Tinea Versicolor

Tinea versicolor is somewhat of a medical mystery. Many doctors are unable to determine an exact cause of this common skin rash. Others cannot come up with a permanent cure. All that is known is that it can be temporarily treated topically and is caused by a yeast inflammation.

The discoloration caused by this skin rash varies from person to person. Sometimes it appears dark, while in others it is white. Typically it will be white until the person goes in the sun. Then the rash will become dark and more prominent. In some cases the rash is somewhat splotchy or mild, or it could be heavy.

As stated earlier, medical professionals have verified that tinea versicolor is caused by a yeast inflammation that forms the infection on the skin. The most common locations on the skin for this rash are on the chest, shoulders, and back. However, it has also appeared in folds of the skin, such as under the arms, breasts, neck, and other hidden locations.

The rash typically flares up in areas where there is a large amount of perspiration or humidity. It has also been seen more commonly with patients who have immune deficiency disorders or with hormonal abnormalities.

Tinea versicolor is caused by yeast, also known as "molasses furfur", and harbors in the skin. The rash is not contagious. Patients have been able to successfully treat the rash temporarily using topical anti-fungal treatments as well as oral treatments. Note that there is currently not a permanent solution to keep this skin rash at bay.

Several treatments that have been known to be successful are dandruff shampoos and topical sulphur mud. The reason being that this type of mud is successful is due to the fact that sulphur helps fight fungus. Usually when it is applied to the rash for approximately 2 weeks the problem disappears.

Many medical specialists also think that your diet and other health factors contribute to one's risk of getting the rash. For example, they believe that if you consume a high level of sugars or carbohydrates you are more likely to suffer from fungus.

Stress can also play a high risk to the fact that stress can increase your level of blood sugar. Problems such as stress can also lower your immune system, which will in turn make you more susceptible to fungus rashes.

If you have chlorine in your water then that could be another reason why the skin rash is appearing, the reason being that chlorine is a skin irritant. It dries out the skin, which causes the skin to make more oils to help the skin re-hydrate. Thus, excess oils cause more problems such as acne and this medical mystery we are talking about.

There are chlorine filters on the market that you can purchase for your shower head. This should help eliminate some of the causes of the rash. Soaps that have high levels of astringents in them can dry out your skin as well, so be cautious of those.

You should also be advised that tinea versicolor is not a disease that can cause any long term damage to your skin or internal areas of your body. It is only topical and should not leave any permanent damage.

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