Tinea Versicolor Treatment & Management

  • Author: Craig G Burkhart, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Feb 28, 2012
 

Medical Care

Patients should be informed that tinea versicolor is caused by a fungus that is normally present on the skin surface and is therefore not considered contagious. The condition does not leave any permanent scar or pigmentary changes, and any skin color alterations resolve within 1-2 months after treatment has been initiated. Recurrence is common, and prophylactic therapy may help reduce the high rate of recurrence.

Tinea versicolor can be successfully treated with various agents. Effective topical agents include selenium sulfide, sodium sulfacetamide, ciclopiroxolamine,[16] as well as azole and allylamine antifungals.[17, 18, 19, 20, 21] Various regimens can be used. Selenium sulfide lotion is liberally applied to affected areas of the skin daily for 2 weeks; each application is allowed to remain on the skin for at least 10 minutes prior to being washed off. In resistant cases, overnight application can be helpful. Topical azole antifungals can be applied every night for 2 weeks. Weekly application of any of the topical agents for the following few months may help prevent recurrence. In patients with widespread disease, topical antifungal therapy can be expensive. Topical allylamines have been demonstrated to be clinically and mycologically effective.

Oral therapy is also effective for tinea versicolor and is often preferred by patients because it is more convenient and less time consuming. Of course, oral therapy can be used in consort with topical regimens. Ketoconazole, fluconazole, and itraconazole are the preferred oral agents.[22, 23, 24] Various dosing regimens have been used. With ketoconazole, a 10-day 200-mg daily therapy and as a single-dose 400-mg treatment are popular, both with comparable results.[25] Fluconazole has been offered as a single 150- to 300-mg weekly dose for 2-4 weeks. Itraconazole is usually given at 200 mg/d for 7 days. Pramiconazole and sertaconazole have also been used in the management of tinea versicolor.[26, 27]

Oral therapy does not prevent the high rate of recurrence, and treatment with oral ketoconazole or a topical agent may need to be repeated intermittently throughout the year. Because tinea versicolor is a benign condition and oral therapy is not without risk, the decision to treat with an oral agent should be made only after a complete discussion of the risks involved.[28] In the case of oral terbinafine, some subgroups of M furfur apparently are not clinically responsive, although in vitro studies suggest fungistatic activity.[29] Also, a regimen of 1 tablet a month of ketoconazole, fluconazole, and itraconazole has been used successfully to prophylactically prevent recurrences.[30]

Reports describe successful treatment of tinea versicolor with photodynamic therapy.[31, 32]

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Diet

Dietary alterations have not proved successful in the treatment of tinea versicolor.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Craig G Burkhart, MD, MPH  Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, Section of Dermatology, The University of Toledo College of Medicine; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Ohio State University College of Medicine

Craig G Burkhart, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Ohio State Medical Association, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Craig N Burkhart, MD, MSBS  Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Craig N Burkhart, MD, MSBS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD  Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of Vermont College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Division of Dermatology, Fletcher Allen Health Care

Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Contact Dermatitis Society, American Dermatological Association, Dermatology Foundation, Medical Dermatology Society, and Women's Dermatologic Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Edward F Chan, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Edward F Chan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Catherine M Quirk, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania

Catherine M Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Lorie Gottwald, MD Chief, Division of Dermatology, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Ohio at Toledo

Lorie Gottwald, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Student Association/Foundation, and American Medical Women's Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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