Tinea Versicolor
8:43 AM
What Is Tinea
Versicolor?
The fungus Pityrosporum
ovale is a nonharmful
type of yeast that is found on the surface of the skin. It normally does not
cause any health problems. However, sometimes this yeast begins to grow out of
control, affecting the pigmentation (natural color) of your skin. When
this happens, you may develop patches of skin that are lighter or darker. This
condition is known as tinea
versicolor or pityriasis versicolor.
What Causes Tinea
Versicolor?
Tinea versicolor occurs when Pityrosporum
ovale on the surface
of the skin grows rapidly. Doctors are not sure why this happens. However,
there are some factors that may promote the growth of this yeast on the skin.
These factors include:
- hot and humid weather
- excessive sweating
- oily skin
- having a weakened immune system
- hormonal changes
Tinea versicolor can occur in people from all ethnic
backgrounds. However, the condition is more common in adolescents and young
adults. Adults are more likely to develop tinea versicolor if they visit an area
with a subtropical climate.
What Are the
Symptoms of Tinea Versicolor?
The most noticeable symptom of tinea versicolor is the
development of discolored patches of skin. These patches may:
- be lighter or darker than the surrounding skin
- be pink, red, tan, or brown in color (darkening of skin color is known as hyperpigmentation)
- be dry, itchy, and scaly
- be more prominent with tanning
- disappear in cooler, less humid weather
Tinea versicolor that develops in people with dark skin may
result in the loss of skin color. This condition is known as hypopigmentation.
Some individuals who develop tinea versicolor do not have any
significant changes in their skin color or appearance.
In addition to changes in the skin, you may also experience
increased sweating and itchy skin.
When Should You
Contact Your Doctor?
If you develop symptoms of tinea versicolor, you may choose to
treat the condition yourself. Over-the-counter antifungal medications may be
effective for eliminating discolored patches of skin. However, if these
treatments are not effective, you should contact your doctor. You may need a
prescription medication to control your symptoms.
How Is Tinea
Versicolor Diagnosed?
If strangely colored patches have developed on your skin and you
can’t treat them at home, see your doctor. He or she will examine your skin and
should be able to tell if you have tinea versicolor just by looking at the
patches.
If your doctor cannot diagnose the condition by looking at the
skin, he or she may take a skin scraping. A skin scraping requires removal of
cells from your skin by scraping the skin gently. The cells will then be viewed
under a microscope to see if they contain the yeast that brings about this
condition.
Your doctor may also use a Wood’s lamp to look at your skin.
This special machine, which uses ultraviolet light, will be held four to five
inches from your skin. If yeast is present, the affected skin will be yellow or
green under the light.
How Is Tinea
Versicolor Treated?
If your symptoms are not severe, you may choose to treat your
condition at home. Over-the-counter antifungal creams or shampoos may be
effective for killing the infection. Examples of over-the-counter medications that
can be used to treat tinea versicolor include:
clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF or Mycelex)
selenium miconazle (Monistat or M-Zole)
sulfide (Selsun Blue shampoo)
terbinafine (Lamisil)
If you seek treatment for tinea versicolor, your doctor may
prescribe different medications to help treat your condition. Some of the
medications are topical creams that can be applied directly to the skin.
Examples include:
- ciclopirox (Loproz or Penlac)
- ketoconazole (Extina or Nizoral)
- selenium sulfide shampoo
Your doctor may also prescribe pills to treat tinea versicolor.
Examples of medications include:
- fluconazole (Diflucan)
- Itraconazole (Onmel or Sporanox)
- ketoconazole (Extina or Nizoral)
How Long Will it Take
for Your Skin to Return to Normal
If you are diagnosed with tinea versicolor, treatment will
improve your long-term outlook. You may even be able to eliminate the
infection. However, your skin may remain discolored for several weeks or months
following treatment. Your infection may also return when the weather becomes warmer
and more humid. If your condition returns, your doctor may prescribe medication
once or twice a month to prevent symptoms.
How Can Tinea
Versicolor Be Prevented?
Preventing a recurrence of the condition can be difficult. If
you are diagnosed with tinea versicolor and successfully treated, there are
steps that you can take to prevent future infections. These include:
- avoiding excessive heat
- avoiding tanning or excessive sun exposure
- avoiding excessive sweating
- taking prescribed medication
0 comments