"There's a fungus among us!" This phrase has become an all too common joke in my family. When the temperature rises and the humidity peaks, my husband's itchy, splotchy rash, known as Tinea Versicolor, reappears to show its ugly face. The rash covers his chest and back as well as his neck, the inside of his elbows, and the back of both knees. Over the parts of his body that aren't exposed to sunlight, the splotches appear a pinkish-brown color. On the tanned areas of his skin, however, the rash turns white. This occurs because the fungus blocks out any light from tanning the infected skin. Heat and humidity, (two things we have plenty of in Texas), cause the fungus to flourish which in turn induces irritation and itchiness.
My husband has struggled with this chronic condition for nearly fifteen years. No, thank goodness, it is not life threatening; but Tinea Versicolor can definitely be impairing. Can you imagine every time you try to exercise, mow the lawn, or play catch with your son; you have a persistent, aggravating need to itch nearly every part of your body? The worst sensation occurs immediately before my husband breaks a sweat. It feels as if there are a thousand, tiny pricklies burning his skin. Once he starts perspiring, the itchiness subsides substantially.
The cosmetic aspect associated with Tinea Versicolor also generates despair for someone living with the infection. For example, our family is considering a beach vacation next year. If my husband is unable to treat his rash soon, he will probably don a T-shirt to hit the beaches, too embarrassed to show his chest or back. For sure, there is nothing more unrelaxing on a vacation than trying to enjoy a swim in the ocean with a T-shirt dragging around your waist!
Tinea Versicolor results from the overabundant growth of the fungus (yeast), Pityrosporum obiculare, on the surface of the skin. This yeast is actually present on everyone's skin, but for some individuals the germ finds an unusually nourishing environment where it can develop and produce the rash. Tinea Versicolor affects 5% of the US population, and occurs most often in teenagers and young men.
According to http://www.aaaskindoctor.com/newtinver.h... , some researchers believe people with this condition produce more fatty acids in their perspiration. These fatty acids feed the yeast and allow it to take hold and grow. There might be a genetic predisposition for the overproduction of fatty acids in sweat, which would explain why Tinea Versicolor sometimes runs in families (only my opinion). For sure, folks fighting this fungal infection find themselves facing an endless roller coaster of treating, curing and re-treating their infections. The overproduction of fatty acids might explain why individuals are susceptible to recurrences. Their perspiration simply always has an ideal biochemical composition to sustain the yeast's growth.
My husband has struggled with this chronic condition for nearly fifteen years. No, thank goodness, it is not life threatening; but Tinea Versicolor can definitely be impairing. Can you imagine every time you try to exercise, mow the lawn, or play catch with your son; you have a persistent, aggravating need to itch nearly every part of your body? The worst sensation occurs immediately before my husband breaks a sweat. It feels as if there are a thousand, tiny pricklies burning his skin. Once he starts perspiring, the itchiness subsides substantially.
The cosmetic aspect associated with Tinea Versicolor also generates despair for someone living with the infection. For example, our family is considering a beach vacation next year. If my husband is unable to treat his rash soon, he will probably don a T-shirt to hit the beaches, too embarrassed to show his chest or back. For sure, there is nothing more unrelaxing on a vacation than trying to enjoy a swim in the ocean with a T-shirt dragging around your waist!
Tinea Versicolor results from the overabundant growth of the fungus (yeast), Pityrosporum obiculare, on the surface of the skin. This yeast is actually present on everyone's skin, but for some individuals the germ finds an unusually nourishing environment where it can develop and produce the rash. Tinea Versicolor affects 5% of the US population, and occurs most often in teenagers and young men.
According to http://www.aaaskindoctor.com/newtinver.h... , some researchers believe people with this condition produce more fatty acids in their perspiration. These fatty acids feed the yeast and allow it to take hold and grow. There might be a genetic predisposition for the overproduction of fatty acids in sweat, which would explain why Tinea Versicolor sometimes runs in families (only my opinion). For sure, folks fighting this fungal infection find themselves facing an endless roller coaster of treating, curing and re-treating their infections. The overproduction of fatty acids might explain why individuals are susceptible to recurrences. Their perspiration simply always has an ideal biochemical composition to sustain the yeast's growth.
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