Skin Republic

Dear Dr. Jen,

                My chest and back are loaded with white spots.  It just sprouted in the span of three months!  Please help me.

                                                      Tanya

Dear Tanya,

                Numerous white spots that suddenly spring up in such a short time are likely caused by the fungus Malassezia.  Medically termed as pityrosporumversicolor, because of the off-white or dark brown patches it manifests as on the skin. 

                During the hot and humid months, the condition worsens.  Moist and oily skin encourages the growth of the yeasts. Luckily, this is not contagious and is easily treated.

                Medicated antifungal shampoos, antifungal lotions and oral remedies can quickly kill off the yeasts.  Two weeks of continuous treatment can take care of the fungal problem.  The color, however, takes a few more weeks to re-pigment. Just be patient; your skin will turn back to its original color once treatment is over.

Dear Dr. Jen,

                The skin on my legs is very dry and flaky.  No matter how much I moisturize, I still get very scaly legs.  What is the best way to treat this problem?

                                Suzy

Dear Suzy,

                A severe form of dry, scaly skin is called ichthyosis (ik-thee-O-sis).  Although aggressive moisturizing is part of the treatment, gentle removal of the scales should also be done in tandem.  Also, if skin is itchy, a good steroid lotion should also be used.

                Scales can be removed via several different ways.  If the scales are fine, an alpha hydroxy acid-based solution can be applied for a few days to get rid of the flakes.  If the scales are large and almost plate-like, a chemical peel followed by a diamond peel can be performed.  Loofah scrubs or exfoliants, when used too vigorously can irritate the dry skin.  Best to check with your PDS derma to give you the go signal on which procedures suit you best.

 Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). For information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph/. For questions or concerns, please text to: 0932 857 7070; or email to: [email protected]; or call The Freeman: (032) 2531276, or PSH: (032) 233 8620 and 232 5929. Your inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.