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What is tinea versicolor?
Tinea versicolor is a fungal infection that causes small areas of abnormal color spots on your skin. It is also called pityriasis versicolor. It results from a type of yeast that naturally lives on your skin. When the yeast grows out of control, it causes rash to appear on the skin.
Signs and symptoms of tinea versicolor
- Patches that are white, pink, red, or brown and may be lighter or darker than the skin around them.
- Spots that may occur anywhere on your body but are most commonly seen on your neck, chest, back, and arms.
- Spots that are dry and scaly and may itch.
Tinea versicolor causes
- Oily skin
- Living in a hot climate
- Sweating a lot
- Hormonal changes
- A weakened immune system
Tinea versicolor treatment
- Topical antifungals – Topical anti-fungal products containing ingredients such as clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole
- Antifungal pills
Treatment usually gets rid of the fungal infection, but skin discoloration may take several months to resolve.
