What is the best way to treat tinea versicolor?

The usual treatment for tinea versicolor is mainly symptomatic treatment. Generally, the main treatment used is medication, as well as prognostic measures, etc. You should pay attention to it in normal times. Because this disease is an infectious disease, you should take medication at regular times and in regular amounts. This can ensure that there will be no local problems and reduce the chance of recurrence of the disease.

Treatment strategy

Use topical medications and systemic treatment as appropriate. Since pityriasis versicolor is difficult to cure and is prone to recurrence, intermittent repeated use of medication can help eradicate it.

Symptomatic treatment

Keeping the skin clean and dry, avoiding or reducing precipitating factors, and regularly using antifungal drugs can reduce recurrences. Long-term stable hypopigmented macules with no scales on the surface and negative results in repeated fungal microscopy and culture are post-inflammatory hypopigmented macules and do not require further antifungal treatment.

Drug treatment

2% ketoconazole lotion can be used externally for 7 to 10 days; 2% selenium disulfide lotion can be used externally for 7 to 19 days. For patients with smaller areas or those who cannot take oral antifungal drugs for various reasons, 1% bifonazole cream/gel, 2% miconazole cream, 2% ketoconazole cream, or 2% econazole cream can be given for external use, all of which have good therapeutic effects. Allylamine antifungal drugs such as terbinafine, butenafine, and naftifine are also effective. Amorolfine and ciclopirox olamine, as new antifungal drugs, can also be used in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor. For patients with larger areas or recurrent attacks, oral azole drugs such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, and fluconazole can be given.

Prognosis

The course of the disease is chronic, with the rash decreasing or disappearing in winter but recurring in summer.