Hair Loss and Tinea Capitis
If hair loss is not controlled promptly, it can easily lead to baldness, which seriously affects personal image. However, some people find that their hair does not fall out from the hair follicles, but breaks in the middle. Generally speaking, hair breakage in the middle may be caused by tinea capitis, which can be treated by addressing the underlying cause, and it is important to pay attention to the intake of reasonable nutrition in daily life.
What is Tinea Capitis?
The common pathogenic bacteria in China mainly include Trichophyton schoenleinii, Microsporum ferrugineum, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton violaceum, and Trichophyton tonsurans. Tinea capitis is mainly transmitted by direct or indirect contact with infected patients or animals, especially when the scalp is injured by shaving or other trauma, making barbering one of the transmission routes. However, fungal infection does not always lead to tinea capitis, which is closely related to the body's resistance to fungi. Most adults have strong resistance to fungi, while children have weaker resistance, so tinea capitis is more common in children.
Treatment Methods
1. Hair Pulling Treatment
(1) Artificial hair pulling treatment can be considered for lesions within the area of a 5-cent coin and with no more than 3 lesions. This involves using a flat-tipped tweezers to pull out the hair from the diseased area and a 3cm wide surrounding area, applying 2% iodine tincture to the area once a day for 3 to 4 consecutive days. Regular hair washing and weekly application of 5% sulfur ointment are also recommended. If there is severe suppuration, stop using iodine tincture and apply 0.5% nitrofurazone ointment instead.
(2) X-ray hair removal treatment involves temporarily ischemia of the hair follicles using X-ray irradiation to facilitate hair removal. This method is currently rarely used.
2. Comprehensive griseofulvin treatment includes oral griseofulvin, daily hair washing, and external application of 5% sulfur ointment or 2% iodine tincture, with hair cutting every 1 to 2 weeks. This method is suitable for various types of tinea capitis without contraindications.
3. Other antifungal drugs such as terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole can also be used for treatment.
Prevention Methods
1. Clothes, hats, pillows, and beddings contaminated by patients should be exposed to sunlight, steamed, boiled, or fumigated. Barbering tools contaminated should be brushed, washed, and soaked, and infected hair, scales, and scabs should be burned.
2. Veterinary cooperation should be sought to prevent and treat infected animals to prevent transmission.
3. Barbering staff should properly isolate and disinfect barbering tools and try to avoid injuring the scalp during barbering.
4. Schools should regularly provide hygiene education to children, regularly inspect their heads, and immediately treat new patients to prevent transmission and spread.
