Common skin complaints: understanding tinea versicolor

What is tinea versicolor?

Tinea versicolor, or pityriasis versicolour, is a common fungal infection in which the normal skin colour is affected, known as your skin's pigmentation.

This skin condition affects between 1% and 40% of the population, with the higher percentage of cases living in warmer and more humid climates¹. Aside from being relatively common, you may have also heard of tinea versicolor through reality TV star Molly-Mae Hague, who took to social media to describe how it has affected her self-confidence.

While this skin complaint may result in stress and self-consciousness, it doesn't hurt or cause any physical damage beyond the rash.

Tinea versicolor is caused by an overgrowth of yeast - tiny harmless organisms that live on everybody's skin. Some people are more prone to the yeast on their skin multiplying - which triggers this skin disease but causes no harm to a person's health².

How to identify tinea versicolor

The symptoms of tinea versicolor are mainly visual, although some people may experience mild itchiness. Consultant dermatologist Dr Simon Zokaie describes the signs to look out for:

"Tinea versicolor results in patches of discoloured skin that can either appear lighter (hypopigmentation) or darker (hyperpigmentation) to the rest of your skin. Usually, they develop gradually and build up to create larger patches. This condition often affects the shoulders, back, and top of the chest."

• On light skin - discoloured patches are usually red, pink, or pale brown.

• On dark skin - discoloured patches tend to be paler than the surrounding skin.

How to treat tinea versicolor

Doctors can treat tinea versicolor with antifungal creams, tablets, and shampoos. "These treatments are usually very effective at treating the condition," says Dr Zokaie.

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Hives

The medical name for hives is urticaria. Hives are itchy red or white bumps on the skin that look like a nettle rash. Hives are caused by a release of histamine; sometimes this is due to a a physical stimulus. If this is the case, the condition is called inducible urticaria or physical urticaria. Examples of physical factors which can trigger hives include pressure, friction, allergies, sweating, cold, heat, sunlight and water. Treatments include avoiding the trigger (where possible), and using antihistamines. Urticaria can be called acute (short-lived episode) or chronic (persisting).

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Remember, if the appearance of tinea versicolor is getting you down, causing stress, or affecting your confidence, talking with friends and family can help.

Speaking to our loved ones can often help us to see things from a more positive perspective, as well as show us how little people notice things we may worry about.

Further reading

1. National Library of Medicine: Tinea versicolor: overview.

2. British Association of Dermatologists: Pityriasis versicolor.

3. Mostafa et al: Hair loss in pityriasis versicolor lesions: a descriptive clinicopathological study.

4. NICE: Pityriasis versicolor: what is the prognosis?.