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Selenium sulfide (2.5%) lotion applied daily for 10 minutes for 7 consecutive days was found to be an effective therapeutic agent, significantly superior to the vehicle, in a double-blind study in the treatment of tinea versicolor. Mild transitory contact dermatitis of the primary irritant type occurred in all the treatment groups and was apparently due to the detergent base.

The safety of topical selenium sulfide lotion in man has been demonstrated previously. Twenty male patients with a diagnosis of tinea versicolor were randomly assigned to two parallel groups who applied selenium sulfide lotion or the vehicle to the entire skin surface, excluding mucous membranes, for 10 minutes once daily for 7 consecutive days. Blood and urine selenium levels were determined before and after treatment and showed no significant differences between the active drug and vehicle groups on any study day. It would appear that no significant absorption of selenium took place as a result of this treatment regimen.