Tinea versicolor is usually diagnosed during a physical examination that includes a medical history and a list of medications. Patients may be treated by a dermatologist (a physician that specializes in the treatment of skin, hair and nails).

Although tinea versicolor often resembles other skin conditions, physicians can usually diagnose it by visual examination of the discolored patches of skin. To confirm the diagnosis, a physician may use a special ultraviolet black light (Wood’s lamp) to view the skin more clearly. A wood's lamp will show a yellow-green color where yeast is present.

A physician may also perform a skin scraping. This involves scraping cells from a patch of discolored skin with scales on it. The sample is sent to a laboratory where it is studied under a microscope for the presence of the yeast that causes tinea versicolor.

There are several factors a physician may consider when treating a patient with tinea versicolor, including:

• Severity of the condition
  
  
• Areas of the skin that are affected
  
  
• Climate
  
  
• Patient preference

Treatment may include:

• Topical antifungal creams, lotions or sprays. Available over-the-counter and by prescription, these drugs are applied directly to the affected areas of the skin. They are usually used several times a day over a period of time to be effective.
  
  
• Antifungal shampoos. They are available by prescription and sometimes left on the skin overnight and rinsed off in the morning.
  
  
• Oral antifungal medications. Persistent cases that do not respond to other types of treatment are sometimes treated with oral (pill) medications.

Topical treatment may take several weeks as opposed to oral treatment which is quicker. Although the yeast that causes tinea versicolor is easy to kill, it may take months for the skin discoloration to return to normal. In some people the discoloration is permanent. Also, cases of tinea versicolor are likely to recur.

Since it is not known why some people develop tinea versicolor and others do not, it cannot be totally prevented. However, the effects of the condition may be minimized in some cases by using an antifungal shampoo weekly to prevent recurrences. In some cases, an oral antifungal drug may be taken one to three times a month to help prevent recurrence.

Patients should avoid excessive heat or sweating and the use of skin lotions because they may worsen the condition. Tight, restrictive clothing or nonventilated clothes should also be avoided.

In addition, patients may benefit from using sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen may help to minimize the difference in color between normal skin and skin affected by tinea versicolor. It is often difficult to tell if the tinea versicolor is resolved if the patient has a dark tan, as the affected areas do not tan with sun exposure.