Slide show: Poison ivy and other summer skin irritants
Photo of tinea versicolor
Previous Next 6 of 9 Tinea versicolor

Tinea versicolor is a common fungal infection that causes patches of discolored skin. Tinea versicolor is most common in warm, humid weather. The patches — which can be white, brown, red or gray-black — might be mildly itchy and are often more noticeable after sun exposure. In adults and adolescents, the patches usually develop on the back, chest or arms. In children, tinea versicolor usually affects the face.

Treatments include over-the-counter antifungal creams, lotions or shampoos. Skin color might remain uneven for months, however, and the infection might return — especially in warm, humid weather.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

See more Multimedia July 08, 2022