Effectiveness of individualized homoeopathic medicine in the treatment of Tinea Versicolor using Kents Repertory among the patients of early adulthood A pre-post study

INTRODUCTION:

Tinea versicolor or Pityriasis versicolor [1F2D.0 (ICD-11)] is a fungal infection that causes small patches of discolored spots on human skin. It is a superficial fungal infection caused by Malassezia (M. globose, M. furfur). It results from the over activity of the fungal growth on skin. This fungus is a part of the normal skin flora but it can cause disease when it converts to its pathogenic hyphal form which most localized to stratum cornium of the skin. Certain Genetical & Environmental, immunosuppressive factors can predispose to this pathogenic conversion and contribute to the development of disease. This is a chronic usually asymptomatic infection, although some patient experience mild pruritus. Epidemiologically Tinea versicolor is a disease of worldwide in distribution, but it is the most prevalent in tropical countries with hot and humid climate. Subsequently prevalence in the cold climate countries is low. The prevalence of Tinea versicolor (TV) is about 50% in tropical countries and very low as less than 1.1% in cold climates countries such as Sweden. TV occurs more frequently in young adults probably due to the increase of sebum production by the sebaceous glands which allow for more lipid rich environment. Men and women are equally affected and there is no specific predominancy.

TV skin lesions are perifollicular (often coalescing), may be hypopigmented, hyperpigmented, or erythematous macules surmounted with branny scale, accentuated by scratching. The distribution of affected skin reflects the lipophilic nature of the fungus since the seborrheic areas (upper trunk, neck, and/or deltoid) are predominantly involved.

In conventional medicine topical as well as oral treatment are present. But in Homoeopathy there is no specific drug is present for a particular disease (Tinea versicolor), but there are some symptoms that are presented by patients and according to that presentation different medicine is to be prescribe with the guidance of Homoeopathic Materia Medica as well as Homoeopathic Repertory.