WHITE SPOTS ON SKIN

[peggy_p]

A FEW YRS AGO I STARTED GETTING A FEW WHITE SPOTS ON MY LEGS NOW THEY ARE SPREADING TO MY THIGHTS AND FORE ARMS AND MORE ARE APPEARING.I'M AFRAID I'M LOSING MY PIGMENT ALTHOUGHT I DO GET IN TANNING BEDS IN THE SUMMER TIME ALTHOUGHT I DON;T ABUSE THE TANNING.IGET A TAN THEN GO ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH TO MAINTAIN MY TAN TIL COOL WEATHER SO COULD THIS BE A FUNGUS AND WHAT CAAN I DO TO HELP GET RID OF THESE SPOTS,THEY REALLY LOOK BAD WHEN I TAN BECAUSE THEY DON'T TAN AND REALLY SHOW UP.THEY DON'T ITCH OR FLAKE AND YOU CANT FEEL THEM THEY ARE FLAT WITH THE SKIN.

[DennyAnn]

It could be vitiligo-it's a condition where the skin pigmentation is lost. A  famous celebrity  (MJ) allegedly has it- not that this is any consolation. However, it would be best to discuss this with your doctor.

[k10hill]

I once had small white spots appear on my back and chest and my doctor told me it was some form of fungus that could come from using a bath towel more than once (which i commonly do).  He told me to buy dandruff shampoo and wash the areas with the shampoo until they were gone.  It worked like a charm.  

[suebeagle]

I had this same issue and the Dr. told me to rub a creme for athlete's foot on it every day after I took a shower.  It worked great for me and also for my son.

[dolvid]

My sister had white spots on her back and arms and her Dr. told her it was a fungus from HER going to tanning beds. Apparently they don't sanitize like they should. She prescribed her some kind of cream.

[Randi08]

I have had these white spots and they have slowly spread through out my body .  some have become bumps and some even have brown around them...they itch extremely bad

[captdebbie]

I also have white spots on my legs.  I have had them for about 20 years now.  I was told to use selson blue on the spots.  I think I will try it.  I am very tan, but have never been to a tanning bed, only the sun.  I heard from some one that it is a fungus.

[lizat30]

I have white spots that started on my chest and now is all over my back and shoulders.they are in patches.I was told it was skin cancer.

[chellybeans]

that's is most likely not skin cancer at all. it sounds like tinea versicolor possibly. google that term and look at the images. if that's what you have it is a fungal infection that is often times caught in tanning beds. that is absolutely not the only place people catch it, but common. and it is very very common on the chest and back.

easily treatable. you'll need a prescription.

skin cancer comes by way of scaly sores, weird bumps , lesions etc.
the abcd's of melanoma should be known to you.

look for
a=assymmetry(if you divide a spot down the middle one side looks different than the other, like one side is much bigger or shaped different.
b=border, most lesions should be typically uniform around the edge, sorta rounded. if a lesion looks like a fried egg border it needs evaluation
c= color, more than one color, odd colors etc. very dark spots are not always a problem and are often normal
d=diameter. if it is bigger than 2mm or a pencil eraser it should be checked.

also sudden changes, itching, bleeding, texture changes, bleeding or swelling should be looked at.

you can search the american academy of dermatology and search for tinea versicolor to get more information about what it sounds like you are describing.

hope this helped :)

[OldWmnNaShoe]

I think if you'll check with your physician, you'll probably find out it's something called Tinea Versicolor.  It's a fungus and easily treated with oral meds.  I noticed you posted in March, I seriously hope you've sought medical help by now.

[sweetredj]

I have white spots also ring like spot that itch also i have being getting white flesh color pin sive mole dont konw what too do

[Elise c.]

i have had these spots on my legs and thighs and they seem to be getting worse but i do reuse my towel from the shower and the stories of all the people on this page have helped me i'll try selson blue as soon as i can and maybe that will do the trick.

[meshoo449]

I had these spots too. Went to the doctor and she told me it was a fugus from tanning beds, reusing towels ect. She prescribed me a cream to use and it worked for about a year and then they came back. I then read about tea tree oil and how it gets rid of any type of fungus and for good. Used it and haven't had any problems for about 5 years now. I haven't had to reuse either (and it's cheap).

[KenBLAH]

I recently contracted the same thing some how. I did google search for white patches on the skin. I believe mine to be the following, Tinea Versicolor.

Here is a website you can check out. It's very useful.

Hope this helps,
Ken

http://www.medicinenet.com/tinea_versicolor/article.htm

[tjsmit3]

I saw your suggestion of using tea tree oil to treat Tinea Versicolor...I've used it on cuts and scrapes and also ear infections...but never on my "spots".  I will definitely be giving it a try.  How often did you apply it and for how long of a period?  Thanks, Thomas

[Roboy]

It seems that you should apply it on the affected areas and keep it there for about 30 min to an hour. On some websites it says it's good to keep it on for 12 to 24 hours, but it depends on the person. The selenium sulfide can cause burning sensations on the skin if left on for too long which hapenned to me in the middle of the night when I applied it over my body before I went to sleep.

[Roboy]

oops, I was talking about the shampoo containing selenium sulfide...neeeever mind, but it's good anywayz.

[lyn2411]

Hi there!

I'm also experiencing the same problem and have got white spots on my lower legs. I believe that I've had them for about 5-6 years or so but it seems to have gotten worse and have spread to a wide area over the last 1-2 years. I'm a relatively fair person and its quite embarrassing too because the spots are very obvious - sometimes they even seem so white like they're almost luminous. But I dont think its psoriasis or any other conditions that I've looked up online because the spots are flat like the skin, they're not itchy and are just lighter in colour with no obvious borders around the spot.

I thought it was tinea versicolor and have been applying Nizoral/ketoconazole for the last 1.5 months. Usually after I apply, the spots become less obvious but this would only last for a very short period of time. I've been applying them twice a day but I noticed that sometimes when I only apply them once a day - the spots become even more obvious the next day! :(

Having said the above, I do believe that the spots have been improving in appearance and are less obvious than they used to be (albeit it seems only slightly). If this is really tinea versicolor - how long would it take for the spots to clear up?

Would really appreciate any help. Thanks!!

[AdmiralHalsey]

I think I have the same disorder. Since I was around 12 I have had white spots the size of bb's along my legs and arms. These aren't bumps, its basically like I lack pigment in these spots or something. All the more strange is that they're appearence is eratic, if I get exerted of flushed they are much more visible and ghostly white. Sometimes, like when I'm calm and not exerting myself, they disappear completly. But often it is very noticeable, and, perhaps because I've suffered much ridicule over , are especially noticeable when I get anxious or in social situations. I work out regularly, it has no affect but to make them more visible. Its truly becoming a curse, and I 'll be watching these boards very closely for a few days, hoping for something, any info about what this might be and what I can do to change it.

[btterflylv]

I have had this same problem with my skin, I just recently went to the Doctor for it and he let me know that mine aren't a fungus :( I wish they were. Mine do itch, and I don't lay out in the sun or do tanning beds, but if the skin on my legs or arms is exposed to the sun, my skin becomes itchy and they multiply. I hate the way they look. The Dr. told me that its skin damage from sunburns that I recieved in the past for laying out, and he let me know that they are never going to go away. Hes the second over the last 10 yrs to tell me....

[lyn2411]

Hey there

Just to let you know - I finally decided to get off my bum today and visit the skin specialist about my skin problem (though I did have to wait for 4 hours =_=" since the clinic also doubles as a popular plastic surgery clinic where ppl could get botox injections and etc).

Anyway, the doctor said that my condition is probably heriditary and said that the appearance of the spots would vary with the weather and what activities I am doing. Sometimes the spots are very obvious and sometimes may not be there. He said that the reason why this occurs is because my veins are very close to the surface, and thus becomes very susceptible to heat changes. Whenever my veins dilate, the spots would become more obvious. When the veins shrink, the spots will become less apparent.

There isn't any medication for it and he said that there is nothing to worry about it although it can get quite unsightly at times. He did say that at most the spots will go up until the knee level but it won't go beyond that - which is some extent of relief for me.

[AdmiralHalsey]

Actually, I think I know what your describing lyn. A kinda patchwork pattern of white splotches bordered by veins? I've seen people with that, but mine are small bb sized spots, no texture at all, and they become MORE apparent in the cold, and extend up to my upper thigh. Actually, sadly enough they seem to spread very slowly and are on my chest as well. I have asked a doctor about them, but I got a worse answer than you, something like "Don't worry about it". Thats all nice and well, but I hate explaining them to people who treat me like a leper. Oh well, could be worse, I could be a leper huh lol. I do believe that its just a pigment change for both of us, and we can't do much but deal with, but thanks for the info.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

For white lesions of the skin the differentials would be pityriasis alba, tinea versicolor and vitiligo .

The cause of pityriasis alba is unknown , tinea vesicolor is a fungal infection , vitiligo has an autoimmune origin .

Pityriasis alba usually occurs in children and young adults and may have very fine scales in the center of the lesions.The lesion is usually poorly marginated. Tinea present as white lesions but on covered areas may be brown or reddish in color. Vitiligo usually occurs in the face, axillae and on the dorsal surface of the hands.The lesions of vitiligo is well demarcated .They may start as small patches and slowly spreads to new areas for months and years.

A dermatologist will be able to differentiate the lesions through a complete physical examination and diagnostic tests since most basis of diagnosis for these conditions is clinical.

For the mean time,you may avoid further tanning or long exposure to the sun until the condition has been diagnosed.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Just to add,

One of the more miscellaneous causes of white patches or leasions in the skin is postinflammatroy hypopigmentation. This is usually due to a previous insult to the skin like dermatitis,scarring processes and thermal burns.

Hypopigmentation may resolve and repigmentation follows depending on the severity of the previous injury.

This is just one differential that may be significant to note.

Have you had your consult already?

Do keep us posted.

[les303]

I have just noticed these white spots on my legs and arms  (some the size of a pencil eraser but most are smaller)  It's winter and I'm not in the sun.  I have tried to research it on the web and they always talk about autoimmune disorders.  My grandmother had reuhmatoid arthritis and my mom has hashimotos.  does anyone think that that may be the cause of my spots?