Inflammatory Tinea Capitis Mimicking Dissecting Cellulitis in a Postpubertal Male: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

The document describes the case of a 19-year-old Hispanic male who was initially diagnosed with dissecting cellulitis but was later correctly diagnosed with inflammatory tinea capitis due to Trichophyton tonsurans. The patient had symptoms including a large painful plaque on the scalp, patchy hair loss, and pustules. Diagnosis was made using KOH preparation, scalp biopsy, and fungal culture. After 17 months of treatment with antifungal medications, the patient experienced significant improvement, regrowing 95% of his scalp hair. The case highlights the need to consider tinea capitis as a possible diagnosis in adults with inflammatory scalp conditions to avoid permanent hair loss. The rarity of tinea capitis in postpubertal individuals and the importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment are also discussed.