Tinea versicolor

thais2000

has anyone had tinea versicolor during pregnancy? How did you treat it? It seems that mine is pretty ugly but i m afaraid to use any creams.

effthisnoise

I have tinea versicolor and the topical ointment I have for it (selenium sulfide, I think) says not to use while pregnant. The person to ask would be your GP, not your OB. I haven't asked, mostly because I don't think I'm going to get a different answer from the box, but if you find a way to treat it from your GP, I'd love to hear it!

ETA: it's not that you shouldn't ask your OB, but your GP will know more about tinea versicolor and its treatments. It wouldn't be a bad idea to confirm with your OB once the GP has given you a treatment plan.

awheeler4311

It's so bizarre that you are posting this as I was doing research on it this morning. I have it. And I've had it since right before I got pregnant. My doctor told me to use neutrogena tgel once a day (5 minutes) for 2 weeks and it should work. He left the room to research it to be sure it was okay while pregnant. Said yes.

Well the smell made me gag while i was sick so I never stuck to it. I just started using it again and was thinking I should look it up. There are some mixed concerns about it. Some people say they've used it and some say they stay away while pregnant. So I'm a little torn on what I'm going to do. My doc said its okay, but it still makes me nervous for some reason. At least this treatment is only 2 weeks.

Curious to see what other say regarding this. I would definitely contact your doc bc I wouldn't mess around with the normal stuff to treat it without a doc behind you.

rolson8947

I would definitely see your OB and let them recommend something. About two months ago I had a spot that look like tinea versicolor so my OB gave me something to treat it and it never got better, within a few days I had spots about the size of quarters all over my abdomen and breasts and chest so I went back to my OB and he sent me to a dermatologist that same day and they took a biopsy of one of the places and it came back a few days later as being pityriasis Rosea (not that yours is that). But to sum everything up, I come from a medical family and my dad is a doctor and my mom a nurse and they immediately looked at the place on my arm and assumed it was ringworm and my dad got me some cream and it didn't work and the OB thought it was the same thing as well and gave me another cream that didn't work and it wasn't until the biopsy that we finally figured out what mine was. So it's always a good idea to check with your OB hope it gets better better!!!

cnoelle92

Always check with your OB when it comes to putting any type of cream or lotions on your skin!

awheeler4311

After researching online a bit, it sounds like washing it with baking soda and then using apple cider vinegar is a good natural way. I'm going to call and confirm with OB today.

effthisnoise

@wormgerm‌, I can't say whether it was a mistake to trust her, but I don't understand the "benefits outweighing the risk." Tinea versicolor is annoying, but it's not life-threatening. I'd say that the benefits of taking Tylenol to reduce a fever outweigh the risks of it possibly causing ADHD in your kid (not proven medically yet, I think). You're not in any danger from this particular skin rash which is why I haven't bothered pursuing a solution while pregnant.

I'd talk to your OB about what you were prescribed. Since you say that it hasn't gone away and you only use it once a week, I don't think you're getting a strong enough dose (my prescription was to put it on every day for two weeks and then once a month for three months after--mine disappeared within a few days of using the selenium sulfide, but it always returns because I forget to do the once a month for three months part of it). So you might not be harming your baby at all...but it's better to check with your OB to be safe.

kej0004

wormgerm said:

Thanks for your feedback @effthisnoise‌. The "risk" is that it was spreading really fast and I was covered in disgusting flakey sometimes sore or itchy patches. Using it once a week has helped it be way less flaky and itchy. It had spread all over my breasts too and I intend to breastfeed. Call me a diva but I don't want baby getting a mouthful of giant skin flakes with each meal. I imagine whipping out inflamed flakey red boobs will cause a nurse and lc to recoil for a moment and I don't think I can handle that. But I of course don't want to hurt baby. Next midwife appointment is at the end of the month so I'll put the shampoo on pause and do a daily acv application. Smelling like a pickle all day is better than jacking up my kid. She also gave me cream for small patches of eczema that have developed since pregnancy. Considering they don't bother me much or seem to be getting worse I'm not using that until baby is born. That one doesn't seem worth the potential risk for me.

Is it hydrocortisone? Because there is literally no risk (other than to your own skin) if it's topical hydrocortisone.

kej0004

@wormgerm - Ah, well if it's small then I wouldn't worry about it either. Just keep it moisturized and cool. 

I have chronic eczema and it is THE WORST and I hate the thought of someone suffering from it for no reason.

effthisnoise

wormgerm said:

Thanks for your feedback @effthisnoise‌. The "risk" is that it was spreading really fast and I was covered in disgusting flakey sometimes sore or itchy patches. Using it once a week has helped it be way less flaky and itchy. It had spread all over my breasts too and I intend to breastfeed. Call me a diva but I don't want baby getting a mouthful of giant skin flakes with each meal. I imagine whipping out inflamed flakey red boobs will cause a nurse and lc to recoil for a moment and I don't think I can handle that. But I of course don't want to hurt baby. Next midwife appointment is at the end of the month so I'll put the shampoo on pause and do a daily acv application. Smelling like a pickle all day is better than jacking up my kid.

She also gave me cream for small patches of eczema that have developed since pregnancy. Considering they don't bother me much or seem to be getting worse I'm not using that until baby is born. That one doesn't seem worth the potential risk for me.

Mine doesn't seem to be as bad as yours from your description so I understand the heightened desire to do something about it. Mine is around my collarbone and on my breasts, their undersides, etc. even on my thighs. My husband just calls them my "splotches". They're itchy sometimes, but usually they're just *there*, you know? So I forget about them because they're not very flakey like yours. Sounds like you have a good plan, talking to your midwife before you continue.

awheeler4311

Mine aren't flaky, it looks more like I got sunburnt and it peeled and there is just a ton of light spots all over my upper back! Which wouldn't be a big deal, but I live in Florida so I'm always in a tank top or bathing suit so it's frustrating!