Home Treatment For Patchy Loss of Skin Color

Seeing patches of paler skin on yourself or your child can be unnerving. luckily, this condition is usually temporary and harmless. children are constantly getting minor cuts, scrapes, insect bites, and minor skin infections. during the healing process it is common for the skin to lose some of its color with time, the skin coloring generally returns. occasionally ringworm, a fungal infection, will begin as a small round area of scalling with associated loss of skin color. in the summertime, many children have small round spots on the face in which there is little color. the spots have probably been present for some time,but the skin doesn't tan in these areas, thus making them visible. this condition is known as pityriasis alba. the cause is unknown, but it is mild condition of cosmetic concern only. it may take many months to disappear and may recur, but there are virtually never any long term effect. if there are slightly scaly, tan, pink and white patches on the neck or back, the problem is most likely due to a fungal infection known as tinea versicolor. this is very minor and superficial fungal infection.  


Home Treatment:
Waiting is the most effective home treatment for loss of skin color. tinea versicolor can be treated by applying selsun blue shampoo to the affected area once a day or so until the lesions are gone. Tolnaftate (tinactin), Miconazole (micatin), and clotrimazole (lotrimin, etc.) lotions or creams are also effective. unfortunately, tinea versicolor almost always comes back no matter what type of treatment is used.

Patchy Skin Color
Are the following conditions present?
1. Scaling edges
2. Circular enlarging
3. Clearing of center
* if yes, it must be a ringworm
* if no, see a doctor

Are the following conditions present?
1. Lightly scaled, tan, pink, or white confluent patches
2. Confined to the neck and upper back
* if yes, use home treatment
* if no, see a doctor

Are the following conditions present?
1. White scaly patches on face
2. More noticeable with suntan
3. No signs of infection (crusting, redness, oozing, or fever)
* if yes, use home treatment
* if no, see a doctor

Does loss of skin color follow cut or infection?
* if yes, use home treatment
* if no, see a doctor