Which medication is a common treatment for tinea versicolor?

Which medication is a common treatment for tinea versicolor?

• A. Terbinafine
• B. Fluconazole
• C. Selenium sulfide
• D. Griseofulvin

Answer: (C)

Tinea versicolor is caused by Malassezia yeast living on the skin, and treatment aims to reduce the yeast burden in the superficial skin layers to allow normal pigmentation to recover. Selenium sulfide is a topical antifungal that specifically targets Malassezia on the skin; when used as a shampoo or lotion, it decreases yeast numbers and helps the characteristic pigmented patches fade as the infection clears. It’s a common first-line option because it’s effective, easy to use, and widely available. Other drugs like terbinafine target dermatophytes more than Malassezia, so they’re not as reliable for this condition. Fluconazole can treat Malassezia but is typically reserved for more extensive or refractory cases due to the need for systemic therapy and potential side effects. Griseofulvin is older and mainly useful for dermatophytes, not the Malassezia species responsible for tinea versicolor.

Tinea versicolor is caused by Malassezia yeast living on the skin, and treatment aims to reduce the yeast burden in the superficial skin layers to allow normal pigmentation to recover. Selenium sulfide is a topical antifungal that specifically targets Malassezia on the skin; when used as a shampoo or lotion, it decreases yeast numbers and helps the characteristic pigmented patches fade as the infection clears. It’s a common first-line option because it’s effective, easy to use, and widely available. Other drugs like terbinafine target dermatophytes more than Malassezia, so they’re not as reliable for this condition. Fluconazole can treat Malassezia but is typically reserved for more extensive or refractory cases due to the need for systemic therapy and potential side effects. Griseofulvin is older and mainly useful for dermatophytes, not the Malassezia species responsible for tinea versicolor.