Tinea Versicolor also called pityriasis Versicolor is one of the most common skin diseases in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is noted, that people in tropical areas get Tinea versicolor year-round.
The disease consists of yeast in the skin that grows out of control. Symptoms can be lighter or darker spots or areas, they can have a coloring of white, pink, salmon, red, tan or brown. You can find them anywhere on the body and they can be dry or scaly, they do cause the skin to be itchy (American Academy of Dermatology Association [AAD], 2017, p. 1). They can become more prominent when you are tan, grows slowly, can grow together and disappears when temperatures drop. Very prominent in spring and/or summer with a warm and humid environment. Patients with any skin color or pigment can get this, usually seen in teens and young adults. Rarely seen in older adults and children unless they live in tropical or subtropical areas. The main causes are hot, humid weather, lots of sweating, oily skin and weakened immune system.
Diagnosis of Tinea versicolor can be done with scrape biopsy or Wood’s Lamp, which makes the skin look yellowish-green under the lamp (American Academy of Dermatology Association [AAD], 2017, p. 1).
Treatment for this skin condition: shampoo with selenium sulfide, anti-fungal cream or ointment that has miconazole, clotrimazole or terbinafine.
How to use these products: wash, dry the skin, apply a thin layer to the affective skin, do this once to twice a day and if using the shampoo leave on for 5-10 minutes before rinsing.
Health promotion would be to use skin products that are not oily in nature, wear loose clothing, wear sunscreen, and do not use a tanning bed or sun lamp (American Academy of Dermatology Association [AAD], 2017, p. 1). This is not life-threatening and most people don’t even get it to treat except for cosmetic issues (Kee, 2016, p. 1).
References
American Academy of Dermatology Association. (2017). Tinea Versicolor: Tips for managing. Retrieved from https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/color-problems/tinea-versicolor#tips
American Academy of Dermatology Association. (2017). Tinea versicolor: Diagnosis and treatment. Retrieved from https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/color-problems/tinea-versicolor#treatment
American Academy of Dermatology Association. (2017). Tinea versicolor. Retrieved from https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/color-problems/tinea-versicolor#symptoms
Kee, C. (2016). This skin fungus is super common and you’ll probably get it at some point. Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolinekee/skin-fungus-everywhere?utm_term=.onmBYXJKr#.wdql1426B
