Tinea Versicolor

During a recent training event someone asked me how to deal with "white-spots of the skin". In Cantonese it is called "hon pan". In medical terms it is referred to as Tinea Versicolor.

In hot & humid climates like Malaysia, Tinea Versicolor is very common.

Tinea versicolor is a fungus infection affecting the skin. This common condition is unsightly, but it is neither permanent nor serious. Spots can be either light- or reddish- brown or else lighter than the surrounding skin (hence, the name "versicolor").

There may be just a few spots, or there can be so many that they run together (like a shawl) and make it seem that islands of normal skin color are the spots, not the other way around.

What causes tinea versicolor?
The cause of this condition is a yeast called Pityrosporum orbiculare. This fungus causes the melanocyes to stop producing melanin & hence the unpigmented lighter-spots.

Treatment
Selsun (2.5% selenium sulphide) - apply topically for a week & leave on for a few hours each time. The spots will however take 1 month to rid as it takes a month for repigmentation. The fungus is usually killed with one or two topical applications. Some people may used topical anti-fungals.

Try to avoid oral medications (Nizoral) as it is systemic & can incur adverse effects. You may also develop resistance to it, i.e won't work the next time you take it.