White spots on tanners

[Afelts]

Are the white spots tanners get called sun spots or are they small red itchy spots?

[Porsha]

No, they are called "fungus"

[Rob]

Tinea versicolor. these spots are a yeast or also known as a fungus found on the skin. they are noticable only when tanned as the fungus acts like a sunscreen, preventing tanning in that area. Most people think its caused from tanning as thats when the notice it. Get them to wash with Selsen blue shampoo. spots won't apear to go away until that area starts to tan or customer just stops tanning. This is no way caused by tanning at all.

[EAST COAST TANNER]

[northtanman]

selsen blue helps???

[Brian Oshman]

selsen blue helps???

Yes, The ingredients in it get rid of the fungus. Gotta use it for at least two weeks for results. It is not a one time application.

There are products specifically for this too. I remember Supre made one. Don't know about the others.

[SunShop]

Norvell makes an anti-fungal called Halt,and we stock another one called Arrest. I sometimes get these spots and they can be very noticeable if left untreated. I talked with Rick Norvell and he said the same thing Brian said. You have to use it for two weeks minimum or they will be back with a vengeance. Rick suggested washing the area thouroughly with warm soapy water before application. One reason was to get rid of the layer of dead skin cells on top of the sunspots. Then apply twice daily for two weeks. This usually works for me but this last time I asked a pharmacist what to use and he recommended Lamisil. I mixed the two together and they were gone very quickly. Rick Norvell says the number one reason sunspots come back is that they will start tanning after a few treatments and people stop using the treatment. You have GOT to use it for two weeks!!!

[solarmeter®]

Two showers a day with old fashioned Head & Shoulders shampoo on skin for 14 days? Whew.

How about one "blue" shower a day for 28 days?

[Rob]

In these colonies the yeast grows like crazy and leaks out an acidic bleach. This changes the skin color

this is the first time i've heard this, we are taught in smart tan that the fungus acts like a sun block

[Soo]

We are also taught in Smart Tan and N.T.T.I. that white spots besides Tinea Versicolor (1 kind) are from the tanning beds...and how one lays in them (2nd kind)...There are actually 3 causes of White Spots...and the other is Virtiligo (3rd kind)...which is treated by a doctor..as East Coast Tanner posted for us as well..

For Tinea we have "Halt" on hand...and yes it takes 2-3 weeks to actually get great results.. and thats what happens is it starts to clear in a week to 2 and then they start thinking it is gone...but comes back unless fully cleared up...

Yep....it's truly a scalp fungus and cannot be passed on to another thru touch, contact, sharing a pillow so inform them and teach them....and Tinea just happens to show up with a giant burst of UV...instead of a hassel use the opportunity to stand out from other salons and tell them when you see it and educate them..You will be rewarded by their sharing with others on how knowledgable you are about such things... make it another chance to sell an add on product.

Have A Great Day... Soo

[engfant]

"Yep....it's truly a scalp fungus"

no it isn't. That's like saying acne is truely a face infection.

Both are a result of YOUR skin sensitivity to breakouts. Some people can live in filth and never get one zit. Some people can get a full body breakout from a 10degree drop in temperature.

Tinea Versicolor is caused by almost the exact same situations as acne. Hot, steamy temps, high humidity, areas that hold onto sweat like where a shirt/pants hang on your body.

One of the only places you really DON'T see it is on your scalp. That's a different version of this fungi and is called something like alopecia but that causes hair loss. Little more advanced BUT if you have that you probably have the tinea BUT not necessarly the other way around.

This is why it usually goes away in the winter BUT if you are a tanner, you are going to have spots from where the fungi was blocking the sun long after it's gone. Then you try to tan it and the spots come back.

It's a fun cycle of damed if you do damed if you don't.

You are right about it not being contagious unless it's ring worm but your place has to be pretty nasty to be housing that.

[solarmeter®]

See... Egg does have smarts.

Now if he'd just focus some gray matter on bashing the evil doers instead of the administration who is trying to cancel them from this earth.

The poor pope... he calls it like it is and they start killing nuns and burning churches. They are simply proving him RIGHT.

[TonyG]

They are simply proving him RIGHT.

EXACTLY!

[solarmeter®]

Haha Tony... we killed the thread with that!

White spots what?

[Soo]

We were told the majority of the spots come from the fungus dropping from their scalp onto the upper extremities thus the reason to start with the head treatment first..so scalp fungus would also be correct...no?

Soo

[Din]

not necessarily....it resides in the stratum corneum (the horny layer, outermost layer of the epidermis) as well as the hair follicles. So doesn't always start in the hair. They should apply it on the affected area directly, not necessarily washing their hair with it. But it wouldn't hurt

[Din]

You will however notice a lot of hairstylists coming in with this problem the most as they are in contact with peoples scalp and hair all day and will have it most on their neck and upper chest area mostly exposed all the time to the fungus.

[engfant]

or because they are usually BEEFY chicks that are running around in a steamy hair salon. There is something about that hair fungis but that's a weird one. Little less common BUT they are all basically the same thing.

In response to Solar...I have no issues with fire bombing these people....JUST DO IT ALREADY. (Although I think it took about 4 years before Japan got what was coming to em)

[Soo]

A new gal here took her Smart Tan today...it specifically asked a question on Tinea...the exact answer was scalp fungus...

Also on page 82 of their new training manual is a Q & A...and it says.. "This fungus actually develops in the hair and falls primarily onto the upper body like dandruff (however this is not dandruff) The affected areas prevent the skin from tanning and, as a result, create white spots."

I have only passed the information on as it was given...is Smart Tan misguiding us?

Soo

[solarmeter®]

is Smart Tan misguiding us?

I think so. I had it 5 years ago on my lower legs and forearms but not on shoulders or neck. The blue shampoo (on skin not hair) gradually got rid of it.