White spots all over chest and shoulders, im freaking out please help me!!

i have white spots on my shoulders, chest, and back. they use to be not bad, and they would come and go, but just recently they are reallly bad and noticeable and seem to be spreading, and havent gone away. My dad and aunt has also has had it before, but not anymore, they also dont itch or anything.  soo wanting to get them off i went to this website and read this other girls post and the cmnts all said to buy selsun blue dandruff shampoo, soo i did, went home took a shower, and put the selsun all over my shoulders, and chest, and went to bed, i woke up the next day, and it was burning like mad, but i thought i was just burning off the fungus or whatever. soo i watched it off and went to school, well when bedtime came around i took a shower and put the selsun back on determined to fight off these ugly spots, but minutes after puttin on my skin seriously felt like it was on fire, i immedently washed it off, and the next day found 3 scabs on my chest/shoulders. i havent put it back on since, its been three days. and i really want them gone,  am i applying it wrong? am i allergic to it? i just really want to get rid of them. help?

[sweetbwio]

See a doctor?

[megmeg1797]

my parents dont have insurance on me.

[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.

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

[megmeg1797]

thank you sooo much for replying.

why is the selsun blue causing dermatitis, and what is it?
and what do u mean immune or hormone abnormalities?
won't selsun shampoo take longer to work since it has less in it?
what is the fastest way to get rid of them without seeing a docter?
how sure are u of it being  tinea versicolor? would a picture help?

i know these are alot of questions, but i truly do appreciate it. :)

thank you sooooo much.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Without examination confirmation of a diagnosis is tough but it can be tinea versicolor which is a fungal infection. Fungal infection may occur when the immunity levels are low and hormonal disturbances are there. In such cases, some skin fungi which are growing harmlessly on skin can proliferate and start producing symptoms. Contact dermatitis means inflammation and reaction of the skin on coming in contact with a thing or chemical or drug to which the skin can show an allergic reaction.  For tinea versicolor, selsun is much more effective than selsun blue and if the symptoms persist inspite of the above treatment, then oral antifungals may be needed.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.

[Me312]

Going to a Derm isn't expensive - its a one time visit.  You should get a diagnosis first - really.  Tinea is easy to live with - but if you have something else - you could be making that worse with the Selsun.

The Derm will take some flakes of the spot and check it for the fungus.  If it's positive - its tinea.  Its painless and takes less than 5 minutes to figure out.  If it is tinea, ask for econazole cream.  Works great.  Use it twice a day for at least a week on the spots and surrounding area.  After you are done with the cream - go to a tanning bed - once or twice for a few minutes (5-10 minutes depending on skin fairness - use the low UVB bronzing beds).  If your skin evens out - its gone.  If you have more spots or they get worse - use the cream again for another week.  The key is killing it - after that you can prevent it.  I have another post about prevention if you look at my profile - it's all there.

Good luck - and don't freak - it ***** - but it can be managed.  I get it once a year and its gone fast - including the spots.  I just recently had it again and got rid of it in 3-4 days, went to tan 2 times and spots are gone.  :)