What are these red patches on my neck?

[ste1988]

I've had these for a few months, they are flat and do not itch or hurt, the only difference is they are red/pink coloured patches. I also have one on my chest, and one the other side of my neck (just single patches though, not like the 5 here)

I thought maybe allergy, but nothing has changed in my lifestyle. I was taking hayfever tablets (loratadine) in the summer but that did not affect it

[maatson]

Good!

[ste1988]

Thank-you. I have been using clotrimazole 1% cream twice daily for about a week and the patches are hardly visible now :) I think another week they will be gone.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It looks like pityriasis versicolor. Pityriasis versicolor is a fungal disease caused by a type of yeast that naturally lives on your skin. When the yeast grows out of control, the skin disease, which appears as a rash, is the result.

The spots may disappear during cool weather and get worse during warm and humid weather and appears as light or dark patches on face or chest which do not tan with exposure to sun.
KOH examination of the skin scrapings may help in confirming the diagnosis. You can apply antifungal shampoo like Nizoral.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.