Pityriasis, also known as pityriasis versicolor, is a fungal infection of the skin. It involves excessive growth of the fungus Malassezia furfur on the epidermis. If the fungus multiplies excessively, various symptoms occur, such as irregular pigmentation or itching. The most characteristic sign of bran lichen is clearly defined circular spots. Their color differs from the surrounding skin.
Here you will find further information as well as selected specialists and centers for clover lichen.
Pityriasis versicolor is an infection with Malassezia yeasts. The infection is usually harmless and never contagious.
Symptoms include scaling and spotting. It is therefore more of a cosmetic condition, but can be very distressing for those affected.
It is only in exceptional cases that a case of smallpox can become severe. Then the hair roots in the chest or back area become inflamed. This symptom is often confused with acne.
Pityriasis versicolor is one of the most common skin diseases (dermatoses). Adolescents and young adults are particularly often affected. Infants or elderly people only very rarely suffer from pityriasis versicolor.
There is an increased risk of becoming infected with Malassezia yeasts in people who suffer from
suffer from dandruff.
Malassezia is widespread all over the world, but there are significantly more people affected in areas with a tropical climate. In areas with a temperate climate, less than 5 percent of the population is affected by pityriasis versicolor. In comparison, experts estimate the prevalence in tropical countries to be up to 40 percent.
The yeasts can multiply particularly quickly in warm weather with high humidity. This is why clover lichen is particularly common in the summer months in temperate climates.
Malassezia yeast fungi are part of the natural skin flora. Almost every adult is infected with it. However, the fungi do not cause disease in healthy people.
The pathogen Malassezia furfur colonizes the epidermis from puberty onwards. It prefers a warm, moist environment, such as that found on the back of the neck. Malassezia yeasts feed on lipids on the skin and on dead skin cells.
In a small number of people, the fungal organisms can multiply excessively. Ultimately, this leads to the clinical picture of pityriasis versicolor.
To date, the cause of the sudden excessive proliferation in some people is still unknown. However, there are known risk factors for the transformation from a harmless skin fungus to a fungal infection.
The greatest risk is a warm and humid climate combined with heavy sweating. These conditions provide ideal conditions for yeast to multiply.
People also have an increased risk of contracting clover lichen,
Malassezia furfur feeds on skin lipids. People with dry skin are only very rarely affected by bursal lichen. Oily skin creams are therefore a possible cause for the development of pityriasis versicolor. These creams stimulate the production of sebum in the skin.
The main symptom of pityriasis versicolor is dark or light patches irregularly distributed on the skin. They can be up to 2.5 cm in size.
The production or distribution of the pigment melanin is disturbed. This results in hyper- or hypopigmentation of the skin. On the one hand, fungal carpets on the skin filter the sunlight and melanin production is inhibited. On the other hand, however, the small fungal lichen also forms pigments itself.
As a result, originally light skin tends to develop dark spots, i.e. hyperpigmentation. Originally brown skin, on the other hand, tends to form lighter spots. The color of the spots is closely related to the respective skin type. Nevertheless, pale pink or pale patches can also form on light skin types.
Typically, the spots do not appear all over the body. They are usually limited to
In some cases
are also affected by clover lichen.
Clover lichen forms patches on the skin that differ in color from the surrounding skin © Alessandro Grandini | AdobeStock
The skin can also begin to form scales. The skin then feels unpleasantly rough. In rare cases, clover lichen leads to mild to moderate itching.
In rare cases, female sufferers may experience inflammation of the hair roots in the breast area.
To diagnose pityriasis versicolor, the treating doctor first carries out a visual diagnosis. He pays particular attention to the nature of the spots. He checks whether the skin patches are scaly or rough.
A medical history must also be taken. The doctor will ask about other symptoms that are typical of pityriasis versicolor. He then takes a small tissue sample. To do this, he will scrape off a few flakes of skin from an area with a pigment disorder.
The suspected diagnosis of pityriasis versicolor can only be confirmed by microscopic examination of the scraped skin scales.
A variety of diseases can cause symptoms similar to those of pityriasis versicolor. The doctor must rule out such diseases when taking the patient's medical history.
For example, if a patient suffers from severe itching or pain, it is highly unlikely that they have clover lichen. Syphilis or leprosy also produce similar symptoms to clover lichen. However, these diseases are very rare.
A number of skin diseases can also cause hyper- or hypopigmentation.
Canker sores can be treated very well. Nevertheless, it can reappear the following summer and then requires further treatment. There are various treatment approaches depending on the individual case of the disease.
Despite successful treatment, however, it can take weeks or months for the skin to return to its normal appearance and heal completely.
Antifungal agents are used to treat fungal infestations. They can either be applied locally to affected areas or used internally so that they have an effect on the whole organism.
Topical medications are applied locally to the areas affected by pityriasis versicolor. These antimycotics are available as
available.
The fungi can easily survive in the scalp due to the hair. Those affected should therefore also use a special shampoo.
For most sufferers, it is sufficient to use these special body care products once or twice a day. Treatment can be completed after about two weeks.
In more severe cases of pityriasis versicolor, treatment must be carried out at systemic level. This is necessary if the topical treatment of pityriasis has failed.
If the hair roots are affected, systemic treatment of pityriasis versicolor is usually initiated immediately. The doctor prescribes an antimycotic in tablet form.
The causes and triggers of pityriasis versicolor are not yet fully understood. It is therefore difficult to take specific prophylactic measures. Nevertheless, there are a few tips that can help to reduce the risk of developing clover lichen.
Especially in the summer months, make sure that your skin is not too oily. Some body care products contain oils that promote sebum production in the skin. This in turn promotes the development of bran lichen. These include sun protection creams, for example.
Be careful not to use oily skin creams and shower gels.
Rather dry skin makes it more difficult for yeast to spread. You should also use soaps that have a similar pH value to the skin. Natural soaps with a pH value of around 5.5 are most suitable.
Clothing that is too tight-fitting and made of synthetic materials promotes sweating in hot temperatures. This also encourages the development of fungal infections.
We recommend loose-fitting cotton clothing. Cotton absorbs sweat so that no damp sweat film forms on the skin. Wide clothing allows sufficient air circulation.
Adequate personal hygiene with the right hygiene products is extremely important. Regular showering with pH-neutral shower gel also removes excess yeast.
However, do not overdo it with hygiene. If the skin is washed too often and with aggressive products, this damages the protective acid mantle. This in turn promotes the spread of yeast fungi and therefore also of bursal lichen.
Canker sores are a cosmetically unpleasant but usually completely harmless disease. It mainly affects younger people during the summer months.
Canker sores can be treated easily and effectively with antimycotics.
