A Teenage Boy with an Unsightly Rash

July 31, 2015

The young man is missing school because he is self-conscious about the hypopigmented lesions on his arms, back, and chest. Can you make the diagnosis?

The teen is otherwise healthy. See what you make of the history and images. A full discussion of the diagnosis and effective treatment follows the differential--and your diagnosis.

References:

Single dose ketoconazole for tinea versicolor. The Prescribers Letter. February 2004; Vol. 20 No. 200208.

American Academy of Dermatology. Tinea versicolor. Accessed on July 29, 2015 and available at: https://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/diseases-and-treatments/q---t/tinea-versicolor

Burkhart CG. Tinea versicolor. Accessed on July 29, 2015 and available at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1091575-overview

Wahab MA, Ali ME, Rahman MH, et al. Single dose (400 mg) versus 7 day (200 mg) daily dose itraconazole in the treatment of tinea versicolor: a randomized clinical trial. Mymensingh Med J. 2010;19:72-76.