Tinea capitis mimicking dissecting cellulitis: a distinct variant

BACKGROUND: Tinea capitis is a common scalp dermatosis with several clinical patterns. Only two patients with a presentation of tinea capitis mimicking dissecting cellulitis have been described in the English literature. OBSERVATION: We report a patient with tinea capitis mimicking dissecting cellulitis who did not respond to griseofulvin therapy at 16 mg/kg/day but eventually cleared after a protracted course of higher dose griseofulvin. CONCLUSION: recognition of a dissecting cellulitis-like pattern of tinea capitis will increase clinical suspicion and avoid inappropriate management of a recalcitrant "dissecting cellulitis" in favor of prompt antifungal therapy of appropriate dosage and duration for patients with this unusual variant of tinea capitis.