Is tinea capitis contagious?

Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
Updated on January 17, 2025
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Tinea capitis is contagious and has a relatively strong infectivity. It is especially prone to infect infants, children, and people with compromised immune functions due to underlying diseases. It can be spread through contact, including both direct and indirect contacts. For instance, sharing towels or other personal hygiene items can lead to infection, and contact with animals such as cats or dogs that have dermatophytosis can also transmit the disease.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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What does tinea capitis look like?

Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp or hair follicles caused by dermatophytes. There are several types of tinea capitis. If it is white piedra, it appears as scattered, spot-like scaly patches; if it presents as kerion, significant inflammation will occur with many small pustules forming on the scalp; if it is yellow piedra, scalp scales will appear. Regardless of the type of tinea capitis, it is crucial to treat it promptly to prevent spreading.

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Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
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What is the difference between tinea capitis and seborrheic dermatitis?

Tinea capitis and seborrheic dermatitis have fundamentally different causes. Tinea capitis is a fungal infection, including conditions such as yellow tinea, white tinea, black dot tinea, and pustular tinea. It leads to the destruction of hair follicles, which can cause hair loss and even scarring. Seborrheic dermatitis, also known as seborrheic eczema, arises from the excessive secretion of sebum. At this time, it may also be stimulated by the colonization of certain microorganisms, such as Malassezia, causing inflammation. It typically affects the scalp, face, chest, and back. The initial lesions are follicular papules, which gradually enlarge and merge into dark red or yellow-red plaques covered with greasy scales or crusts. It can also exhibit exudation, crusting, erosion, and other eczematous changes, and in severe cases, the skin lesions can become widespread throughout the body. To differentiate between tinea capitis and seborrheic dermatitis, besides the symptoms, local skin flakes can be tested in a laboratory using fungal immunofluorescence, as well as bacterial and fungal cultures.

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How to treat tinea capitis?

Tinea capitis, this disease can cause symptoms such as itching, scaling, crusting, and even thick discharge and erosion on the scalp. To treat tinea capitis, it is crucial to maintain cleanliness of the head, and to disinfect daily-used personal items. Furthermore, it is necessary to use topical antifungal medications. For severe cases of tinea capitis, oral medications like ketoconazole or clotrimazole may be required (use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor).

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Dermatology
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There are four types of tinea capitis.

Tinea capitis, this disease is classified into several types, mainly four: First, yellow tinea, also known as convex sores. Second, white tinea, which often spreads among schools and urban daycares, primarily through infection by rusty spore fungi. Third, black dot tinea, which is less common than white and yellow tinea. Fourth, pustular tinea, where patients often experience swollen lymph nodes and general symptoms.

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Dermatology
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Tinea Capitis Clinical Symptoms

Tinea capitis varies in clinical symptoms depending on its classification. If it is yellow tinea, it presents as yellow crusts on the scalp, with ulcers or erosion visible beneath the crusts. If it is white tinea, white scaly patches can be seen, generally with clear boundaries that may merge. If it is black dot tinea, hair breaking off shortly after emerging from the scalp appears as small black dots. If it is pustular tinea, the scalp shows redness and swelling with pus formation.