jock itch

Hi, i am a 20 year old male, i had jock itch about a year ago and it was cured within a weeks time.However,since the past 1 year ,even though the infection is gone, i have had darker than usual skin around my groin area. I thought over time it might change but it did not.Any suggestions for what should i do to get my normal skin colour back ?Pls help,because later on it could get really embarassing for me...and i dont want that to happen.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

This darkened skin after jock itch can be due to post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Without treatment, this usually takes about 6 months to resolve and for the skin color to go back to its normal color.  Topical treatments with acids and chemical peels can be effective but can take a while for the skin to totally revert to its normal color.  Microdermabrasion can also be done, but this might require several sessions.  Skin resurfacing using lasers is also an option.  

If the symptoms are severe and there is appearance of brown macular patches then erythrasma needs to be ruled out.
I suggest you to get it checked from a dermatologist and get both these conditions ruled out.
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 dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.