Treatment of pityriasis versicolor in the United States.

BACKGROUND Pityriasis versicolor is a common chronic superficial fungal infection of the skin. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of visits for pityriasis versicolor and to assess how it is currently being treated. METHODS Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care survey were used from the years 1990-1999. RESULTS There were 2.9 million visits per year in which pityriasis (tinea) versicolor was listed as a diagnosis; this corresponds to a visit rate of 110 visits per 100,000 persons per year. Visit rates varied among racial and ethnic groups, with the highest visit rates for black people and American Indians/Eskimos. A total of 76% of the medications listed at visits for pityriasis versicolor are FDA approved for the condition; however, many treatments that were prescribed were not. CONCLUSIONS Given that as many as one-quarter of treatments prescribed for this easily treatable condition are inappropriate, continued education of medical practitioners concerning appropriate treatment options is needed.