Tinea Versicolor Home Remedies For Tinea Versicolor Cure

Tinea versicolor is an infection caused by fungus and which usually develops in teenagers and young adults. It is characterized by a discoloration on the affected skin and leads to either a lightening or a darkening of the skin. It commonly develops on the chest, shoulders and back. It can also occur on areas where the skin folds such as under the breasts, insides of the elbow and the groin area. In rare cases, it develops also on the face.

Causes And Symptoms For Tinea Versicolor

This condition results due to a yeast known as malassezia furfur which thrives on the skin. Conditions such as increased humidity levels, hormone imbalances and immunity problems can make the fungus more apparent. However, most individuals affected by tinea versicolor are in perfect health. Since the yeast generally lives on the skin, tinea versicolor is not contagious. It disappears with treatment, but can recur later on. As such, treatment must be repeated after a year or two years.

The skin discoloration takes place in the form of spots that are either oval in shape or of irregular shapes. These spots often meet and form larger areas of discolored skin. In some cases, scaling may also occur but very finely. The spots may turn pale or pink and reddish when the individual is exposed to heat such as a hot bath. When body temperature rises, there may also be itching in the form of pin prick sensations which stop when the person starts to sweat.

When treatment is administered, the skin spots that are brownish in color diminish almost immediately. However, the patches that are lighter than the rest of the skin can take many months to fade away. However, all kinds of spots caused by tinea versicolor go away in all cases, and there is no permanent discoloration on the skin.

A home remedy that has been found to yield positive results is the application of anti-dandruff shampoo on the affected areas. Such shampoos contain selenium which has anti-fungal properties and as such arrests the growth and spread of the yeast. The shampoo may be applied and left on the skin overnight. However, a patch test must be done on another smaller area of skin in order to determine if any allergic reactions are taking place.

There are also many anti-fungal medications available easily over the counter that will help to treat tinea versicolor. Proper dietary habits will help to prevent recurrences of this condition. Whole grains, raw fruits and vegetable must be consumed to boost the immune system. Foods such as yogurt which contain lactic acid due to fermentation help to restrict the spread of bacteria.