Tinea Capitis Presenting as Diffuse Hair Loss and Significance of Trichoscopy: Four Case Reports

The document describes a case series involving four patients who were initially misdiagnosed with conditions like female pattern hair loss or telogen effluvium but were later correctly identified as having tinea capitis through the use of trichoscopy. This diagnostic tool revealed specific hair shaft abnormalities such as comma hairs, corkscrew hairs, and broken hairs, which are characteristic of tinea capitis. Following the correct diagnosis, the patients were treated with antifungal medications and showed improvement. The study underscores the importance of considering tinea capitis in adults with diffuse hair loss and demonstrates the diagnostic value of trichoscopy in identifying this fungal infection, thus preventing misdiagnosis and treatment delays.