pityriasis versicolor skin disease
pityriasis versicolor (Tinea versicolor) appears as cafe-aulait, coloured patches or sheets, usually on the upper part of the trunk. In dark-skinned. races, however, or after sunbathing, the patches appear paler than the surrounding skin. The affected skin may show slight wrinkling and scales readily on light scratching. usually there are no symptoms. it must be distinguished. from vitiligo,leprosy, arsenical pigmentation and Addison's disease,but if the scales are examined in liq. potassae- the fungus is easily seen as fine threads of mycelium in short lensths with masses of small round spores.
Treatment
Frequent washing, frequent changes of underclothing, which should be of cotton or linen so that it can be boiled, and the daily application of a 3% ointment of salicylic and benzoic acids, or of 2% salicylic acid and sulphur, or a lotion of l2% sodium thiosulphate. The disease is easily cured, but readily relapses unless the treatment is persisted in for a week or two after apparent cure.