Free Unique ArticlesRead Articles For Free

It is a typical skin fungus that causes white spots on skins, nails and hair. Also known as tinea versicolor, the skin fungus causes discoloration on different parts of human body. Triggering a phobia among the affected ones of leprosy as well the white spots is treated in some parts of world as a sign of sin as well. India is the country where white spots are treated as execrable disease. The tinea versicolor or skin fungus which causes white spots on different parts of skin is known by other names as well, such as dermatomycosis furfuracea and pityriasis versicolor. Malassezia globosa also is a cause of white spots emerging over the skin in a hot humid condition. The people wearing sweated garments are vulnerable to itching and some white spots that are caused by the skin fungus over sweated regions of body. Not introduced well with the tinea versicolor or some conditions developing unwanted white spots over the exposed or concealed parts of body, the affected people get immensely paranoid of such type of discoloration. Although tinea versicolor fungus may affect anyone else with discoloration, the teenagers and youths are found much susceptible to discoloring effect of tinea versicolor or skin fungus that is supposed to cause white spots or some ugly patches on the skin. The fungus actually is singular form of fungi. It is a large scale emergence of fungus over the skin which causes white spots or dark patches over different parts of skin randomly. Some specific parts of human body, susceptible to white spots, are the shoulders, arms, breasts, chest, thighs and groin. As far as facial-skin is concerned, it is found unaffected from discoloring effect of tinea versicolor fungus as the fungus rarely causes white spots over the facial skin of adults. But children’s facial skin is vulnerable to the white spots caused by fungus.

The white spots caused by fungus on skin vary in shape and size spoiling whole of the affected region of human skin. USA is one of the top tinea versicolor-affected-countries, for the teenagers and youths of the country residing in hot humid climatic conditions bear unwanted white spots on different parts of their body.
A type of yeast feeding on lipids and organic materials (damaged cells) develops fungus on skin that causes white spots discoloring the affected regions. The tinea versicolor fungus emerging over the skin can be monitored only in ultraviolet light.  

Symptoms of skin fungus causing white spots

Following are some specific symptoms of skin fungus or tinea versicolor that causes white spots on different parts of skin.

• Oval shaped- The white spots or patches caused by fungus on skin look random or irregular in shape spoiling whole of the affected regions of skin.
• Ashy color- The skin affected with fungus looks ashy in color as well.
• Peculiar colors- Discoloring the skin with some peculiar colors or pigments such as yellow color, reddish color or pinkish pigment the fungus deprives the skin of its natural pigment. The mentioned peculiar colors or pigments appear following the bath or when body perspires excessively. What is remarkable to notice, regarding pinkish color appearing on skin is its disappearance, retrieving the skin its natural color. In rare conditions the pinkish color appears on skin, prior to perspiration during physical exercises or labor, but with the sweat surfacing over the skin, the pink color disappears naturally. It is a quaint symptom of tinea versicolor or skin fungus that is counted as discoloration on skin.
• Some specific parts are susceptible to discoloration- The fungus that causes discoloration on skin with white spots or some other unnatural pigments affects some particular parts of human body, such as underarm, chest, breast, nether legs, neck and arms. Though adults’ facial skin is not supposed to be susceptible to discoloration by skin fungus, the children’s face is affected with white spots caused by the fungus.

Can the white patches caused by skin fungus be treated?

White spots caused by the fungus can be treated with some effective medications. Following are a few powerful medicated products used all over the world to treat the white spots caused by fungus on skin.

• Anti-fungal medications- It is anti-fungal ointment or cream with 2.5% selenium sulfide that improves the discolored skin retrieving its natural pigment. There are many products that provide the dry patchy skin with plenty of moisture which in turn resuscitates the dead cells vanishing white spots caused by tinea versicolor fungus.
• Suppressants- Some suppressants also serve the purpose by causing white spots of skin to disappear. Ciclopirox or Ciclopirox olamine is used to obliterate discoloration, caused by skin fungus. Ciclopirox exhibits the skin healthy and free from unwanted patches or white spots.
• Oral medicines- Apart from OTC topical anti-fungal ointments, some prescriptive oral drugs also may be required to treat skin fungus that causes white spots over the skin of different parts of human body. The prescriptive drugs with 400 mg composition of ketoconazole/fluconazole also deal with the skin fungus that causes white spots, patches or some unwanted pigments over the skin.

Causes of tinea versicolor?

It is typical yeast (aka malassezia furfur) which exists over the skin of adult people and causes unwanted white spots or patches. Hot moistened atmosphere is conducive for the emergence of yeast or skin fungus over the skin causing thereby discoloration over the skin. The discoloration on skin causes white spots, pinkish pigment or reddishness. The skin fungus that causes discoloration with white patches, spots or some other peculiar pigment is not a contagious disease. But its recurrence may affect the same person again, despite the condition being treated completely under the medical supervision. There are many skin conditions that resemble tinea versicolor or skin fungus causing white spots or discoloration on different regions of body’s skin. Some other dermal diseases similar in nature with tinea versicolor are  pityriasis alba and vitiligo.

Pityriasis being a moderate skin disease (eczema) affects the skin mostly of the youths. The affected individuals notice discoloration over their breast/chest, arms or shoulders. The facial skin, though is not affected with white spots, some people may notice white spots over their facial-skin supposedly caused by fungus. As far as vitiligo is concerned it also is the effect of discoloration, caused due to loss of natural pigment on the skin. Some specific parts such as surrounding regions of eyes, knuckles and the joints are affected with white spots/patches or ashy color caused by tinea versicolor fungus. Skin fungus that causes white spots or some ugly patches on skin, though is not a contagious disease, the people should keep maintain proper hygiene living in clean dry atmosphere.