How long does it take to cure tinea versicolor

As the name suggests, tinea versicolor is a type of ringworm that looks like pimples. Tinea versicolor is a type of skin disease. Its clinical symptoms include white patches on the skin, which is very unacceptable for female friends who love beauty. Tinea versicolor is generally caused by fungal infection of the skin. It is a chronic disease and also caused by inflammation of the skin. It is more common in the back, arms and other parts of the body. Fungal infections can also occur due to the unhygienic environment we often live in.

Tinea versicolor, commonly known as sweat stains, is a superficial fungal disease caused by Malassezia infecting the stratum corneum of the epidermis. The disease is chronic, with mild inflammation and usually no symptoms. The lesions are characterized by scattered or fused hypopigmented or hyperpigmented macules with bran-like desquamation, which often occur on the chest, back, upper arms, axillae, and sometimes on the face.

Diagnostic Methods

According to its clinical manifestations, there are hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation in half of the chest, back, armpits, upper arms, etc., which are scattered or fused, with bran-like desquamation on it. The dandruff is directly smeared with 10% potassium hydroxide solution to find curved or arc-shaped hyphae or round spores. The diagnosis of this disease is not difficult. Sometimes the lesions fluoresce yellow under filtered ultraviolet light, which is more helpful for diagnosis.

Treatment

1. Topical medications

2% ketoconazole lotion can be used externally for 7 to 10 days; 2% selenium disulfide lotion can be used externally for 7 to 19 days. For patients with smaller areas or those who cannot take oral antifungal drugs for various reasons, 1% bifonazole cream/gel, 2% miconazole cream, 2% ketoconazole cream, or 2% econazole cream can be given for external use, all of which have good therapeutic effects.

Allylamine antifungal drugs such as terbinafine, butenafine, and naftifine are also effective. Amorolfine and ciclopirox olamine, as new antifungal drugs, can also be used in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor. Since pityriasis versicolor is difficult to cure and is prone to relapse, intermittent repeated use of medication can help eradicate it. Sometimes you can first clean it with a lotion and then apply topical medication to improve the efficacy.

2. Systemic treatment

For patients with larger areas or recurrent attacks, oral azole drugs such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, and fluconazole can be given.