What Does Malassezia-Safe Mean?: Definition, What's Safe, and What's Not

If you have dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, tinea versicolor, or fungal acne, you'll likely benefit from using Malassezia-safe products.

A Malassezia-safe product is one that does not fuel or promote the growth of Malassezia. In fact, some of these products might even help slow down or prevent its growth. Thus, using them may lower your risk of experiencing flare-ups of seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff, or fungal acne—and that usually means less skin irritation, inflammation, or flakiness.

If you have any of these conditions, we highly recommend reading this article before hitting the "Add to Cart" button on any skin or scalp care product.

We'll explore what makes a product Malassezia-safe, what ingredients to avoid, and how to build a skincare routine suitable for Malassezia-prone skin.

Table of Contents

• Definition of Malassezia-Safe
• Why Does "Malassezia-Safe" Matter?
• The Science Behind Malassezia
• Ingredients and Products to Avoid for Malassezia-Prone Skin
• Malassezia-Safe Ingredients and Products
• How to Choose Malassezia-Safe Products for Your Routine
• Dermazen's Commitment to Malassezia-Safe Formulations

Definition of Malassezia-Safe

The "Malassezia-safe" label shows that a particular product will not increase the population of Malassezia on your skin.

But what's the big deal about Malassezia?

Malassezia usually does not cause trouble. It's a fungus that naturally resides on the skin's surface as part of the normal skin flora—and, in most cases, without causing harm or skin irritation.

However, when the population of Malassezia increases, you might experience skin problems. Research shows that the Malassezia yeast is linked to the following skin diseases or issues: [1]

• Seborrheic dermatitis: This is one of the most common skin diseases. It causes itchy, flaky, and inflamed skin. These symptoms are thought to be the body's inflammatory response to Malassezia. Seborrheic dermatitis differs from atopic dermatitis, commonly referred to as eczema, which is brought about due to an interplay between the environment, your genes, and your immune system [2].

• Dandruff: Dandruff is a milder form of seborrheic dermatitis that does not involve inflammation. It's typically linked to itching and skin flaking.

• Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis): This skin condition causes small, red, and itchy bumps to appear on your skin. Regular acne (acne vulgaris) occurs when oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells clog pores. On the other hand, fungal acne is caused by a fungal infection of the hair follicles. Because of this, your typical acne medications will not help with fungal acne symptoms.

• Tinea versicolor (pityriasis versicolor): This fungal infection of the skin can lead to discolored patches, mild itching, and scaling.

To reduce the symptoms and severity of these conditions, you'd want to keep the population of Malassezia under control. And that's where Malassezia-safe products come into the picture.

Why Does "Malassezia-Safe" Matter?

The problem with many skincare products for those with Malassezia-related skin diseases or conditions is this: They contain ingredients that can feed Malassezia and, thus, fuel its growth. This can lead to fungal acne breakouts or worsening symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.

Having these products in your skincare routine could also be part of the reason why your antifungal medications, antifungal treatments, or even oral antifungal medications aren't working as well as they should.

So, if you have fungal-acne-prone skin, seborrheic dermatitis, or dandruff, it's important to use Malassezia-safe products to reduce the risk of aggravating or triggering your symptoms.

The Science Behind Malassezia

As mentioned, Malassezia can be found on all skin types, including healthy skin. A change in its population, though, could spell trouble.

This fungus can't make its own food, so it relies on feeding on the natural oils your skin produces, known as sebum [3]. The sebaceous glands produce sebum. This is why areas of the body with a high density of sebaceous glands and oily skin, such as the scalp and face, are more likely to have seborrheic dermatitis lesions.

You might unknowingly contribute to Malassezia growth by using skin or scalp care products containing oils and ingredients that feed the fungus. However, Malassezia does not feed on all kinds of oils or lipids. It typically prefers those containing fatty acids with a carbon chain length between C11 and C24 [4].  

Fatty acids are the building blocks of oils and lipids. Some oils are rich in fatty acids with carbon chains containing 11-24 carbon atoms, which can be problematic for those with Malassezia-prone skin.

If you struggle with seborrheic dermatitis, fungal acne, or dandruff, it's important to know which fatty acids might cause issues. Oils containing high amounts of such fatty acids could feed the Malassezia species and trigger or worsen symptoms.

Here's a list of fatty acids to watch out for:

• Lauric acid (C12)

• Tridecylic acid (C13)

• Myristic acid (C14)

• Pentadecanoic acid (C15)

• Palmitic acid (C16)

• Margaric acid (C17)

• Stearic acid (C18)

• Oleic acid (C18)

• Linoleic acid (C18)

• α-Linolenic acid (C18)

• Ricinoleic acid (C18)

• Nonadecylic acid (C19)

• Eicosanoic acid (C20)

• Arachidic acid (C20)

• Heneicosylic acid (C21)

• Behenic acid (C22)

• Tricosylic acid (C23)

• Lignoceric acid (C24)

The following graph shows how Malassezia's growth spikes when exposed to fatty acids containing 11 carbon atoms and more.

*Insert graph here

Ingredients and Products to Avoid for Malassezia-Prone Skin

Malassezia can feed on many different kinds of oil and butter. These lipids primarily consist of the fatty acids mentioned above.

Some lipids and oils to avoid with seborrheic dermatitis include:

You've probably seen some of these ingredients in skin or hair care products. These are very commonly used due to their nourishing and moisturizing properties. Even certain antifungal and dandruff shampoos contain these ingredients to help nourish, hydrate, and strengthen your hair.

These oils and lipids can be considered seborrheic dermatitis and fungal acne triggers. So, while they might have certain desirable properties, the risks of using these products usually outweigh the benefits.

We recommend removing products containing these ingredients from your skin or hair care routine and waiting to see if your symptoms improve!

Malassezia-Safe Ingredients and Products

With so many ingredients on the "do-not-use" list, you might wonder if any products are safe for Malassezia-prone skin.

The good news is, yes, there are Malassezia-safe products out there, but it will take a little more effort to find them!

If you're on the hunt for Malassezia-safe or fungal acne-safe products with moisturizing properties, you can look out for those containing the following safe oils:

• MCT Oil (without lauric acid): This oil is derived from coconut or palm kernel oil, having undergone a process that separates the medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) from everything else. This means that MCT oil consists primarily of fatty acids with carbon chains with less than 11 carbon atoms. However, some MCT oil formulations or products may still contain lauric acid (C12); if so, it's best to avoid them. Opt for those that don't, instead.

• Squalane Oil: This saturated oil mainly contains fatty acids with a 30-carbon chain backbone, making it Malassezia-safe. Research suggests that it can help manage symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis, in addition to being odorless, less greasy, non-comedogenic, and suitable for sensitive skin [5].

Alternatively, you can look for products that do not contain oils or lipids at all. You can also opt for those containing the following beneficial ingredients:

• Tea tree oil: This essential oil has antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Research suggests that it can help improve symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis, including flaking and itching [6]. Apart from tea tree oil, there are other essential oils that can help with seborrheic dermatitis. These include peppermint oil and rosemary oil.

• Sea salt: A sea salt formulation can be applied to affected areas, as sea salt has been shown to help reduce skin irritation and inflammation.

• Apple cider vinegar: Its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are proven to be useful in inhibiting the growth of Malassezia and reducing symptoms of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis

• Manuka honey: Sourced from Manuka trees, this medical-grade honey can help with redness, inflammation, and itching of the skin.

How to Choose Malassezia-Safe Products for Your Routine

If you have Malassezia-prone skin, here are some tips to keep in mind when building your skin and haircare routine:

• Read the ingredient labels of products carefully before purchasing them.

• Review the ingredients list of products you currently have to check if they contain ingredients that might be contributing to your symptoms.

• Use a website like Sezia to check if certain products are safe and suitable.

• Patch test any new formulation—even if it's considered Malassezia-safe—to see if it causes allergic reactions or skin irritation before applying it to larger areas of your skin.

Dermazen's Commitment to Malassezia-Safe Formulations

At Dermazen, we understand what it's like to live with seborrheic dermatitis—simply because we have this skin condition ourselves. We're dedicated to making every single one of our products Malassezia-safe, and we only offer products that work for us.

Having Malassezia-safe products is an important piece of the puzzle, but we don't stop there. Our formulations can also help to clear the fungus away through an effective three-step method:

• Disrupting the biofilm: The biofilm is Malassezia's natural protective barrier, shielding it from antifungal medications and agents. Our formulations contain ingredients like xylitol and colloidal silver that help deactivate this biofilm and improve the efficacy of antifungal agents.

• Clearing the fungus: We incorporate antifungal ingredients into our formulations, which help clear away Malassezia. These include tea tree oil and dead sea salt.

• Soothing without feeding Malassezia: You don't have to worry about using unsafe oils or lipids on your skin and scalp. We only use ingredients that moisturize and nourish the skin without feeding the fungus, such as concentrated aloe and hyaluronic acid.

Our bestseller, the Calming Seborrheic Serum, is dermatologist-recommended and suitable for seborrheic dermatitis affecting the skin and scalp. If you have dandruff, the Cleansing Dandruff Shampoo can help reduce flaking and itching while nourishing your scalp and hair.

And don't worry—our products don't contain parabens, sulfates, fragrances, or hard-to-pronounce chemicals. Our formulations are minimalistic yet nourishing, so you can have complete peace of mind!

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