Tinea Versicolor
 Tinea versicolor is a cutaneous fungal infection characterized by small spots or patches of lighter skin. This is caused by the yeast Pityrosporum ovale, commonly found on skin. The patches appear lighter than the surrounding skin because this fungus prevents the skin from tanning. The patches appear mostly on the oily areas in the body like underarms, neck, chest, and back.
Causes
Tinea versicolor is a common infection and often occurs in hot climates. The yeast is commonly found on skin and causes infection in certain conditions. Some of the conditions that may increase the likelihood of infection include genetic predisposition, hot and humid climate, weakened immune system, poor nutrition, and Cushing disease. It commonly affects adolescent and young adult males.
Diagnosis
Your skin will be examined for patches of discolored skin with sharp edges and fine scales on neck, back, chest, and underarms. Your dermatologist may also order a biopsy where your doctor will scrap a piece of skin from the affected area and observe under a microscope. A device called Wood’s lamp is also used to view this skin condition. This lamp is kept 4 to 5 inches away from the affected area. If the skin is affected with tinea versicolor, then it will appear yellowish green in color.
Treatment
Antifungal medications remain the mainstay of treatment. You may be advised to use topical applications such as ointments or creams. These preparations contain selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, miconazole, or pyrithione zinc. Your dermatologist may even suggest you take oral anti-fungal pills in severe cases. To avoid recurrence, you should avoid exposure to extreme climatic conditions and use medicated skin cleansers.
Treatment clears the infection however the patches may take some time to disappear. Sun exposure will also help to maintain the skin color of the patches as well as the other unaffected areas.
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See complete Wikipedia article here.
For more information from the American Academy of Dermatology click here.
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