Tinea Capitis

Tinea Capitis General Information

Tinea Capitis is the generic medical term given to a fungal infection that affects the skin on the patient’s scalp, and may sometimes extend to the patient’s forehead and eyebrows. This infection is a part of the Tinea type of infections, caused by one or more of the several dermatophytes (mold like fungi) that generally live on the human skin without causing any problems. However, when certain factors are met (humidity and heat), the fungi multiply and attack the upper layers of the skin, causing the infection.

Generally, Tinea Capitis is frequent among people engaging often in sports, as the increased body temperature caused by physical activity combined with the sweating provides the fungi with the appropriate environmental factors to replicate and infect the skin. Friction with textile materials may also reduce the resistance of the skin against the infection, and also some diseases and affections, particularly those causing disturbances in the immune system, may lead to the appearance of this infection.

This is a very common infection throughout the world. While it does not seem to affect any age category in particular, studies have shown that it is much more common in males than in females. The infection is not contagious, as although the fungi can be spread from one person to another through clothes, towels or other means, the environmental factors must exist in order for the fungi to attack the skin.

Tinea Capitis Symptoms

Among the most common symptoms for Tinea Capitis, the patient will experience itching or burning sensations in the affected areas, along with a discoloration of the skin. The color of the skin may change to red, brown or tan and the skin may also appear as flaking and peeling, and in less common cases rippling or cracking of the skin has been noted. Typically, the Tinea Capitis infection starts as an erythematous, scaly plaque. In some cases the infection may rapidly worsen; the initial affected area may be one inch across. Sores may develop, and no specific pattern has been observed. The general aspect of the affected areas is one of red plaques combined with patches of scale-like surface, bordered by clearly defined margins. The areas may blister and ooze.

As the infection extends, the newly infected areas are different than the initial zones in that they are redder in color and also they are more raised than the original zones of infection. Typically, the new edges are scaly in texture and very well demarcated. The zones initially affected by the infection change their color to a more brownish appearance and lose their scaly texture. In most cases, the infection is accompanied by the appearance of balding spots and dandruff.

Tinea Capitis Treatment

As with treatment for other fungal infections of the skin, treatment for Tinea Capitis typically involves appliance of topical antifungal medicines. Such medication as Clotrimazole, Miconazole or Tolnaftate creams are most common in the treatment of this infection, but newer agents are also available, such as Butenafine. These medications have a powerful inhibiting action on the process through which a substance called ergosterol is produced; this substance is one of the basic components of the cell membrane of the fungi that cause Tinea Capitis, and in its absence the fungi are no longer able to maintain their cell membrane intact thus leading to the death of the fungi.

In order to relieve the itching or discomfort caused by the infection, the prescribing health care professional may advice the patient to use an ointment based on glucocorticosteroids in combination with he normal antifungal medications. These ointments act by preventing further irritation and help in quickly relieving the symptoms caused by Tinea Capitis, and also help lower the risk of secondary infections which may be caused by the patient scratching the area. It should be noted however that corticosteroids may aggravate the condition if they are not used in combination with antifungal agents.

Apart from medication treatment, the patient affected by Tinea Capitis is required to ensure the permanent dryness of the affected areas, as well as maintaining them clean at all times. Clothes, towels and any other material that comes in contact with the affected regions should be changed on a daily basis, and the use of talcum powder may be a positive addition as it will help keep the area dry. Menthol or zinc oxide powders may also be used to relieve the itching caused by the infection. At all times, the patient should be careful in order to prevent the transmission of the infection to another area, especially when drying up with a towel that is used for larger areas of the body. Anti-dandruff shampoos should be used during the treatment, as they typically contain antifungal elements as well – Selenium Sulfinde, Ketoconazole and Pyrithione Zinc compounds can be found in most anti-dandruff shampoos. As natural remedies for the infection, garlic and tea tree oil have been reported to have positive results.

For the treatment of patients of 4 or more years of age, a new antifungal medicine called Lamisil (based on Terbinafine hydrochloride) is available under the form of granules, which need to be sprinkled on the food prior to ingestion. As some of the antifungal medications that are prescribed for Tinea Capitis may interact with other drugs, it is highly advised that the patient informs the prescribing health care professional of any other medication therapies he or she is currently undergoing. Also, the physician should be aware of the patient’s general health condition and entire medical history, as these are factors which may also contribute in determining the optimum treatment. The patient should follow the dosage at all times, and should closely follow the intake or application schedule that the prescribing doctor has outlined. If at any time, the patient has any questions regarding the treatment or the dugs that he or she has been prescribed, it is highly advised that he or she contacts a specialized health care professional – a doctor, pharmacist or a nurse – in order to obtain more details regarding the matter.