It is time to get to know your body. Many people do not understand a lot of the functions our body does or why it does them. Our bodies, however, are smarter than we think, and can turn on us at the drop of a hat. Let’s just say paying attention to your body pays off!

A very common skin condition is Tinea Veriscolor. It is a skin fungus, but a curable one and not contagious. Tinea Veriscolor is actually produced by your own body’s yeast. When there is an overproduction of yeast on the skin, it can cause “patches if discolored skin with sharp borders (edges) and fine scales.” The skin will typically become darker on light skinned people and lighter on people with darker skin. This tends to happen in hotter climates and more often in men.

Tinea Veriscolor can be anywhere on the body. It is most likely to appear where you sweat the most or where it is warmest on your body, like on your underarms, back, neck and chest. Itching is a common symptom that occurs on the irritated areas as well.

If you think that you might be developing a skin condition it is best to visit your doctor. Most of the time the doctor can tell right away what is going on with your body, but just to be safe they may do a skin scraping test to take a closer look.

There are however, a couple of different ways to treat your skin at home without a pricey prescription. The first is to apply an anti-fungal medication directly on the skin; do this every day. The second is to apply ordinary dandruff shampoo on the skin and let it sit for 10 minutes. If done daily, this should break down the yeast on your skin and clear it up.

Additionally, the sun may not worsen your condition, but it does make a difference. I strongly urge you to avoid direct sunlight or tanning beds while your skin is healing. The sun can darken the skin around the infected area and make the marks more prominent. I would also suggest staying away from tight clothing that may restrict your skin from airing out, or using any oily skin products. Better to be safe than sorry!