There are many pathogens that cause damage to human skin. A special place among such diseases is occupied by lichen. There are various types of them, including pityriasis versicolor.
Pityriasis versicolor is a disease that occurs over a long period of time, the causative agent of which is a fungus. During it, the epidermis is damaged, as a result of which pigmented spots appear on the skin, the shade of which can be different: yellow, pink, brown or brown. This lichen is characterized by pityriasis peeling, hence the name. The main and easiest way to diagnose it is to carry out the Balzer test.
Causes of occurrence
Pityriasis versicolor is caused by infection with the fungus Pityrosporum orbiculare. Even in a he althy person, it can normally be present in the stratum corneum of the epidermis and hair follicles. Get infected from contact with a sick personit's hard enough for a person. Most often, the activation of the fungus is caused by certain factors that are provoking. These include:
- Decreased immunity level.
- Development of seborrhea.
- Excessive sweating.
- Features of the chemical composition of sweat.
- Impaired exfoliation of the epidermis.
- Individual predisposition to the disease.
- Presence of diabetes.
- Having a person with tuberculosis.
- Changes in the body during puberty.
- Chronic pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Using synthetic clothing.
Pityriasis versicolor symptoms
When infected with pityriasis versicolor, the following symptoms appear:
- Pigmented spots appear on the skin, the color of which can vary from yellow to brown.
- The surface of these spots is covered with very fine peeling.
- Localization of spots mainly on the skin of the back, chest, abdomen, shoulders and sides of the body.
- After scraping off the peeling spots, it only intensifies.
- After recovery, white spots remain at the sites of lichen foci, which gradually become even in color with he althy skin.
Lichen can bother a person for a very long time - from several months to several years.
Diagnosis of tinea versicolor
In order to assert with certainty that a person is sick with pityriasis ormulti-colored lichen, he needs to undergo a series of the following studies:
- Dermatologist consultation.
- Examine the skin with a Woods lamp.
- Make a microscopic analysis of skin flakes.
- Make a Balzer test.
For the disease, versicolor or pityriasis versicolor, a characteristic feature is a skin rash that has a patchy character. However, a similar picture can be seen in the presence of other diseases associated with dermatology. That is why in order to diagnose this type of lichen, it is necessary to carry out differential diagnosis. The Balzer test helps doctors in this. It is a simple and affordable technique that is widely used in medical practice.
What is this sample?
The Balzer test is an accessible, effective and inexpensive method used in the process of diagnosing versicolor or pityriasis.
Since the symptoms of some skin diseases are similar to each other, it is this test that makes it possible to conduct a comparative diagnosis. The Balzer test is capable of identifying multi-colored or pityriasis versicolor among many different lichens. It will help distinguish it from vitiligo, Gibert's rosacea, or roseola syphilis.
The essence of the test
Many people know that iodine solution, depending on the amount, stains the skin orange or brown. In places of localization of multi-colored lichen, loosening of the epithelium occurs. It is thanks to this that the Balzer test with iodine is veryefficient.
When applying an iodine solution to the focus of lichen, the loosened epithelium absorbs and retains a large amount of the solution, as a result of which the lichen becomes much darker. A patch of versicolor versicolor is very prominent in color on lightly iodine-colored he althy skin, because it has a dark brown tint. Such a result becomes possible due to the loosened upper layer of the skin - the epidermis, which, during the disease, differs from the he althy skin by increased conductivity of the iodine solution, and as a result, it stains more strongly.
Balzer's iodine test is an additional diagnostic method for lichen multicolor, which makes it possible to make a diagnosis even in cases where doctors have any doubts after clinical examinations.
Because this test is completely harmless, anyone can do it. Even pregnant and breastfeeding women are no exception.
Proceedings
The Balzer iodine test technique is very simple and affordable. For the procedure, you must use a 5% alcohol solution of iodine. Using a cotton stick, or just cotton wool, it is necessary to lubricate the peeling center with a solution of iodine. In cases where a person is ill with pityriasis versicolor or pityriasis, the result will be noticeable immediately, since the lichen patches will become darker in color compared to he althy skin.
The Balzer test can also be performed by replacing iodine,aniline dyes: brilliant green or methylene blue. The results will not differ. However, the classic Balzer test involves the use of iodine solution.
Doing at home
Looking at the simplicity of the Balzer test, it seems that each person can do it on their own at home. However, it should be borne in mind that this test is only part of the entire complex of examinations that the patient undergoes. This complex, in addition to the iodine test, provides for a number of additional examinations. Among them are the following: microscopic analysis of skin flakes, inoculation of the fungus on specific nutrient media, etc.
Only conducting a full-fledged study and studying the results of examinations enable a dermatologist to make a correct diagnosis and draw up an appropriate treatment regimen. Even the presence of a positive Balzer test does not become for a specialist in the field of dermatology the final indicator that a person is sick with versicolor versicolor.
Treatment of multicolored lichen
The process of treating this lichen is quite laborious, however, a complete cure is possible. Doctors often prescribe sequential use of certain drugs: exfoliators (iodine, salicylic alcohol, boric acid, or ichthyol ointment) and antifungals.
