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Tinea Versicolor

Description of Tinea Versicolor

A fungus infection that affects mostly the skin of young people, Tinea versicolor is a common condition, which, though unsightly, is not permanent or serious. The spots that are associated with this condition can be either a light- or reddish-brown or sometimes may be even lighter than the surrounding skin, which is how it got its name “versicolor.” Sometimes there are only a few spots, but it’s possible for there to be enough spots for them to appear to run together or worse yet, that the patches of normal skin color are the islands caused by tinea versicolor instead of the opposite. Although the condition has few symptoms, there are some people who will suffer itching, especially when they perspire. The warmer the outside conditions become the worse the condition gets, so it is best to avoid things such as tanning salons and saunas.

What is the cause of tinea versicolor?

Pityrosporum orbiculare, yeast like structure is also known as Malassezia furfur, causes tinea versicolor. Pityrosporum orbiculare likes fat, and as such, it is common on areas of the body where there are many oil glands such as the chest, back, and shoulders. A few stray spots may occasionally appear on the arms, legs, or groin. Fortunately, the instances where tinea versicolor is found on the face are very rare.
Pityrosporum orbiculare is a normal component of our skin, but humidity and sweat help it to grow at a rapid pace in some people, thus causing a visible rash. The condition is not contagious, and usually appears in warm weather or appears noticeable only when we wear clothing that exposes more parts of our body. Additionally, when the sun tans the rest of the skin, the areas of the skin that are affected by the fungus become highly visible.

Are there other conditions that resemble tinea versicolor?

Pityriasis alba is a type of eczema found in young people. It produces a lightening of the skin of the face, shoulders, or torso in very mild patches.

Vitiligo causes a permanent loss of pigment in the skin. It occur4s most oft en around the eyes, lips, knuckles and joints and is categorized by porcelain white spots that are permanent in nature.

What is the treatment for tinea versicolor?

Many effective over the counter antifungal treatments are available for the treatment of tinea versicolor such as clotrimazole, miconazole, and selenium sulfide shampoo, the ingredient found in Selsum Blue. Since many different over the counter medications contain these medications, it’s important to read the labels carefully. Also, remember that these solutions may become difficult to apply to larger infected areas, so missing spots can be quite easy to do. For that reason, it may be simpler to use an oral medication such a one-time dose of Nizoral or five daily doses of Sporanox, both prescriptions to be recommended by your physician.

What can be expected after the tinea versicolor has been treated?

In spite of successful treatment, the rash associated with tinea versicolor may persist for months leading a person to believe that treatment has been unsuccessful. The reason for this is that even though all the fungi are dead, light or white spots remain for months, as they must blend in with the surrounding skin. If you have the red or brown variety of spots, they clear up almost immediately which is why it is a good idea to resume treatment any time that new spots appear. Doing this assures that the discoloration lasts for a very short time period. Additionally, those who have a tendency to become reinfected with the condition may want to avoid activities that cause a great deal of sweating in order to lessen the possibility of having a reoccurrence every year. This is not a guarantee, and of course, one cannot prevent the possibility of sweating completely, but it’s a measure that can perhaps assist with lessening the possibility of recurring incidences.

Because we all carry some of this fungus in our bodies, there is no way to successfully prevent it from occurring, In some people, the rash will reoccur over the next few years, so a preventive treatment using the same medication that was originally used to treat the rash may become necessary. Fortunately, this condition rarely appears after the onset of middle age, so there will come a time when you will no longer be afflicted by tinea versicolor.

Successful treatment is no indication that the rash will not reappear as it is inevitable that it will reoccur. However a person may not suffer an attack every year, and the frequency of occurrences tends to decline as the person becomes older.

Hope this article will provide helps for traeatment of Tinea Versicolor.