White spots in my skin on my forearm that have appeared randomly over the last few months

    by Serge-giff

    31 Comments

    1. If reddit has shown me anything related to this topic, it’s that you should probably see a doctor for a cancer check.

      This is reddit though.

    2. TheGoatBoyy on

      Try using an antifungal and see if it helps. Also have you been cooking outside? Getting citrus on yourself and being in UV light can have a similar effect.

      It’s a cool pattern match to your shirt tho!

    3. Selsen Blue medicated shampoo has the same ingredient as the prescription medicated soap others have mentioned.

    4. I_Command_Thee_KNEEL on

      Could be vitiligo, I knew a couple people with it! Harmless, just loss of skin pigmentation

    5. Canesten cream treatment will get rid of it but you do have to persevere with it until it does

    6. I’m going to try and use anti-fungal cream over the next few weeks and monitor the spots. if nothing changes i’m going to contact a dermatologist and get it looked at. thank you all so much!!

    7. could_use_a_snack on

      My GF has something similar. It only shows up when she tan a bit from being outside. She got splattered with hot oil a few years ago and had mild first degree burns. The pattern is the same as her burns were.

    8. Go see a dermatologist. That happened to me when I was a kid after swimming at a public pool.

    9. MoonOut_StarsInvite on

      It looks like tinea versacolor. I’m 40 and I’ve had it off and on since I was about 12. For me, its never gone fully away just come and goes some. A doc told me I just have the ideal chemistry for it I treat it with selsun Blue shampoo by scrubbing somewhat vigorously into the skin in the shower. Oral medication works the best but doctors are often hesitant to give it since it can be hard on the liver. In summer it can look like white patches and in winter when my skin is more pale it can look a little patchy, like dry skin and becomes darker after a hot shower until you cool off. If you just use the shampoo on your body frequently for a week or two it should go down. Selenium sulfide is the active ingredient. I found the smell to be very noticeable so I personally prefer to use it in the evening, and not in the morning before leaving the house

    10. Powerful-Search6209 on

      My son does this every time he is exposed to the sun for long periods of time.

    11. CrustyCake2344 on

      Had something that almost exactly looks likes it for 15+ years on my chest and back. Followed doctors’ recommendations for all different kinds of over the counter stuff. Gave up, it didn’t hurt, didn’t itch, only got slightly raised and redness around them when spending too much time in a pool. Finally, as an adult in my 30s notices it started to spread slowly, but it was starting to go down my arms. Talk to the doctor and got some type of cream, cant remember the name of it. It took two weeks of applying it all over the affected areas twice a day after drying off from a shower to get rid of it.

    12. You need to use Selsun. I got a prescription for it for the same condition and it worked.

    13. As others have said, it looks like tinea versicolor. It’s a skin fungus, and doesn’t cause any issues other than the discoloration. Selsun Blue does have the selenium sulfide in it to treat it, but in my experience, a prescription wash from my doctor that had a stronger concentration in it worked better.

    14. thatprettykitty on

      I have Tinea Versicolor and this is what it looks like, but I’m really pale so my splotches are a darker pink.

    15. Could also be vitiligo if it seems to be permanent. I know a few people with similar markings

    16. head-downer on

      i have these same exact spots, do they flake when you scratch them/when your skin is dry? it’s a candida problem, put any anti fungal on it and it should go away

    17. AtillaTheHero on

      That’s so weird, literally just posted a picture on r/mildlyinteresting of the same thing. I thought it was Vitiligo, but maybe not.

    18. Lugubrious_Lothario on

      When I had this my doctor asked me “have you been in any jungles recently”. I hadn’t, but it made me feel cool that I caught something that made him ask that. 

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