Dermoscopy as an Auxiliary Tool in the Assessment of Malassezia Folliculitis: An Observational Study
January 2022
in “
Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas
”
Studysummary In this study, researchers found that dermoscopy revealed specific features in Malassezia folliculitis, such as folliculocentricity and perilesional erythema, which can aid in its identification and potentially distinguish it from acne vulgaris. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This observational study conducted in New Delhi, India, assessed the utility of dermoscopy in diagnosing Malassezia folliculitis, a condition often misdiagnosed as acne vulgaris. The study included 45 patients with confirmed Malassezia folliculitis, identified through a positive 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount examination. Dermoscopy revealed consistent features such as folliculocentricity and perilesional erythema in all cases, with additional findings like dotted, linear, and tortuous vessels in 88.9% of lesions, and dirty white scaling in 77.8% of cases. Hypopigmentation of the hair shaft and coiled or looped hairs were observed in 64.4% and 57.8% of patients, respectively. The study concluded that dermoscopy could be a valuable tool in identifying Malassezia folliculitis, suggesting that its presence should prompt consideration of antifungal treatment.
