Lighter colored spot on chin

Hello
I am a 23 year old Indian American male with history only of asthma (on advair and occasional rescue) who noticed a lighter pigmented spot on my chin a few months ago. It is not raised, about 1 cm dm, not itchy or painful. I don't remember this ever happening before. The borders are regular, well circumscribed. It does not affect my facial hair. I have no other symptoms. I thought it was tinea versicolor so I tried to put selsun blue on it (i thought the selenium might help); however it has not helped (possibility the dosage frequency or duration wasnt enough). Should I try cortisone cream and a moisturizer? What else could it be? I doubt I have vitiligo, leprosy or some other systemic (scary) disease.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to tinea versicolor. Tinea versicolor is caused by a fungus that lives in the skin of almost all adults. Factors that can cause the fungus to become more visible include high humidity and immune or hormone abnormalities. Treatment involves topical and oral antifungal medicines. Most cases of fungal infections respond to over-the-counter products, which contain any of several basic ingredients: miconazole, tolnaftate, terbinafine, ketaconazole and clotrimazole. You can consult a pharmacist and get any cream or lotion containing these ingredients. Some of them are Lamisil, Monistat derm, Mycelex, and Nizoral. Please don’t apply selsun blue as it is causing contact dermatitis in your case. You can however try selsun shampoo(not selsun blue) as its concentration is less.
If the symptoms persist then please consult a dermatologist. Vitiligo has to be ruled out.

I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.