All products featured on Self are independently selected by our editors.
However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
When I was around 14 years old, I started to notice white patches popping up on my neck.
Courtesy of Emily Rekstis
It was strange, but not a huge deal.
They didnt hurt, and they were only faintly visible.
But then they started to spread down to my chest.
And thetannerI got, the whiter they looked on my skin.
And I had no idea how to explain it.
To say the least, it was embarrassing.
She identified it as tinea versicolor.
She gave me a prescription, which calmed the itching.
But my pigment never came back, and the white patches remained in place.
Then, late last spring I started noticing more white patches spreading down on my stomach.
I thought I had taken care of this!
Why was it back?
I finally decided to get it checked out by another NYC-based dermatologistNeal Schultz, M.D.
And he quickly confirmed that my tinea versicolor was back.
Malassezia is something that exists naturally on the skin, and tinea versicolor is an overgrowth of this yeast.
Malassezia is also the cause for other skin conditions likedandruffandpsoriasis.
Therashtypically begins to appear on the upper arms, chest, and back.
The yeast infection causes skin to change color, typically in small one-eighth or quarter-inch spots.
The skin can turn pinker, lighter, or darker.
The yeast tends to live on dead skin and gravitates towards oil.
Once you’ve been diagnosed with tinea versicolor, it’s not something that can be cured.
Leave on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse.
When it returns, restart the treatment with a medicated shampoo.
I used the Ketoconazole shampoo every day for a week, then once a week for a month.
And it helped tremendously.
Although there is still a faint discoloration, Im really the only one who can tell its there.
There’s no one asking whats going on when I wear a V-neck.
No pointing children, and I no longer hide under big necklaces.
After talking to Schultz and Prystowsky, its good to know how common tinea versicolor really is.
You might also like: 6 Coconut Oil Beauty Hacks That Will Change Your Life
