Does this need to be seen by a dermatologist or is my regular physician okay? Would they be able to tell by looking at it which one of the two you mention is what I have? Also, could this be a cause of an underlying terminal illness?
Thanks
Hello,
Two possibilities are there for such depigmentation. Firstly, 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.
Second possibility is of vitiligo. It is a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin are destroyed. As a result, white patches appear on the skin in different parts of the body. Diagnosis can be confirmed by external examination, blood tests to check skin cell count for melanocytes and biopsy of the skin patches.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.