Tinea Versicolor

Tinea versicolor is a mild fungal skin condition, and it is usually easy to treat and doesn’t cause serious complications.

Tinea versicolor

Tinea versicolor is a skin condition that is caused by a fungus, which lives normally on the skin.

Pityriasis tinea is very common worldwide, and it affects teens and young adults more.

Causes and risk factors of tinea versicolor

A fungus called yeast lives on healthy skin and causes tinea versicolor when it overgrows, and this occurs in warm, humid, and oily conditions. Pityriasis versicolor isn’t contagious.

The risk of tinea versicolor increases due to the following factors:

• Weakened immune system.
• Hormonal changes, like during pregnancy.
• Certain conditions, such as diabetes.
• Excessive sweating.
• Living in a humid and hot environment.
• Having oily skin.

Symptoms of tinea versicolor

Tinea versicolor causes mild symptoms in the majority of people, which include:

• Skin discoloration (light patches on dark skin and dark patches on light skin). These patches mostly appear on the shoulders, back, neck, upper arms, and chest. The color of these patches doesn’t get darker when exposed to the sun or undergo tanning.
• Mild itchiness.
• The patches might become scaly.

Diagnosis of tinea versicolor

• Physical exam.

Treatment of tinea versicolor

• Topical antifungals.
• Oral antifungals in severe cases.
• It might take weeks or months for the skin color to be back as it was.