Many people have probably heard about such an unpleasant disease as color lichen. In the people it is also called the solar fungus. What is it? Why does this disease develop? Most often it occurs in people from hot countries with high humidity. The disease brings significant discomfort to the patient, including in connection with aesthetic defects.
Why appears
The main reason why lichen color appears in humans is a fungus. The causative agent of the disease are infections such as Malassezia furfur and Pityrpsporum orbiculare. Be sure to take all possible measures to treat this disease. It won't go away on its own. When viewed under a microscope, lichen versicolor appears as thick, curved filaments arranged in clusters on the epidermis.
How can you get infected
Let's take a closer look at this issue. Speaking about how to treat color lichen, one cannot fail to mention the main causes and symptoms of this disease. Some believe that the main reason for hisoccurrence is an imbalance in the body, and it is not transmitted from person to person. However, according to dermatologists, it is quite possible to get infected with color lichen. It is classified as conditionally contagious, since not every person develops characteristic symptoms when infected. Treatment should be carried out only if the disease manifests itself. Typically, symptoms occur in people with low body resistance.
You can get infected in the following ways:
- In person. It is not uncommon for lichen color to affect the entire family, as it is easily transmitted by living together.
- Through personal hygiene items if they were used by a sick person. It can be washcloths, towels, clothes.
- In a fitting room or public dressing room.
If you find the first signs of the disease, start treatment immediately.
Risk groups
You should read them thoroughly. How to understand that you have color lichen? After all, the disease does not manifest itself immediately. The incubation period can be from 14 to 30 days. For a long time, people do not treat it just because they do not notice its symptoms. However, there are a number of factors that provoke the accelerated development of the fungus. In this case, treatment is no longer enough.
The main causes of lichen color in humans include:
- Genetic predisposition to ringworm.
- Increased oiliness of the skin, disruption of processes in the stratum corneum of the epidermis.
- Relateddiseases, such as diabetes, obesity, vegetative neurosis, diseases of the endocrine system.
- Excessive sweating - hyperhidrosis. With this disease, the chemical composition of sweat changes, which only contributes to the development of the fungus.
- With weak immunity. The disease is especially common among patients with tuberculosis. If signs of lichen color are found, it is worth checking before treatment if the patient is suffering from extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis.
- Vegetative-vascular dystonia, which develops as a result of imbalance of the autonomic nervous system. Concomitant symptoms in this case are also depression, dizziness, panic attacks.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. They are bad for the skin. If a patient is diagnosed with lichen color, treatment should begin at the root cause.
- Respiratory diseases: pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis.
- Hormonal disorders during pregnancy or menopause in women.
- Using antibacterial gels and soaps.
Most often, middle-aged people and children under seven years of age suffer from lichen color. However, this disease usually manifests itself only against the background of a weakened immune system.
What diseases can be confused with
How to identify lichen color in a person? Photos of the affected areas of the skin will help you make a preliminary diagnosis. But it is better to see a doctor anyway. After all, the symptoms of color lichen are similar to many diseases.
Here are just a few of them:
- Syphilitic roseola: this disease is characterized by the appearance of pink spots. When probing, they may disappear.
- Vitiligo disease: difficult to treat.
- Gibera lichen: an elongated pink spot forms on the skin, which peels off in the central part.
Before you start self-treatment of the disease, color lichen at home, be sure to consult a qualified specialist. A dermatologist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe therapy.
Signs
How to determine if a person really has lichen color? Treatment will give a guaranteed effect only if the disease has been diagnosed correctly. Usually on the skin affected by the fungus, asymmetrical spots of various shades appear - from pink to cinnamon. After some time, they begin to merge into fairly large foci with jagged edges. With prolonged exposure to the sun, the spots may change color. They lighten or acquire a dark brown hue. It is for this reason that lichen is called multi-colored.
Spots usually appear on the back. Less commonly, lesions occur on the shoulders, abdomen, and neck. In some cases, lichen appears on the scalp. Even after a course of treatment, the disease may reappear.
Diagnostic Methods
How to recognize lichen color in a person? Treatment, photos of severe cases, recommendations of specialists - all this interests patients. To diagnose versicolor versicolor, the doctormust take the patient's history. Perhaps there are factors predisposing to the disease in the environment. An objective examination will also help to make a diagnosis. If necessary, the doctor prescribes additional examinations.
Samples
There are several types of tests to confirm the diagnosis of lichen color.
Here are some of them:
- Balzer's test is a simple and effective technique that allows you to distinguish pityriasis multicolored from other dermatological diseases. During the Balzer test, a 5% iodine solution is applied to the affected area of the skin. Damaged skin cells become more intense in color.
- Besnier's test is another simple sign by which it is easy to detect the disease. It is enough just to scrape the affected area a little with a special probe. With lichen versicolor, the skin begins to noticeably peel off.
- Illumination of the affected area with a Wood's fluorescent lamp. In the UV spectrum on the skin, spots give a reddish-yellow or brown glow.
- Microscopy method. This is the most reliable way to diagnose color lichen. For its implementation, a scraping is taken from the affected area. The analysis will help determine if it contains mycelium or spores of the fungus.
Basics of treatment
If you suspect that you have tinea versicolor, then you should definitely visit a dermatologist's office. The doctor will accurately diagnose and be able to determine the course of treatment. Many patients begin to self-medicate and takeantifungal agents without consulting a specialist. But this can only exacerbate the situation. Only a doctor can determine the type of lichen and choose the right antifungal therapy regimen.
Basic methods of dealing with an unpleasant disease
What do you need to know about treatment? How to choose the most effective drug? With lichen color, experts recommend spending more time in the sun. This will help kill the fungus. In addition, when sunburned, the spots become discolored. However, after exposure to ultraviolet light, pigment formations can persist for several more months. To combat the disease, external antimycotic agents are also used - solutions, sprays, ointments, creams. Usually, doctors prescribe drugs such as salicylic ointment, Bifonazole, Terbiafin, Clotrimazole. Funds for topical use are recommended to be used in a two-week course.
What are the other treatments for lichen color? Photos of infected areas sometimes show quite extensive affected areas. In severe cases, long-term medical treatment is required. Usually, dermatologists recommend taking antifungal medications. Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, Fluconazole help best of all. You can also use analogues that use the same active ingredients.
During the duration of the treatment, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning in the room. Bed and underwear of the patient is recommended to be washed at high temperatures - not lower than 90-100 degrees. Clothing should also be carefullyiron on both sides. It is better to change the washcloths.
Recommendations from experts
The attending physician selects a course of therapy aimed at restoring the skin. This takes into account the location of the focus and its prevalence throughout the body. In most cases, the disease can be easily cured at home, following the recommendations of a specialist. It is important to remember that when the first signs appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. The effectiveness of treatment depends on the localization of the provoking agent. If local therapy after the course of treatment did not give a positive result, the doctor will prescribe medication for antifungal drugs. You should also correct the general condition of the body and deal with the reasons that led to the appearance of lichen.
Drugs
What medicines help to overcome color deprivation?
Treatment usually involves taking drugs such as:
- "Resorcinol".
- "Nizoral".
- "Naftifin".
- "Clotrimazole".
- "Zinc pyrithione".
- "Keto Plus".
Today, keratolytic drugs are used only as part of complex therapy. They give a positive result in combination with other methods.
Usually, specific antifungal drugs are used to treat tinea versicolor. The maximum effect is given by the use of antimycotic agents in the form of solutions. They allow you to accumulateactive substance in the surface layer of the epidermis. This prevents the formation of components necessary to maintain the vital activity of the fungus, which leads to the destruction of its structure. It is most convenient for patients to use products in the form of a spray, such as "Termikon" or "Lamisil".
Zinc-based ointments and shampoos can be used to treat tinea versicolor localized in the scalp. The product must be applied to the scalp and left for 5-7 minutes. After that, it is simply washed off with water. Typically, such drugs are recommended to be used within a week. To prevent relapse, you can periodically use such funds every seven days. The drug "Psorilom" is well suited for this purpose. It should be applied to problem areas. It is not necessary to wash off the composition from the skin. The tar in this remedy provides a good anti-inflammatory effect. Combined drugs are also effective. They are affordable and easy to use.
At the initial stage, experts do not recommend taking a shower or bath. It is necessary to ensure prolonged contact of drugs with the skin. This increases the chances of a speedy recovery. In severe cases of the disease, a course of antifungal drugs is usually prescribed. The attending physician will calculate the dosage and frequency of taking the tablets.
Conclusion
Many people have already experienced such an unpleasant disease as color lichen. Photos of skin areas affected by this disease are given in the article. Atthe occurrence of such lesions on the skin can not self-medicate. Only a professional doctor will be able to correctly diagnose the disease and prescribe the appropriate course of therapy. Try to always take care of your he alth. Then there will be no problems!
