New York State Waxing License Practice Exam

Tinea versicolor is a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of a type of yeast called Malassezia that naturally lives on the skin. This condition disrupts the normal pigmentation of the skin, resulting in discolored patches that can appear lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. This alteration in pigmentation makes tinea versicolor distinct from other fungal infections, as it specifically affects the color of the skin rather than causing typical symptoms like redness or scaling associated with conditions like tinea corporis or athlete's foot.

Other fungal conditions, such as tinea corporis (commonly known as ringworm) and athlete's foot, generally result in symptoms like redness, itching, and scaling but do not primarily alter skin pigmentation. Instead, tinea corporis causes ring-shaped rashes, while athlete's foot is localized to the feet. These differences highlight why tinea versicolor is the accurate choice for describing a fungal infection that impacts skin pigmentation.