Overview
Tinea versicolor is a very common rash that is also known as pityriasis versicolor. It is called "versicolor" because the rash typically has many different colored patches, with the patches failing to tan in the summer and then looking relatively darker than the normal surrounding skin in the winter. In some people the patches are darker than their usual skin color, in others they may be lighter, and in some people they may be both lighter and darker in different areas. The rash is caused by an overgrowth of yeast called
Malassezia, which is usually found on everybody's skin but causes a rash when it overgrows. The overgrowth is more common in some conditions, such as when the skin is oily or moist and the weather is warm and humid. Tinea versicolor is not contagious, and it is easily treated by anti-yeast creams or pills that your doctor can prescribe.
