white spots on face and arms

My 19 yr old daughter spent a week at a summer camp with majority of the time in the direct sunlight, she currently uses a prescribed topical ointment Tetrinoinin (spelling?) which she uses nightly. After 3 days in the sun I noticed very obvious white spots on her face.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Tretinoin (often known by the brand name Retin-A) can make people a bit sun sensitive, but that would be manifest as redness and peeling, not White spots.  I'd hazard a guess that your daughter has pityriasis alba, a mild for of eczema which causes the skin to tan unevenly.  Doesn't mean anything, and people grow out of it.  I recommend regular sunscreen use and showing the rash to the doctor who prescribed tretinoin next time your daughter sees him or her.  No need to stop the tretinoin either.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff