To be shocked by multiple white patches on child’s face after foreign sun exposure

[TraciePollins]

Currently on holiday in Turkey. Very very very hot.
DD is 12 and after about 6 days of sun, her face has developed multiple very white patches all over her cheeks, forehead, nose and chin. The white patches are really noticeable as in between these white patches is very tanned skin.
I have applied SPF50 waterproof to her face every 2-3 hours all day every day from the minute we leave our hotel until sunset since we've been here. Kept in shade plenty in between sea and pool.
She has never ever had this before and we've been on plenty of summer holidays in hot weather before, but this is her first time in heat as strong as Turkey.
So now she has a face which is white irregular patches of skin in between tanned skin all over her face.
When we left England 6 days ago she had the same normal complexion with the same colour skin all over her face that she's had all her life.
I'm shocked as I've never seen her skin do this before. Never any sign of it ever in her life.
What on earth has happened?
She's crying because it is freaking her out - the multiple white patches really stand out against the darker tanned skin surrounding the white patches. Her face looks completely different now compared to how it did a week ago before coming away.
What is this? Will it go away?

This. My DD had the same last year. Went to GP who confirmed this is the most likely reason and that it would go away as the tan faded. That’s exactly what happened and this year she hasn’t had any patches. Get it checked out but most likely there’s no reason to panic.

My son gets tinea versicolor which is considerably worse in the summer when he's hot and sweaty and wearing sun lotion. It also stands out more in the sun. If you've been applying lotion regularly I'd look into that first x

It sounds like a fungal skin infection- I've had it on my upper back before. Go to the GP. I had to treat mine with Nizoral shampoo, weirdly!

Far and away the most likely cause, given the history here, is fungal. Agree with PP re using over the counter antifungal shampoo (have a word with the pharmacist).

Vitiligo much less likely. I suppose not impossible, but doesn’t fit the history unless you’ve held back information regarding personal/family history of autoimmune diseases.

Chances of it being sun damage to melanocytes at this age is almost nil!

Send that forrin sun back where it came from, sez I.

I think PP means if it’s the tan making it show, then she’s (faux) confused how the child is tanned, because with proper sun protection she should be as pale as she was in the UK.

Another vote for pityriasis alba. I am mixed race and have occasional eczema/allergies which show up as spots on my face. When the spots go and I get a tan, I get white patches on my face. Vitiligo has no pigment at all so that patches are stark white whereas these are paler spots which look white/pale but are different to vitiligo. They become unnoticeable when my tan fades.

That’s not true. You can still tan even with factor 50.

Could be fungal. Very common when in and out of water/using damp towels etc

I know it’s probably not vitiligo as others have said, but I just wanted to show you mine! It started with a patch on my knee when I was a child but is now most prevalent on my arms. It does make me feel a bit self conscious in the summer. Hope you get a definitive answer from your doctor.

This happened to my teen last year - was extremely noticeable - was p alba as others have said. Nothing this year at all. Now uses LRP cicaplast all year as a barrier cream which I think helps

Assuming it’s not itchy ?
if it’s itchy and bothering her , you could seek advice while you’re on holiday and in the meantime cut down on sun exposure even more than you’re already doing

Have a word with a pharmacist where you are - pitryiasis versicolor can present as white patches rather than pink, and is easily solved with a few washes with a antifungal shampoo.

DH gets it frequently in hot countries as he sweats a lot in his work. Really common.

But isn't that the same as lots of conditions? They just appear.

Factor 50 isn’t proper sun protection though - factor 50 while wearing UV protective hats to shade your face while being primarily being in the shade and out of the sun completely between 11am and 3pm.

Of course most people don’t adhere to that, which is why the PP was faux confused and not actually confused.

It is possible though, DH has recently come back from a week in Majorca and is not any more tanned than when he went (he’s still milk bottle white) because he didn’t leave the shade for more than 15-20 mins a day.

Some people tan very fast, others much more slowly, so the same sun exposure can have very different effect.

Also thinking could be fungal, I’m sure as a child I had white patches on my shoulder one summer. Ketoconazole can treat it. Obviously it could be something else but it’s a good place to start and easy to get hold of.

I do people would stop assuming they know what it is, without a photo or presumably a medical degree. Just take her to a GP.

Something similar used to happen to me as a child - the patch was like a Zoro mask. It just started happening one year - some years more obvious than others. We even started linking it to certain ice-creams as we couldn't figure it out.

This was my first thought too- the fungal infection, but the child needs to see a doctor. Don’t ask randoms online.
I can’t believe how quickly totally unqualified people will make a “diagnosis”.

I have travelled extensively in desert areas and I definitely think 'desert sun' is a thing. I never understand people sun bathing in Egypt, a colleague ended up in hospital he was so badly burnt.

It was just the way the OP called it "foreign" sun!

Oh yes. Foreign sun is dangerous and unpredictable. Not like our lovely British sun.

Do you make her wear a large shady hat and a long-sleeved shirt? oops...hush ma mouth, I didnae RTWT

Because it reflects of the sand as well. Like snow but less. Can blind quite well too. That's partially how people get sun burn when skiing.
If you are in shadow in desert or snow area, you still get tanned because of the reflection.