![]() White Patches of Skin – Dr. Greene. com. Sign- up for Dr. Greene's Newsletter. About once a month we send updates with most popular content, childrens' health alerts and other information about raising healthy children. We will not share your email address and never spam. Dr. Greene’s Answer: Every year as the final weeks of summer come to a close, I am asked by parents on the phone, in the office, and online about white patches of skin that their children have developed. Are Scaly, Dry Skin Spots Actually Precancers? While education around skin cancer has. It’s not typical for the sun to affect only small patches of the skin. Justin and I started to notice several small baby dry skin patches on Astor's arms, stomach, back. I will have the doctor look at the baby dry skin patches. Helpful, trusted answers from doctors: Dr. Moran on round flaky patch of skin. Small round patch of dry skin; Round patch of red dry skin; Dry flaky patch of skin. It’s almost a Labor Day tradition. Fun in the sun often brings out these white spots — especially noticeable at the end of the summer. While a healthy, balanced diet of whole foods is very beneficial, diet is probably not responsible for your nephew’s white patches of skin. Learn more about the symptoms of eczema from WebMD. Small round dry patches on skin. Not itchy, but darker around the. They are dark red on the edge and flaky skin in. What are some ways to prevent dry, itchy skin? When a tiny patch of scaly skin is the first sign of arthritis and. Check out dry skin rash patches. Find out pictures of dry skin rash and patches. It appears as small circular pinkish bumps which are very. What causes dry patches on the face? Dry skin is one of the most common skin problems. You should also use lip balm with SPF 15 year round to lock in moisture and. Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Actinic Keratosis Causes Dry Scaly Skin Spot. Do you have a spot of skin that is dry and scaly? Generally, a white patch on skin isn't cause for concern. Skin discoloration can be triggered by a number of causes, including: Eczema. Sometimes a small area of skin. Many different conditions can produce new white patches of skin in children; I will highlight two of the most common. White Patches of Skin: Pityriasis Alba. Doctors call one of these conditions pityriasis alba, which is Latin for white, scaly patches. Children with this extremely common condition develop uneven, round or oval patches after sun exposure. The patches are dry with very fine scales. Varying from 1 to 2 inches in diameter, they are most common on the face (cheeks), neck, upper trunk, and upper arms of children 3 to 1. These are completely benign, similar to a mild form of eczema. They are most common in children with dry skin. Treatment of Pityriasis Alba. The involved patches don’t darken with sun exposure the way the surrounding skin does. Treatment involves daily lubrication with a good moisturizer (such as Aquaphor), especially whenever the skin gets wet. Using sunscreen can decrease the appearance of the patches by inhibiting the skin around them from darkening. Sometimes topical steroid creams help. Even with no treatment at all, the spots will disappear on their own — although it may take months to years. Some people get pityriasis alba every summer during childhood. Even then, the pigmentation will eventually end up normal. White Patches of Skin: Tinea Versicolor. The other extremely common white- patch condition is called tinea versicolor. This is a mild, superficial fungal infection, somewhat similar to ringworm (true ringworm can also result in white patches). Since the affected skin doesn’t change color well with sun exposure, it usually becomes apparent as white patches during the summer months. In the winter it may seem to disappear, or even seem to become slightly darkened patches as the surrounding skin gets paler (this is where the name versicolor comes from). Tinea versicolor is most common in adolescents and young adults 1. The infection is chronic and recurs easily, but it causes no other health problems. People are most susceptible to the fungus during hot months in humid areas. Taking steroids, excessive sweating, wearing tight- fitting clothing, and chronic illness can all predispose a person to tinea versicolor, but someone without any of these factors can still get this mild infection. ![]() The patches of tinea versicolor can appear white, tan, or pink. The white patches look very similar to pityriasis alba. There are two good ways to tell them apart. The most reliable way is to have a doctor gently scrape the white patch, dissolve the scrapings in potassium hydroxide, and look at what is left under a microscope. The classic “spaghetti- and- meatball” appearance of budding yeast confirms the diagnosis of tinea versicolor. A quicker and easier approach is to look at the patches under a black light. The patches of tinea versicolor will usually light up with a blue- white, yellow, or orange color. Treatment of. Simply apply a thin layer over the affected skin before bed (with a wide surrounding margin, since it may already be beginning to spread). Wash thoroughly the next morning. The problem is that no matter what the treatment, it comes back easily. Whatever treatment is used for tinea versicolor, all bedding and nightclothes should be changed after treatment to prevent recurrence. Also, re- treating once a week for 3- 4 weeks and then once a month for 3- 4 months makes it much less likely to come back. With either pityriasis alba or tinea versicolor, even when the condition is effectively treated, the white patches. At least several weeks must pass for the newly healthy skin to adjust its color to the amount of ongoing sunlight exposure, so that it will match the surrounding skin. At your nephew’s upcoming three- year- old well child exam, it would be wise for his parents to ask the doctor about the white patches of skin (just to be sure that it isn’t one of the other more unusual causes). But in the meantime, relax. Both of these mild, benign, primarily cosmetic conditions are so common, Amy, that “got some white patches” could show up on many “What I did this summer” essays. Did you find this article helpful? Need more information? Let us know in the comments below. Outdoor Summer Fun. Pityriasis Alba. Skin & Rashes. Top Skin & Rashes. White Patches on Skin. Print or email this post: Published: August 3. Greene is the founder of Dr. Greene. com (cited by the AMA as . He appears frequently in the media including such venues as the The New York Times, the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, & the Dr.
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