Dermoscopy as an Auxiliary Tool in the Assessment of Malassezia Folliculitis: An Observational Study

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.