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Tinea capitis

A superficial fungus infection of the skin, affecting the scalp. Also known as ringworm. This disorder occurs most commonly in children, especially those in late childhood and adolescence. It can spread in schools. Tinea capitis appears as scalp scaling that is associated with bald spots (in contrast to seborrhea or dandruff, for instance, which do not cause hair loss).

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tinea cap·i·tis -'kap-ət-əs n an infection of the scalp caused by fungi of the genera Trichophyton and Microsporum and characterized by scaly patches penetrated by a few dry brittle hairs

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tinea of the scalp, or sometimes the eyebrows and eyelashes, caused by species of Microsporum and Trichophyton; it sometimes occurs in epidemics. Depending upon the etiologic agent, it may vary from a subclinical or benign, scaly infection to an inflammatory disease. The latter is marked by scaly, erythematous, papular eruptions with loose and broken-off hairs causing areas of alopecia that can become severely inflamed and form deep, ulcerative kerions resulting in keloid formation, scarring, and permanent alopecia. It has two common types, known as black dot ringworm and gray patch ringworm (see under ringworm). Called also t. tonsurans and ringworm of the scalp.

Tinea capitis.

Medical dictionary. 2011.