Case series reveals elongated corkscrew hairs during trichoscopy in immunosuppressed adults with tinea capitis, highlighting a potential novel marker for earlier fungal detection.
INTRODUCTION: Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp in which trichoscopy plays an important role by allowing early identification of characteristic hair shaft alterations before mycological confirmation. METHODS: We describe two adult women who are immunosuppressed with endothrix tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton violaceum. RESULTS: Both patients presented with diffuse scalp alopecia and scaling. Trichoscopic examination revealed unusually elongated corkscrew hairs, and fungal cultures confirmed the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Elongated corkscrew hairs represent a previously unreported trichoscopic pattern in chronic endothrix tinea capitis. Awareness of this finding may facilitate earlier diagnostic suspicion and prompt targeted mycological investigation in patients who are immunosuppressed.
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Souissi et al. (2026) studied this question.
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