What is Tinea Versicolor?
Tinea versicolor is a common fungal infection which causes discolored patches on the skin.
It commonly affects young people.
It is not contagious.
Causes of Tinea Versicolor
Tinea versicolor develops when the normally found fungus on the skin Malassezia overgrows. This overgrowth can happen due to many reasons like hot humid weather, oily skin, excessive sweating, weak immune system, hormonal changes, use of steroids.
Symptoms of Tinea Versicolor
- Dark or light color patches on the skin. In people with dark complexion usually light color patches develop and in people with light complexion dark color patches develop. The small patches may merge into big patches and look like a map.
- These patches commonly affect the chest, back, neck, upper arms.
- Mild itching
- Scaling
- Some people experience pin prick sensation on the patches.
Allopathic Treatment
When a tinea versicolor patient consults a skin specialist, he prescribes antifungal medicines.
For external applications clotrimazole, selenium sulfide is prescribed.
Various side effects can happen due to these like skin irritation, redness, swelling, blackening of skin.
Antifungal drugs like ketoconazole, griseofulvin are prescribed orally.
These also have side effects like headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.
The patient feels better with this treatment; but skin patches form again after he stops allopathy medicines.
Gradually allopathic medicines stop working and patient’s problems get more worse.
Homeopathic Treatment
I have seen in my clinical practice, which I have been doing since 2011, that external applications do not work in tinea versicolor cases.
According to me external applications only suppress this problem and can’t cure it.
Only classical constitutional homeopathic treatment can treat this problem effectively.
Medicines prescribed in this way also improve general health of the patient.
There are no antifungal medicines in homeopathy.
In tinea versicolor our medicines treat the weakness of the immune system.
This creates an environment in the body that does not allow the fungus to grow and sustain; and the problem of tinea versicolor gets cured.
According to my experience it takes about 6 to 8 months for a complete recovery.
Number of Medicines
There are around 71 medicines in homeopathy for tinea versicolor which are amazingly effective.
Now which of these medicines are to be given, in how much potency, how many times in a day – this is a complicated process which only a highly qualified and experienced doctor can do.
A sensible doctor never prescribes on the name of the tinea versicolor. He takes complete history of the patient, then studies his symptoms properly.
After this, he selects the medicines keeping in mind the susceptibility of the patient and decides upon the potency and repetition of medicines.
While treating tinea versicolor I prescribe for one month and then review the patient after that. Every month the case is studied again thereby finetuning the medicines and their potencies.
Name of Medicines?
In this blog I have not named any medicines, nor I have promoted medicines of any company; because by doing so I will be playing with your health and may harm you. A sane doctor will never do this!
Home Remedies
- Avoid using products that can make your skin oily.
- Clothes should be loose and of breathable fabric.
- Apply aloe vera gel on the skin.
- Neem has antifungal properties. You can apply neem paste on the skin.
- Apply talcum powder on skin after bathing.