How long does it take for skin with tinea versicolor to return back to normal?

Tinea versicolor isn’t hard to treat, but it doesn’t make it easy for you to forget. Because even if the fungus has been taken care of, the discoloration on the skin might remain, almost as if the skin has been stained.

“The flaky rash will resolve with treatment within a couple weeks typically,” says Dr. Kellie Reed, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas. “However, the pigmentation change that’s often left behind may take weeks or months to resolve.” In very rare cases, the hypopigmentation (lightened skin) might remain for years. Staying out of the sun will help the skin tone return evenly, while washing with antifungal shampoo monthly and keeping the skin dry will help prevent another infection.