What should you know about fungal dark spots?

Tinea versicolor can produce patches that look lighter, darker, pink, or tan than nearby skin, often on the trunk, neck, or upper arms. Fine scale may be easier to see after gentle rubbing or when the skin is dry. A separate fungal rash can trigger inflammation, and the skin may remain darker after the infection improves. Melasma, sun spots, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can look similar, so colour alone cannot identify the cause.

Have new or changing patches examined before using a peel, brightening product, or laser. Treatment should address an active fungal process first when one is present; pigment can take longer to blend after the infection has settled. Use gentle cleansing, avoid picking or scrubbing, and protect exposed skin from sunlight because tanning can make contrast more noticeable. A clinician may use a skin examination or sampling when the pattern is uncertain.

Seek prompt assessment if spots are rapidly spreading, painful, blistering, bleeding, ulcerated, or associated with fever. Arrange review for a patch that is changing in shape or colour, develops a persistent irregular border, or does not behave like the original rash. Seek care sooner when the person affected has reduced immunity or the face and eyes are involved.

Ask whether the patches look active or represent post-inflammatory pigment, whether testing is needed, and when cosmetic treatment would be appropriate. Ask how to protect the area from sun and which products could irritate recently inflamed skin.