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Tinea Versicolor Is Way More Common Than I Thought, And Here's How I Treated Mine

When I was around 14 years old, I started to notice white patches popping up on my neck. It was strange, but not a huge deal. They didn’t hurt, and they were only faintly visible. But then they started to spread down to my chest. And the tanner I got, the whiter they looked on my skin. Sometimes they would itch, but I was mostly annoyed with how they looked—and bathing suit season only made it worse. If I was around kids, they would point at the white patches and demand to know what was going on. And I had no idea how to explain it. To say the least, it was embarrassing. I found myself covering my chest as often as possible with big necklaces in the summer and scarves in the winter.

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Everything You Need to Know About Tinea Versicolor & Tinea Versicolor Treatments

Pityriasis Versicolor is caused by the mycelial development of Malassezia fungus. Malassezia is a kind of a fungus that is present on the skin as a commensal as part of the natural microbiome (microorganisms found on normal skin). They are lipid-dependent for survival. Malassezia has been identified as fourteen different species. M. globosa, M. restricta, and M. sympodialis are the most prevalent species which cause Pityriasis Versicolor. Malassezia usually grows sparsely in seborrhoeic areas (scalp, face, and chest) and does not cause a rash. Why they grow more aggressively on the skin surface of patients with Pityriasis Versicolor remains largely unknown. A tryptophan-dependent metabolic pathway is one possibility. In the brown variety of Pityriasis Versicolor, the yeasts cause larger melanosomes (pigment granules) within basal melanocytes. The yeasts are easier to see in scrapings from this type of Pityriasis Versicolor than in scrapings from the white type.

How To Treat and Manage Tinea Versicolor (Pityriasis Versicolor)

Tinea versicolor is easy to treat, but it can be stubborn. The discoloration may linger after the fungus has been removed. Many people find their symptoms return year after year whenever the weather gets warm (or after returning to activities that trigger symptoms, like sunbathing or working out in tight-fitting clothing).

Pityriasis versicolor

The term pityriasis is used to describe skin conditions in which the scale appears similar to bran. The multiple colours of pityriasis versicolor give rise to the second part of the name, versicolor. Pityriasis versicolor is sometimes called tinea versicolor, although the term tinea should strictly be used for dermatophyte fungus infections.

Pityriasis Versicolor (Formerly Tinea Versicolor)

Pityriasis versicolor (formerly tinea versicolor) is a common and benign superficial infection of the skin, classically manifesting on the upper trunk and neck. Most patients are asymptomatic, although some may complain of pruritus. In infants and children, the infection is likely to involve the face, particularly the temples.

Tinea Versicolor

Malassezia yeasts are the type of fungi that cause tinea versicolor, and they normally live on the skin. Sebaceous glands release a fatty, oily substance called sebum through hair follicles in skin that provides nutrients necessary for the yeasts to survive. Living in hot and humid climates, sweating excessively, or a weakened immune system allows the fungus to flourish, causing tinea versicolor. Tinea versicolor is most commonly seen in adolescents and young adults and it can affect some families more than others, but it is not contagious. Selenium sulfide shampoo is an effective treatment for tinea versicolor. It causes the outermost portion of the skin to shed and thus removes the fungus that is causing the disease. Patients are advised to shampoo the affected areas for 10 minutes daily before rinsing and to repeat this process daily for 1 week. Topical ketoconazole and zinc pyrithione are other common treatment options.

Tinea Versicolor | Causes, Symptoms & Treatment Options

Pityriasis Versicolor is an alternative name for Tinea Versicolor that some specialists prefer because Tinea technically refers to a non-yeast, dermatophyte fungal infections, the type of fungus that affects the body (Tinea corporis, also known as ringworm), feet (Tinea pedis, also known as athlete's foot), or groin (Tinea cruris, referred to as jock itch).

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American Osteopathic College of Dermatology

Tinea versicolor is cause by a yeast type of skin fungus, which is present on normal skin. If the skin is oily enough, warm enough and moist enough, it starts to grow into small "colonies" on the surface of the skin. In these colonies the yeast grows like crazy and leaks out an acidic bleach.

International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology

Management can be topical with selenium sulfide shampoo or foam applied for one to two weeks. Other treatments include the use of keratolytic preparations, such as low concentration salycilic acid solutions, and topical antifungal preparations, such as ketoconazole or clotrimazole cream, applied for one to two months. Systemic therapy involves oral ketoconazole, fluconazole, or itraconazole in various regimens, given from a few days to a week. In any case, the scale disappears within a month, but the pigmentation changes takes up to three months to return to normal.

StatPearls

Tinea versicolor, or pityriasis versicolor, is a common, benign, superficial fungal skin infection. Saprophytic, lipid-dependent yeast from the genus Malassezia, previously Pityrosporum, are the causative organisms and part of the normal skin flora. Tinea versicolor is not a dermatophyte infection like other forms of tinea.