By Shammi Mondal

You might have a well-rounded skincare routine, but there are times when you find tiny, stubborn bumps on your forehead and around the sides of your face that won’t go away. And common acne treatments might have no effect on them either. This is because those bumps aren’t acne at all. In fact, this is an under-recognised skin condition called malassezia folliculitis.

We reached out to dermatologist Dr Kiran Sethi to find answers to these burning questions

What is malassezia folliculitis?

It’s commonly to misdiagnose them as fungal acne. However, “Fungal acne is not a real classification of acne at all; what it actually could be is Malassezia Folliculitis,” says Dr Kiran.

“Malassezia is a yeast that usually exists on the skin and scalp naturally. But when it meets excess oil, it infects your hair follicles and cause folliculitis (inflammation of hair roots),” she adds.

How do you identify Malassezia folliculitis (MF)?

At first, they may look like small, reddish bumps, but when you look closely, you will notice that they’re swollen bases of hair follicles.

“These pimple-like bumps generally occur around your forehead, and towards the outer periphery of your face. The bumps can be itchy and most often they don’t contain pus,” explains Dr Kiran.

If you have oily skin, sweat a lot, or live in humid conditions, you have a higher chance of having MF. It can also be triggered by hormonal changes, excessive dandruff, antibiotic usage and diabetes.

Is it treatable?

Yes, and it’s pretty easy. Here are Dr Kiran Sethi’s five recommendations

#1 Niacinamide for the win

“Niacinamide is truly a gem of an ingredient. It is especially effective for treating Malassezia folliculitis as it controls excess sebum production, which is the root cause of the bumps,” says Dr Kiran.

Pick up a niacinamide-based serum or moisturiser and apply it all over you face at bedtime to keep oiliness at bay.

5 Ways To Treat The Everlasting Bumps On Your Forehead