Brown blotches on the trunk after sun exposure.

Dr. Irwin
August 3, 2014
Hello Dr. Irwin- I have a strange skin issue. I've noticed that when I go out suntanning without a shirt, I develop a few light-brown colored blotches on my torso (I'm a white male). It's immediate, like the next day. They are small, dime-sized or less. They aren't raised and they don't itch. They look like little patches of dry skin. The first time it happened I stayed out of the sun for a few months and the discoloration faded away. But then recently I went out in the sun again and got more spots. I'm only 33, so they aren't due to age (and again, it seems to happen immediately). Is there anything I can do to either prevent them, or to more quickly fade the most recent blotches that showed up? Also, if the sun exposure is just a coincidence and you think it's from something I'm eating or something, let me know. Thank you!

You’ll need your doctor to help you with this one, so please make an appointment.   This is often due to one of two things ………….sun damage and no………….sadly 33 isn’t too early to have this.  The immediate darkening is due to a UVA effect and if it’s sun damage it can take some months to fade.

The other common cause is Tinea Versicolor which is good yeasty type organism that we all have on our skin.   In some people though, it likes to “overgrow.”  especially in hot, humid weather.    It forms sometimes pinkish and sometimes tannish spots on the skin.   A doctor can prescribe something for you.  Also for prevention Selsun Blue, scrubbed into the area with a washclot and left on for 3-5 minutes once a week, may help prevent it.  The yeast doesn’t like the selenium.  See your doctor to be sure.

Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

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