brown spots on skin

[heartpalp37]

hi. over the past week ive noticed a fairly large number of small brown spots on my skin develop. they are everywhere. arms, legs, chest, face, back, and shoulders. i have always had some moles/ brown spots but there seems to be a lot more now. is this something i should worry about?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to lentigo skin or tinea versicolor. Lentigo are flat brown lesions which do not darken following sun exposure. It is a small, sharply circumscribed, pigmented macule surrounded by normal-appearing skin. Tinea versicolor is a fungal infection of the skin caused by the yeast Pityrosporum ovale. This yeast occurs naturally on everyone's skin. When the yeast starts to multiply rapidly, it can form small colonies on the skin's surface. The reason the yeast does this on some people but not others is unknown, but it is known that tinea versicolor is not contagious. It is most likely to occur during hot weather, presumably because increased moisture on the skin through sweating creates an environment that encourages fungal growth.

Because this infection is on the surface of the skin, topical applications are used to treat it. These antifungal medications can be over the counter or prescribed by a doctor in greater strength. Applying anti-dandruff shampoo to the affected area and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes before rinsing also can treat tinea versicolor. This treatment would need to be applied for several days, up to two weeks, before resolution occurs.
I would recommend a dermatologist’s consultation for this.

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.

[heartpalp37]

also i should add. im a 25 year old male who is not out in the sun a lot.