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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can Smoking Weed Lead To Tinea Vesicular?

Can weed lead to Tinea Versicolor? I've been smoking weed for sometime now. Before when I got high I used to have similar problems to the ones I read about on this site. over the past year I started to get really sick to the point where my family sent for me to get medical treatment. I am currently back in my hometown and I've been diagnosed with HIV +. I've been taking treatment for about a little over six months now. When I first started treatment I didn't have any severe side effects. Its now six months later and I'm in much better health. Since I noticed my health getting better I started back smoking. That would be around January of this year. The paper that I smoke in is a brown paper as oppose to the white one that I used to smoke in. Shortly after the year started I realized I started itching and now I have a mild case of what I know it to be called "Tinea Versicolor." I was wondering if this could be from smoking weed or from smoking it in the brown paper. I've never had this problem before. I think it could either be a side effect of my medication, the difference in weed or the difference in the paper that I roll the weed in. These three things are the only different things my body has come into contact with since I moved back home. I really enjoy smoking (I smoke about one or two joints a day) but I'm wondering if this could be the cause of my newfound Tinea Versicolor? my doctor has prescribed a shampoo for me to use for only 3 consecutive days. I'm very self conscious and I would like my skin to clear up soon- do you think weed is the cause of this? Based on my research is does not have weed or smoking as a cause. Would smoking weed cancel out my treatment? (that is the pills i'm taking) I read that it could stem from a weakened immune system or imbalances in my hormones. I'm a bit confused since I've been taking treatment for about 6 months now I would like to think that my immune system is stronger instead of weaker.....please advise me
Fri, 17 Apr 2015
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Addiction Medicine Specialist 's  Response
Ok, by itself smoking marijuana doesn't have anything to do with fungal infection. But certainly a lower immune system does. With minor skin fungal infections it doesn't take much (not necessarily any) change in the immune system for it to occur. This infection occurs commonly in immunologically normal people too.
Not sure if smoking marijuana affects the immune system but if it does generally it is not much.
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Can Smoking Weed Lead To Tinea Vesicular?

Ok, by itself smoking marijuana doesn t have anything to do with fungal infection. But certainly a lower immune system does. With minor skin fungal infections it doesn t take much (not necessarily any) change in the immune system for it to occur. This infection occurs commonly in immunologically normal people too. Not sure if smoking marijuana affects the immune system but if it does generally it is not much.