Can Mold Cause Acne? [With Real Answers]

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It doesn’t matter if it’s the scorching heat in summer or the coldest of winter nights, mold infestation can take place anytime anywhere. Yep, the weather and environment don’t have that much impact on mold growth. 

But, when your moisture levels go out of hand and you have leakage in your household, molds grow out. 

For once, let’s leave the visual aspect out of the way. I’m sure seeing mold growth in your household is just a horrible sight. But, when these mold infestations start to grow, health and skin problems come with them too. 

That is why people ask this question- can mold cause acne? 

No! Mold doesn’t cause acne at all. But, when mold growth is seen inside homes, skin problems like allergies and rashes take place. The symptoms of these rashes sometimes directly align with acne symptoms. But, mold never causes acne. 

But, we are not going to stop here by just saying this statement. We will provide you with explanations and even help you out in stopping these infestations. 

Let’s start, then-

Will Mold Cause Acne? 

No! The mold formation in households doesn’t contribute to any sort of acne breakouts. But, it could lead to other skin diseases and rashes. 

Here, the skin rashes we’re talking about are directly caused due to mold infestations. Basically, mold formation releases spores into the surface of the air. From those spores, direct allergic reactions can take place which causes a skin rash. 

But, here’s a thing-

Not everyone you see around you will have a similar kind of reaction to mold spores. Some people will develop rashes directly after breathing mold spores. Whereas, others won’t develop any rashes or show any symptoms of a rash.

In What Circumstances Will Mold Form Acne?

Under no circumstances will mold form acne. It’s just not capable of causing any sort of acne formation on the skin. That is why you can worry less about mold-forming acne. 

But wait, mold can create other problems as you have seen in the previous segment we discussed. We won’t explain too much here because we have dedicated an entire section below. 

Does Mold Cause Skin Problems?

Yep! Even though mold can cause other skin diseases. First of which is the mold rash. Other than mold rash, mold can cause itching of the skin. 

This constant itching of the skin will cause overall scaly and dry skin. If that’s not enough, mold can even increase the chances of skin discoloration. 

Here, the discoloration of the skin is basically the skin turning a slight pinkish/reddish color.

Now, one thing that mold does is create smaller bumps on the skin. The bumpy skin texture is what causes people to believe that it’s acne. Whereas, the truth is that it’s just a bump on the skin and it’s due to mold formation.

How to Identify Whether the Bumpy Texture is Mold Rash & Not Acne?

By now, you will know that people mistakenly consider the bumpy texture of the mold rashes to be acne breakouts. But, in reality, that is just the bumps caused by mold allergies on the skin. 

So, how will you differentiate between the two? Because obviously, both skin problems will have separate treatments. Well, it’s quite hard to judge them apart! 

Because the bumps caused by mold infections do have a slight reddish color. Similar to this, even acne breakouts may have developed reddish inflammation on them. 

So, overall, the visual difference will be hard to grasp if this is the first time you’re experiencing them. 

But, worry not! We’re going to show the three ways you can differentiate the two-

Blood Testing

Generally, blood tests will easily do the trick at indicating whether you have mold rashes or not. It will check for Immunoglobulin E to see if you have any sort of allergies or not. 

Yes, blood testing indicates allergies easily too. So, it will be easier for you to judge the differences. 

Skin Testing

This type of testing is where smaller allergen droplets are placed on the arm. Here, the healthcare worker will judge by observing the droplets on your skin (mainly the forearm).

Firstly, the nurse will come forward at cleaning the forearm or any area of the skin you’re intending to apply. Then, after cleaning with alcohol swabs, they’ll drop the droplets. 

If there is any allergic reaction, it will show in under 15-17 minutes. But, in order for the allergic reaction to show, the nurse will apply saline, histamine, and glycerin to the forearm. 

After testing it out, you will know that the bumpy texture is caused by mold, and it’s an allergy rather than acne. Then, you can start taking treatment for mold exposure because it can be really harmful to the body. 

Apart from allergies, mold exposure at extreme levels will cause asthma and lung problems. But, that’s a story for later! 

How Do Molds Grow in the Household?

Usually, mold is always present in the outdoors and indoors of a house. It can easily enter using windows, vents, and even doorways. If you thought that was it, these things can even enter through air conditioners.

From the outside, molds can get attached to shoes, and then it gets transferred indoors. Once inside, these spores will get attached to places with excess moisture. 

So, if your roofs, walls, and pipes have small leaks in them, mold formation is just a matter of time. 

How to Stop Mold Infestation from the Household?

Yep! It’s important that you stop mold infestation in your household. After all, mold causes a lot more skin and health problems than causing acne. 

But, if your concern is about acne only, you still would not want black molds growing around your home, right? That is why we’re dedicating this section only to you. Let’s go-

Step 1: Controlling the Moisture Levels & Ensuring Better Ventilation 

As you know that mold formation usually takes place in wet and moist places, that is why you need to control the moisture level at all times. Here, you can use a dehumidifier to lower and control the moisture level. 

Plus, you can use fans and open the windows out to let air pass out from those areas. This way, you won’t even create a damp environment. 

Usually, lesser ventilation takes a toll on making the environment too damp. Like you see in bathrooms. That is why this step is necessary. 

Step 2: Cleaning Affected Surfaces

Now that you’ve located the affected areas, it is time to clean. Basically, you won’t need any fancy materials or products to do this job. 

Firstly, take soap or you can create a bleach solution. Since finding a soap will be easier, take that if you’re not feeling like putting in more effort. Then start applying soap/bleach solution on the surfaces where there is mold. 

Step 3: Replacing Insulation & Drywall If Mold Growth Can’t be Controlled

As simple as it sounds, you will need to replace the drywall and the insulation of your home when you can not remove mold. 

Yep, if you can’t remove the mold from those surfaces, you need to remove the surfaces. Because you can’t really let mold spread from those surfaces. Remember, it gets trickier in the long run.

Step 4: Taking a Professional Help

If nothing helps on your part, it’s time to take help from a professional. Yes, getting a professional will make the job easier since they will remove the mold. 

Plus, they will even look at other possible areas for another infestation.

FAQs

Does mold directly take part in breakouts? 

Answer: No! Mold doesn’t directly cause acne or skin breakouts. But, what mold does is create allergies on the face. Due to these allergies, smaller bumps take place on the skin which causes people to believe them as acne.

Is black mold more dangerous than normal mold when it comes to skin problems? 

Answer: Yes! Black mold is more dangerous than normal mold when it comes to skin problems. It’s not only skin problems, black mold can cause a lot of health problems as well. When these fungi enter the skin, they create lesions and spots on the skin. Plus, they even cause swelling in areas where there will be leakage of fluid. 

Can fungal acne be treated?

Answer: Yes! Fungal acne can be treated. But, they won’t have the same treatment as regular acne. The basic treatments you can give to fungal acne are showering and keeping your body clean. Also, wearing loose clothes and taking in anti-fungal meds help out as well. 

What are the symptoms of a mold rash? 

Answer: The visible symptoms of a mold rash are redness and itching. Also, it can create little bumps like pimples on the skin. But, that isn’t technically pimples.  

Conclusion

Well, guys, you will know the answer to all of your questions through this informative guide. So, can mold cause acne? I guess now you know that it doesn’t create acne. But, saying this one-liner doesn’t help the cause.

Because mold can create a lot of harmful skin diseases like rashes and allergies. Also, mold can even contribute to health problems like asthma. So, it’s better you remove them from your household. 

And, we have shown you exactly how to remove them in our guide. Carry those steps out carefully. Good luck!