Things That You Never Expect On Tinea Versicolor

Tinea versicolor is a typical fungal skin illness. The fungus disrupts the skin’s natural pigmentation, causing tiny, discolored areas. These blotches often affect the trunk and shoulders and might be paler or darker in color than the surrounding skin.

Tinea Versicolor 

The excessive fungus that causes tinea versicolor obstructs the skin’s natural ability to produce pigment. Skin pigment becomes uneven as a result.

The majority of cases of tinea versicolor are in adolescents and young adults. Tinea versicolor may become more obvious when exposed to the sun. Pityriasis versicolor, another name for tinea versicolor, is neither unpleasant nor infectious. However, it could result in anxiety or self-consciousness.

Tinea versicolor may be treated with antifungal creams, lotions, or shampoos. However, skin color irregularity may continue for a few weeks or months even after a successful therapy. In very hot and muggy conditions, tinea versicolor often returns.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of tinea versicolor include:

• Skin discoloration patches that are often seen on the back, chest, neck, and upper arms and may be brighter or darker than normal.
• Slight itching
• Scaling

Consult a doctor if

• Self-care techniques don’t help your skin
• Recurrence of the fungus infection
• The patches encircle a significant portion of your body

Causes

The fungus that causes tinea versicolor may be found in healthy skin. Problems only arise when the fungus becomes out of control. This expansion might be caused by a variety of variables, including:

• Heat and humidity
• Greasy skin
• Hormone adjustments
• Compromised immune system

Prevention

Your doctor may recommend a once- or twice-monthly skin or oral therapy to help prevent tinea versicolor from reappearing. These may only be necessary during the hot, humid months. Among the preventive measures are:

• Lotion or shampoo containing 2.5 percent selenium sulfide
• Ketoconazole cream, gel, or shampoo
• Itraconazole pills, capsules, or oral solutions
• Tablets of fluconazole or an oral solution

Diagnosis

By examining it, your doctor can determine whether you have tinea versicolor. He or she may collect skin scrapings from the affected region and examine them under a microscope if there is any uncertainty.

Treatment

You may need a prescription-strength treatment if your tinea versicolor is severe or doesn’t react to over-the-counter antifungal medication. Some of these medicines come in the form of topical creams that you apply to your skin. Others are ingested medications. Examples comprise:

• Ketoconazole cream, gel, or shampoo
• Ciclopirox cream, gel, or shampoo
• Tablets of fluconazole or an oral solution
• Itraconazole pills, capsules, or oral solutions
• lotion or shampoo containing 2.5 percent selenium sulfide

Your skin’s hue may continue to be uneven even after a successful treatment for a few weeks or even months. Furthermore, in hot, muggy conditions, the illness could come back. If the infection is severe, you may need to take medicine once or twice a month to stop it from coming back.

Taking care of oneself

You may use an over-the-counter antifungal lotion, cream, ointment, or shampoo for a mild case of tinea versicolor. These topical medications, which consist of the following:

• Cream or lotion with clotrimazole
• Miconazole cream
• Lotion with 1 percent selenium sulfide
• Terbinafine cream or gel
• Soap with zinc pyrithione

Wash and dry the afflicted area before using creams, ointments, or lotions. Then, for at least two weeks, apply a thin coating of the product once or twice every day. After waiting five to ten minutes, rinse your shampoo off. Consult your doctor if, after four weeks, you still don’t feel better. You could need a stronger drug.

Additionally, it helps shield your skin from UV rays produced by the sun and other artificial sources. The skin tone usually evens out with time.