Tinea Capitis
Tinea Capitis is another hair and scalp disease that can cause mild flaking that appears to be like dandruff or patches of hair loss. It associated with flaking and itching or some infected areas show red swollen lumpy and pus bumps areas on the scalp. Tinea Capitis is the medical term for fungus infections or ringworm of the scalp.
Tinea Capitis is caused by mold-like fungi known as dermatophytes that usually affect children and fade away during their teenage years. However, ringworm of the scalp may occur at any age. The fungi that cause ringworms flourish in moist and warm areas and may be susceptible to tinea infection if you have poor hygiene, constant sweating making your skin wet for a long time and minor scalp or skin injuries.
Tinea Capitits is the type of hair and scalp disease that are contagious. You can acquire tinea capitis if you have a direct contact with people who have this condition, or you can get it by touching or using any contaminated items like clothing, hats or combs. Pets like cats can also spread the infection. Tinea capitis symptoms may include: small black dots on the scalp, inflamed round, scaly lesions on the scalp, lesions on the scalp with pus and broken off hair that causes balding of some areas of the scalp.
To diagnose tinea capitis, the doctor may conduct skin lesion biopsy with microscopic examination or the wood’s lamp test to validate a fungal scalp infection. Treatment of this hair and scalp disease may be done with oral anti-fungal medications using itraconazole, terbinafine or griseofulvin. Keep the infected area clean by using medicated shampoo with ketoconazole or selenium sulfide to lessen the risk of spreading of infection.