Vitiligo or Tinea Versicolor?

[Tony]

Hi Doctor!

My name is Tony, and I'm a 29 year old male.  I have supposedly had CFIDS for 3 years, but before that I was healthy all of my life, and I worked out 2 hours a day every day.  The only medical test that seemed to come back positive during my illness was islet cell antibodies, although my blood sugar levels are fine, borderline hypoglycemic. I also was on 2 courses of accutane when I was 16 for bad acne.

My problem now is that I began to notice dark patches of skin on both sides of my neck that is slowly spreading. It looks like a light tan (I am half Italian,with brown hair and brown eyes, but my skin is fairly light.)  Around the same time, I noticed that on my forehead by my hairline and especially on the sides of my eyes leading to my hairline, my skin is getting whiter.  That too seems to be spreading.  Also, in line with the where my skin is getting whiter by the sides of my eyes, my sideburns have now gone gray, literally within like 2 days!  I don't know if this is related, but it seems like it might be to me.  And lastly, I noticed last week that it seems that the same brown that is on my neck, is on the bottom of testicle sac.   (I have never had any fungus problems at all)  It's not itchy, and not on my groin - just there.  But it being there makes me think it could be a fungus.  I'm confused now.

Everyone around me is saying this is the fungus tinea versicolor, but after a little research, and knowing that I do have the islet cell antibodies, I was wondering if this was my immune system attacking my melanin production and causing vitiligo and chloasma.  I haven't gone to the doctor yet, which I'm sure I will have to eventually do, because I have no insurance and no money to do it right now.  I hope you can at least steer me in the right direction about this.

Thanks so much for your time and help!

Sincerely,
Tony Albergo

[Sophia_K]

A related discussion, white patches of skin was started.

[aaron]

Hi,
I have a rash that seems to be gettin bigger across my kneck... I wrestle so Im not sure if its something I picked up from the wrestlin room or not.  Its like red spots, they itch and flake... I would appreciate it if you could tell me whats wrong and who I should go to.

[Tony Albergo]

Thanks alot for the help!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Tony:

The neck rash may well be tinea versicolor.  Try treating that with OTC clotrimazole twice a day for 2 weeks.  Facial pigmentation is almsot certainly not fungal, though, and I'm not sure what that is.  Certainly, many people with vitiligo don't have immune system abnormalities, and vice versa, so that piece of data doesn't help much one way or the other.  I guess you'll have to show your face to someone medical at some point.

Best.

Dr R.