Tinea Versicolor: What Is It?
Tinea versicolor is a skin rash caused by a yeast (fungus) that normally lives on the skin. The yeast causes the skin to turn a different color than surrounding normal skin. This is because it changes the way pigment is distributed in the outer layer of skin. Tinea versicolor can affect anyone but is most common in adolescent and young adult age groups and in warm, humid climates. It is more common in people who are overweight, have oily skin, or sweat a lot.
Tinea versicolor can cause pink or light brown patches on the upper arms, neck, back, chest, and abdomen. Patches may come and go and are usually itchy. If you have tinea versicolor you may develop patches that look pale when you are tanning. These spots will gradually fade after treatment.
What Causes Tinea Versicolor?
The yeast that causes tinea versicolor lives on the surface of your skin all the time but does not cause any problems unless it starts to grow too much. In most people, the immune system keeps it from growing out of control; however, this does not always happen for reasons that are not well understood. For
Tinea versicolor, also known as pityriasis versicolor is a common fungal infection of the skin. The fungus interferes with the normal pigmentation of the skin, resulting in small, discolored patches. These patches may be lighter or darker than the surrounding skin and can occur anywhere on the body including face and neck.
Tinea versicolor is caused by a type of yeast that naturally lives on our skin. If you have tinea versicolor, this means your skin has too much yeast, which causes the discoloration. Tinea versicolor is not contagious and therefore cannot be spread from person to person.
This condition commonly occurs in adolescents and young adults during periods of increased sweating. It is more common among people who live in warm climates and have oily skin, although anyone can develop it.
Tinea versicolor is a common fungal infection of the skin. The fungus interferes with the normal pigment (color) of the skin. This results in small, discolored patches that are more noticeable on tanned skin. The fungus that causes tinea versicolor is a type of yeast that naturally lives on your skin.
Outbreaks are more common in warm, humid weather and during adolescence. They may be triggered by stress and hormonal changes, such as those during pregnancy.
Tinea versicolor doesn’t cause any other symptoms beyond discoloration and scaling of the skin. However, some people feel itchy or uncomfortable when they have it.
Treatment with antifungal medicine applied to the skin can help clear up tinea versicolor. Without treatment, the infection will usually go away on its own but may come back.
Tinea versicolor often affects teenagers and young adults, but you can get it at any age. People with dark complexions are most likely to notice these patches because they often leave behind light-colored spots where the color has been lost
Tinea versicolor is a condition that causes a lightening or darkening of the skin. The affected areas may be covered with what looks like fine, flaky sand. The rash usually appears on the chest and back, but can appear on other parts of the body as well.
Tinea versicolor is not contagious. It is caused by yeast that normally live on the skin. Although anyone can develop tinea versicolor, it occurs most often in adolescents and young adults. Symptoms tend to worsen during the summer months when temperatures are warmer and humidity is higher.
Tinea versicolor usually can be diagnosed based on its appearance, but your doctor may scrape off some of the scale to examine under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment includes use of an antifungal medication that is applied to the skin after it is thoroughly cleansed. Sometimes oral medications are used in more severe cases. It may take several weeks for all of the skin discoloration to disappear after treatment has begun, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results!
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Tinea versicolor is a common skin infection that causes the skin to have lighter or darker patches. It is caused by a yeast (a type of fungus) that lives on normal skin.
Tinea versicolor does not cause any health problems, but it can be embarrassing for people who have it. The skin changes can last for months, until the top layer of the skin sheds.
It is more common in teenagers and young adults than in children or older adults. It also occurs more often during warm weather.
The medical term for tinea versicolor is pityriasis versicolor.
Tinea versicolor is a common, benign skin disease caused by an organism called Malassezia. It usually appears as discolored patches of skin on the back, neck, chest and/or arms that may be either lighter or darker than surrounding skin.
The condition is not contagious, but it can lead to embarrassment in teens and adults. The good news is that it is treatable and the outcome is generally very good.
Tinea versicolor is caused by a yeast infection of the skin. The yeast (Malassezia) grows on everyone’s skin, but sometimes it grows out of control and leads to this condition. It can grow more rapidly in certain conditions:
• Hot, humid weather
• Oily skin
• Immune suppression
• Hormone changes (such as in pregnancy)
Tinea versicolor is a common skin condition caused by a type of yeast that naturally lives on your skin. It is not contagious, but it can be annoying and embarrassing at times.
Tinea versicolor often causes a rash to form on the chest, back, neck, upper arms, or legs. The rash may be:
• Whitish-pink in color
• Itchy
• Scaly
The rash may become more noticeable when you are exposed to the sun. This is because the color of the affected areas of skin becomes darker than your normal skin tone. When the condition clears up after treatment, these areas may remain lighter than your normal skin tone for several months.