Treatment

If tinea versicolor is severe or doesn't respond to over-the-counter antifungal medicine, you may need a prescription-strength medication. Some of these medications are topical preparations that you rub on your skin. Others are drugs that you swallow. Examples include:

• Ketoconazole (Ketoconazole, Nizoral, others) cream, gel or shampoo
• Ciclopirox (Loprox, Penlac) cream, gel or shampoo
• Fluconazole (Diflucan) tablets or oral solution
• Itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox) tablets, capsules or oral solution
• Selenium sulfide (Selsun) 2.5 percent lotion or shampoo

Even after successful treatment, your skin color may remain uneven for several weeks, or even months. Also, the infection may return in hot, humid weather. In persistent cases, you may need to take a medication once or twice a month to prevent the infection from recurring.