Tinea Versicolor

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KEY POINTS

• Tinea versicolor is an infection caused by yeast that causes patches of skin to be a different color than the rest of your skin.
• It is treated with medicines.
• The patches are easier to see if you have a tan, so you should stay out of the sun, and use sunscreen when you need to be outdoors.

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What is tinea versicolor?

Tinea versicolor is a rash caused by yeast that has infected your skin.

Once you have had tinea versicolor, it may come back more than once.

What is the cause?

It is not known why some people get this infection but others do not. You cannot catch tinea versicolor from other people. You are more likely to get tinea versicolor if

• You have diabetes.
• Your immune system is weakened by HIV, cancer, or other health problems.
• You live in a hot, humid place or sweat a lot.
• You have oily skin.
• You use steroid medicines.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms may include

• Tan, brown, white, or pink patches on your neck, trunk or arms that do not tan when exposed to the sun
• Patches of dry, scaly skin that may itch

The patches may grow slowly and combine to form large areas of lighter or darker skin.

How is it diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and examine you. Often the diagnosis is clear from the way the rash looks. Your provider may scrape the skin and look at it under a microscope or use an ultraviolet (UV) light to look for tinea versicolor on the scalp. He may also send a sample of the skin scraping to a lab. This can help find the best medicine to treat the infection.

How is it treated?

The treatment of tinea versicolor depends on your health and how much the infection has spread. Your provider may recommend:

• Nonprescription antifungal medicine that you put on the area of infection once or twice a day
• Medicated cleansers to help prevent the yeast from growing again
• Prescription medicine to take by mouth. You may be given this medicine, for example, if you have patches over a large part of your body, or if they come back after treatment.

The patches of skin may not go back to their normal color for several months after treatment.

How can I take care of myself?

Follow the full course of treatment prescribed by your healthcare provider.

• Use skin products that will not make your skin oily. Clean your skin gently.
• Stay out of the sun during the times of most intense rays, usually between the hours of 10 AM to 4 PM. Do not use sunlamps or tanning booths. A tan will make the patches easier to see.
• Use sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or greater. The lighter your skin, the higher the SPF you need. Healthcare providers recommend an SPF of at least 30 if you are very fair skinned. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. It's best to put the sunscreen on your skin 30 to 60 minutes before you go out into the sun. Put sunscreen on your skin every 3 to 4 hours while you are in the sun. If you are playing in water or sweating a lot, put more sunscreen on every hour or two.

Ask your healthcare provider:

• How long it will take to recover
• If there are activities you should avoid and when you can return to your normal activities
• How to take care of yourself at home
• What symptoms or problems you should watch for and what to do if you have them

Make sure you know when you should come back for a checkup. Keep all appointments for provider visits or tests.