Yes, Washing Your Face With Head & Shoulders Can Clear Up Acne—But There’s a Catch

Various kinds of zits require completely different programs of therapy. Deep, cystic pimples require retinoids and anti-inflammatories, whereas surface-level blackheads reply finest to salicylic acid. And when you’re coping with fungal zits, the repair may simply be hiding in your trusty previous bottle of dandruff shampoo.

Although we are usually skeptical about TikTok magnificence hacks generally, dermatologists say that washing your face with Head & Shoulders—a apply that’s been trending on the app recently due to a viral video from comic Elyse Myers—is definitely fairly legit. Preserve studying to seek out out why your new favourite cleanser might already be hiding in your bathe.

@elysemyersyou ever have a look at a phrase so lengthy it begins to appear to be a made up phrase? my mind began convincing me ‘zinc’ wasn’t the precise spelling by the tip of enhancing this. ♬ unique sound – Elyse Myers

What to know earlier than washing your face with dandruff shampoo

Earlier than you begin slathering your pores and skin with shampoo, it’s necessary to notice that this methodology solely works on fungal zits—it seemingly gained’t do a lot for different sorts of breakouts (hormonal, comedonal, and so on).  The rationale? Fungal zits isn’t technically “zits” in any respect.

“Fungal zits is often known as pityrosporum folliculitis,” explains Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York Metropolis “Particularly in hotter climates, excessive ranges of sweat and oil permit regular yeast on the pores and skin to develop to larger than regular leavers. The yeast can then promote irritation inside your hair follicles, resulting in pink bumps and pus pimples.”

With that in thoughts, it’s necessary to know what to search for in a fungal breakout. In response to Tiffany Jow Libby, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Brown Dermatology,  fungal zits typically presents as pink bumps (just like conventional zits) and whiteheads or blackheads roughly a millimeter in measurement.

Whereas it may be arduous to distinguish between fungal zits and your run-of-the-mill zit, fungal zits tends to be itchy, and infrequently seems on the chest, again, and neck (although it might probably additionally happen on the face, which may make it harder to determine). One simple solution to spot it? You’ve tried all the same old remedies, and so they merely aren’t working.  “You probably have pus pimples not responding to conventional zits remedies, it might be this situation,” says Dr. Zeichner. 

How dandruff shampoo works to combat fungal zits

Dandruff and fungal zits have one main factor in widespread: Each are brought on by an overgrowth of the identical pores and skin yeast referred to as Malassezia. Whenever you’ve received an excessive amount of of it in your scalp, it might probably result in irritation, itching, and flaking (aka dandruff); when there’s a surplus wherever else in your physique (usually your again, neck, and chest), it might probably trigger fungal zits.

Contemplating the 2 circumstances have the identical most important offender—a dermatologist beforehand referred to seborrheic dermatitis, the most typical kind of fungal zits, as “facial dandruff“—it is sensible that in addition they reply to the identical therapy. Head & Shoulders (like most different dandruff shampoos) accommodates an anti-fungal ingredient referred to as zinc pyritheone, which lowers the extent of fungus in your pores and skin. Whenever you shampoo your scalp with it, it fights flakes; if you wash your face and physique with it, it retains fungal breakouts at bay.

“There’s little draw back to utilizing Head and Shoulders shampoo as a pores and skin wash for fungal zits,” says Dr. Zeichner. “It could even be used on individuals with delicate pores and skin.”

The suitable solution to wash your face with dandruff shampoo

When you’ve confirmed that what you’re coping with is, the truth is, fungal zits, you’re all good to go forward and repurpose your dandruff shampoo as a cleanser. To do it correctly, Dr. Zeichner recommends making use of it to the face and permitting the product to take a seat for round 20 seconds earlier than washing off. This, he explains, permits sufficient contact time on the pores and skin for it to do its job.

In the meantime, Dr. Libby suggests making use of the shampoo to affected areas for 5 to 10 minutes each different day. She warns it could take a number of weeks of constant use to clear the pores and skin, however says it’s a fully “viable resolution.” Should you’re susceptible to recurrent breakouts, proceed utilizing your dandruff shampoo on this trend a couple of times per week (even after your pores and skin is cleared) to maintain the situation at bay. 

So when you’re coping with fungal zits, think about grabbing a bottle of your new favourite facial cleanser: Head & Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo.

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