yeast could multiply rapidly in the hair follicles. It leads to inflamed and itchy acne on expansion.
Although this acne could look similar to regular acne it is a bit different-
- They are small sized bumps that can be itchy
- These bumps are widespread across the forehead, chest and shoulders
- They are even sized unlike regular uneven acne bumps
- They are triggered by hot and humid conditions
This could also dull your appearance, so you could use a skin brightening soap with active ingredients to deal with fungal acne.
Why regular acne soap won’t help?
A regular cleansing soap won’t help with fungal acne. It is because the major reason behind normal acne is a bacterial infection by Cutibacterium acnes bacteria.
The regular acne soaps focus on killing the bacteria and contain antibacterial ingredients majorly. These are ineffective against fungal infections. So regular soaps for acne fail to fight with fungal acne. It requires soap formulated with antifungal characteristics.
How neem become ideal for fungal acne?
Neem is the common name for Azadirachta indica plant. It has been used in ancient ayurveda for skincare purposes. It contains various active compounds that help in clearing the skin and also reducing the chances of acne. Neem is composed of various types of fatty acids like oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids. It also contains triterpenoids like nimbin and gedunin.
These two are responsible for delivering anti fungal action majorly. They work by penetrating the cell walls of the fungus. It then disrupts the lipid membrane of the yeast. By doing so it inhibits the growth of yeast and stops it from multiplying. It also inhibits the food supply of the yeast by inhibiting the enzymes that break sebum.
Benefits of using neem soap
- Removes excess oil: Neem helps in controlling and clearing the excess sebum from the pores. It thereby helps in reducing the survival of yeast which survives in oily and humid environments.
- Reduces inflammation: Fungal acne can cause skin inflammation and itching which could be disturbing. Neem has anti inflammatory properties which helps in soothing the skin and reduces the itching on the skin.
- Gentle cleanse: It helps in cleansing the skin effectively without leaving it dry or tightened.
- Skin refreshment: Neem helps a lot in keeping the skin refreshed as it has cooling and skin soothing properties.
- Support skin barrier: Neem contains some quantity of vitamin E. This enables neem to actively help in supporting the barrier repair function by providing moisture.
Additional supportive ingredients
There are some ingredients which when paired with neem can be very beneficial.
- Glycerin: This water soluble ingredient helps in providing moisture to the skin. It hydrates the skin without drying it. A glycerin soap does not increase the yeast growth and when paired with neem helps a lot.
- Tea Tree Oil: It is a naturally derived extract which contains anti-inflammatory properties that help in soothing the itchy and inflamed pimples.
- Aloe vera: This ingredient helps in reducing the burning and itching feel of fungal acne by cooling and soothing the skin. It also helps in providing moisture.
This makes it an overall best soap for dry skin.
Last Thoughts
Neem is a powerful ingredient. It has been used in ancient ayurvedic skincare. It contains all the right functions that an anti fungal acne care requires. Fungal acne is different from bacterial acne and it requires a different approach as well. Neem helps to provide so. It effectively helps in reducing fungal acne.
