Tinea Versicolor (Pityriasis Versicolor)
Not yet clinically reviewed
This protocol was migrated from the earlier Pharmapedia and Ward Guide apps for educational use. Follow your hospital's own policies and consult seniors when in doubt.
Characteristics features
- Velvety, tan, pink, or white macules or white macules that do not tan with sun exposure.
- Fine scales that are not visible but are seen by scraping the lesion
- Central upper trunk the most frequent site.
- Yeast and short hyphae observed on microscopic examination of scales
- Tinea versicolor is a mild, superficial Malassezia infection of the scales skin (usually of the upper trunk).
Initial treatment
- Selson blue (selenium sulfide) lotion, apply from neck to waist daily and leave it for 5-15 minutes for 7 days; this treatment is repeated weekly for a month
- Conaz / Ketco (Ketoconazole shampoo, 1 % or 2 %) lather it on the chest and back and leave it for 5 minutes may also be used weekly for treatment
- Cap - Flucon / Diflucon (fluconazole) 150 mg , 2 capsules POx stat then after 14 days .
Maintenance Therapy
- Topical treatments as described above can be used for maintenance therapy
- Selson blue (selenium sulfide) lotion, monthly and Conaz / Ketco (Ketoconazole shampo , 1 % or 2 % ) , may be used to prevent recurrence
- Imidazole creams, solutions, and lotions (e.g., clotrimazole or miconazole) are quite effective for localized areas but are too expensive for use over large areas, such as the chest and back
- Without maintenance therapy, recurrences will occur in over 80 % of ' cured ' cases over the subsequent 2 years.