Pityriasis versicolor

Pityriasis versicolor, also called tinea versicolor, is a superficial cutaneous fungal infection caused by

Malassezia furfur (formerly termed Pityrosporum ovale)

Features

• most commonly affects trunk
• patches may be hypopigmented, pink or brown (hence versicolor). May be more noticeable following a suntan
• scale is common
• mild pruritus

Predisposing factors

• occurs in healthy individuals
• immunosuppression
• malnutrition
• Cushing's

Management

• topical antifungal. NICE advises ketoconazole shampoo as this is more cost effective for large areas
• if failure to respond to topical treatment then consider alternative diagnoses (e.g. send scrapings to confirm the diagnosis) + oral itraconazole