TLDR Tinea capitis is a common scalp infection causing hair loss, mostly in young children.
Tinea capitis was a common infectious condition affecting the scalp hair follicles, leading to either inflammatory or noninflammatory alopecia. It predominantly occurred in prepubertal children older than 6 months but could affect individuals of all ages. This condition was prevalent worldwide and was one of the most frequent infections in children.
9 citations,
December 1985 in “JAMA” A child day-care center reported cases of contagious fungal scalp infection, indicating a need for greater awareness and control measures.
2 citations,
January 1983 in “Archives of Dermatology” A 3-year-old boy's scalp infection was treated with ketoconazole.
13 citations,
December 2012 in “Medical mycology case reports” Misdiagnosis led to permanent hair loss, stressing the need for proper scalp tests.
65 citations,
January 2005 in “American journal of clinical dermatology” Children with scalp fungal infections need proper diagnosis and treatment, usually with antifungal medications, and newer drugs may offer quicker recovery.