Possible plant-based solutions for skin yeast infections

Skin, hair, and nail fungal infections affect almost a billion people globally and their incidence is rising. Candida spp. and Malassezia spp., two yeasts that are part of the skin microbiota, normally do not cause disease. But, when dysbiosis occurs and the skin microbiome is disturbed, they can become pathogenic. There are conventional antifungals that treat candidiasis and Malassezia infections, such as azoles and allylamines, among others. However, the limitations of these treatments (resistance, side effects) lead to the search for new, alternative, and natural drugs, such as plant extracts (PEs) and essential oils (EOs). But these substances present some limitations (poor bioavailability and poor target capacity), which limits their efficiency. Their incorporation in formulations such as films and hydrogels (HGs) can help overcome these issues and may be a potential alternative to the current treatments. The main objective of this work is to provide a state-of-the-art review on Candida spp., Malassezia spp., mucocutaneous candidiasis and Malassezia infections, the conventional existing treatments and the incorporation of PEs and EOs in films and hydrogels as possible new alternative treatments for these diseases.