White patches on back & chest that turn red with sun exposure

My boyfriend has white flat patches on the back that looks like his natural color is fading starting out more from the neck area and working its way down, some on his jaw area, chest, and half the arms. When he is out in the sun the white patches seem to get irritated, they turn red, swell a little bit and get itchy. He's had it for over ten years now. He is now 33.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

The symptoms are suggestive of 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.

I sincerely hope it helps. Take care and please do keep us posted on how you are doing. Warm regards.