Home Treatment

Tinea versicolor can be treated at home with topical products such as antifungal creams, shampoos, and solutions. After treatment is started, it can take months for the spots to disappear and for your skin color to return to normal. Although tinea versicolor can usually be treated successfully with medicines, the rash may return within 1 or 2 years.

When using creams, shampoos, or solutions, follow the directions closely. You usually need to use these products for 1 to 2 weeks. If your skin becomes irritated, stop using the product.

To prevent tinea versicolor from returning, use a topical product at least once a month. Talk to your dermatologist about how often to use the product. Antifungal pills prescribed by your doctor can be used once a month to prevent the rash from returning, but they are usually not needed. The medicine in antifungal pills comes to the surface of your skin through sweat. So you'll get the best results if you take an antifungal pill, exercise briskly and long enough to sweat, and then wait about 12 hours before you shower.

Tanning will make the condition more obvious, so avoid tanning to keep the change in skin color less noticeable.

For more information on the medicines used to treat tinea versicolor, see the Treatment Overview section of this topic.

Some doctors believe fungi that remain in clothing may cause the rash to return. Normal washing and cleaning are usually effective in removing fungi from clothes. But for persistent tinea versicolor, you may need to dry-clean your clothes or wash them in the hottest possible water.