What has happened to my skin off the sun?

[holls8]

Arrived back from a 10 day holiday on Monday and towards the last few days one of my arms was going really patchy. It looks like some really dodgy fake tan. I caught a great tan, didn't burn at all and was looking forward to wearing nice dresses this summer with a bit of a tan rather than my usual pasty white legs. I always tan well on holiday and this has never happened before. The skin isn't dry and it hasn't peeled. Anyone know what this could by/why it's happened and any tips for disguising it? I tried a bit foundation/bronzer but it just ended up looking muddy and didn't match at all. My legs and other arm aren't like this at all. It actually looks worse in person that it does on the photos.

pityriasis versicolor! I get small patches on my shins

Anti fungal shampoos normally get rid of it. Ive never used as mine are really small and ive had it for years

I was going to say pityriasis versicolour, but I've been beaten to it! I had it once and as I'm so pale you didn't see the tan marks, so it got really extensive.

Never heard of that but just googled and looks like that's what it could be! Can it just appear at anytime, seems odd that I've never had it before until now and usually go away abroad twice a year. So what will the anti fungal shampoo do, as the pale patches don't feel any different to the rest of my skin, will it do anything to even out the colour? (Sorry for being thick) Have another holiday booked for September so worried incase it happens again as it definitely looks like I've done a really poor job at fake tanning.

Also do I lather my full arm and chest in the shampoo, or full body? Going to see if I can pick some up after work.

It usually comes on after sun exposure from what ive read. If i use sunbed or go on holiday the patches show alot more.

Again from what ive read so do your own research but would assume you lather up the patches in the bath/shower like you're shampooing your hair, then rinse off and dry well as its a fungal thing. Just my thoughts! Ive read dandruff shampoos work aswell

If you have tiktok and search it, loads of treatment optioms that people use come up

Agree with others. DH had a big bout of pityriasis versicolor on his back after an extended deployment in The Gulf. Very common in the military!

Wash with Nizoral shampoo. Lather it well onto the skin and leave it sitting for a few minutes (instructions are in the box) before rinsing. It won't affect the skin without patches, so don't worry about that.

His back started to clear up beautifully after the second application and was totally clear in a week.

Thank you, I'll have a propper look in to it. I did use the Sunbeds prior to going away to build a base tan (I usually do a few times prior to going away to build a bit of a base tan but didn't want to get shot down for this) but the patches only started to show on the last few days of my holiday. I'm just hoping my tan fades quickly so they aren't as noticeable as they currently are.

Thanks that's the one I'm looking at getting. So after he used it did the white patches just blend in to the rest of the skin/darken eventually?

His was the opposite colour to yours - red patches on pale skin as he had to keep his top on on the ship. It's just an overgrowth of yeast, so the natural skin reverted very quickly. You wouldn't know he'd had it in a week and it's not come back since.

It may not be linked to the sunbed as the yeast growth is more about heat than sunlight. It's just more obvious on the skin because you're tanned. His skin visibly flared up after a hot shower (he has them scalding) which was how I spotted it - he didn't know it was there.

However, in a moment of preaching, get off the sunbeds! 😁

Havent used Nizoral for my legs but can vouch it is amazing on my scalp when ive patches of dryness. Tiny bottles though!