What is Tinea Versicolor?
When the yeast grows out of control, a person can get a skin disease called tinea versicolor.
We all have yeast living on our skin. Yeast is a type of fungus. When the yeast grows out of control, a person can get a skin disease called tinea versicolor. Tinea versicolor is not contagious. You cannot get tinea versicolor from someone else. You cannot give it to someone.
Many people get tinea versicolor. It is one of the most common skin diseases in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. People who live in hot areas, like our very own ATX, may have tinea versicolor year-round.
First Signs:
- The spots are lighter (sometimes darker) than the surrounding skin. The color of the spots can be white, pink, salmon, red, tan, or brown.
- The spots can appear anywhere on the body.
- Spots can be dry and scaly.
- Skin may itch where the spots appear.
- Spots become more noticeable as the skin tans. The yeast prevents the skin from tanning.
- Spots grow slowly.
As the yeast grows, the spots can combine and form patches of lighter (or darker) skin. The spots may disappear when the temperature drops and return in the spring or summer when the air gets warm and humid.
What Causes Tinea Versicolor?
Yeast normally lives on our skin. When the yeast overgrows, it causes the skin disease tinea versicolor. It is believed that the following can cause the yeast to overgrow:
- Hot, humid weather.
- Lots of sweating.
- Oily skin.
- A weakened immune system.
Diagnosis
A medical professional can often look at the skin and tell whether a patient has tinea versicolor. If there is any doubt, the provider will do one of the following to make an accurate diagnosis:
Gently scrape off a bit of the skin. This will be examined under a microscope.
Look at the skin with a special device called a Wood’s lamp. The dermatologist will hold the Wood’s lamp about 4 or 5 inches from the affected skin. If the patient has tinea versicolor, the affected skin appears yellowish green in color when looked at with this lamp.
What Kind Of Treatments Are There?
What a dermatologist prescribes depends on several things. These include where the tinea versicolor appears on the body, how much of the skin is affected, how thick the spots have grown, and climate.
- Medicine applied to the skin
- Medicated cleansers
- Anti-fungal pills
Outcome
With treatment, the yeast is easy to kill. The skin, however, may stay lighter (or darker) for weeks or months. The skin will eventually return to its normal color. To help even out your skin tone, you should protect your skin from the sun and not tan.
Tinea versicolor can return. When the air outdoors is warm and humid, the yeast can quickly grow out of control. Some people who live in a tropical climate may need to use a medicated cleanser to prevent the yeast from overgrowing. People in our Austin area, where the weather becomes warm and moist each spring, may see tinea versicolor return every year.
Schedule an appointment with one of our medical providers to see which treatment is best for you.
