White piedra( mycosis of the scalp, knotty trichosporia, Bejel's disease): symptoms and treatment

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On such an unpleasant fungal disease as the white piedra learned long ago. She was described by the doctor back in 1866.Recognize this disease is very easy due to the presence on the hair of the colonies of the fungus in the form of a white clutch. Treatment is recommended to be performed with topical drugs( creams, ointments, aerosols).The disease is dangerous with the probability of developing such a complication, as baldness. About the mycosis of the scalp, face( mustache, beard), in the groin( white piedra), its symptoms and treatment, we will burn today.

Features of the disease

White piedra, also known as knotty trichosporia, Bejel's disease. This disease is anthroponous mycotic lesion of the cuticle of the hair. In simple terms, the white piedra is a fungal disease of the hair. Knot trichosporia disease is called for the reason that the spores of the fungus are pressed together to form nodules.

White piedra is more common among men. Especially common is the disease in those who wear a mustache, often twists them, lubricates them with cosmetic means. Fungus prefers straight hair, people with excessive sweating, damaged hair.

Knotty trichosporia( photo)

Classification of the white piedra

Depending on the location of the inflammatory process caused by infection, it is customary to allocate the following types of disease:

• White whiskers;
• White head piedra;
• White pubic piedra;
• White podrum axillary hollows;
• White beard piedra.

Given the peculiarity of the inflammatory process, the disease is divided into 2 stages:

1. Acute.
2. Chronic.

The appearance of the white piedra can be judged from the following video:

Causes of

The cause of the disease in humans is the ingestion of Trichosporon beigelii fungus into the body. In addition to this fungus, the disease can be provoked by others from the genus Trichosporon:

• Trichosporon giganteum;
• Trichosporon ovale;
• Trichosporon cerebriforme.

The disease is transmitted from the patient to the healthy. More often men are ill. The fungus is transmitted in such ways:

• Through foreign hairbrushes;
• Through other people's headgear;
• lubrication of hair with oils, fermented milk products.

Spores of Trichosporon beigelii are located around the hair. Through the cuticle of the hair penetrates only a small part of the fungus.

Symptoms of

The commonly considered disease occurs in chronic form. The presence of the disease is indicated by the presence of small, dense nodules on the surface of the hair. These nodules are white in color, the shape of them may be oval or irregular. They cover the hair around. About 30 - 40 nodules can attach to one hair. The ring they form reaches a length of 10 mm.

Nodules covering hair are fungus spores. When the patient pulls his hair very tight, the nodules can stick together. This is how the tufts are formed, which is called the "columbian coil", they are like sheaves of cereals.

If a bug infested with a fungus is bent, a characteristic crunch will be heard that indicates a violation of the integrity of the Trichosporon beigelii colony. Fungus affects only the hair shaft. With this disease, the hair does not break, do not fall out. Only when the form is started can threaten alopecia areata.

If the patient has leukemia, he may develop a generalized infection. In addition, the body shows a hemorrhagic, papular rash. Over time, the rash passes into blisters containing hemorrhagic contents.

Diagnosis

If suspected to occur, develop a white piedra should seek help from such specialists:

• mycologist;
• trichologist.

To detect this infectious disease, it is necessary to pass such diagnostic tests:

• General analysis of urine.
• Delivery of blood for glucose.
• Biochemical blood test.
• General blood test.

In addition, biochemical research will be required:

• Study of protein, its fractions.
• Determination of the amount of total, direct bilirubin.
• Determination of the level of transaminases( AST, creatinine, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, urea, thymol sample).

It is also recommended for the patient to undergo specific diagnostics:

1. Cultural research, which involves the cultivation of a colony of this type of fungi on the Saburo nutrient medium.
2. Study of hair, affected by a fungus, which is carried out by specialists under a microscope. Study of filament fungus, which has a size of only 4 - 6 microns.

Patients can carry out differential diagnosis. It is necessary to exclude the patient from such diseases as: pediculosis, false piedra.

Treatment

White piedra refers to chronic diseases, so it is very difficult to cure it. The best option is full shaving of the hair, but most patients do not like this method of treatment. When shaving the hair, the disease will go away immediately if the infection has spread only to the hair. Smooth skin fungus is not striking.

The treatment of mycosis in children will be described in this video by Dr. Komarovsky:

Therapeutic method

In case of refusal to shave the hair, the treatment is carried out using antifungal ointments, vitamin A in capsules, shampoos. Also, doctors recommend daily washing your hair with hot mercury dichloride( a solution of the mercury).

• Effective in the fight against Trichosporon Beigellii are shampoos with such drugs as ketoconazole, nizoral. Shampoos should be applied to the hair, aged for 3 to 5 minutes, rinsed with running water three times a week.
• If the disease develops in a generalized form, antifungal medication is recommended.

For the treatment of fungus in pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, nursing mothers recommend such methods:

• combing through a thick comb;
• hair treatment with a solution of mercuric chloride( warm) in a concentrate of 1: 1000;
• treatment with soap.

Medication-based

Parasitic fungus is removed with topical preparations. To this end, they apply:

• "Decamine ointment"( 0.5 - 1%).Rub it 1 - 2 per day in the affected areas. Recovery is prolonged for 1 - 3 weeks.
• «Amikazol 5% ointment».Used to lubricate the affected areas twice a day.
• "Ketoconazole cream 2%".The agent is applied once a day to the lesions. The effect will be stronger if the drug is applied to a healthy skin( literally 2 to 3 cm), adjacent to the affected.
• "Pimafucin" in the form of a cream( 2%).
• "Yenamazol"( 1%).The cream is applied to the affected skin until complete recovery, which is indicated by the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease. To prevent relapse of the disease, the cream is used for a month after full recovery.
• "Lamisil"( 1%) cream.
• "Clotrimazole" aerosol( 1%) or cream( 1 - 2%).
• "Exoderil" in the form of a gel( 1%) or cream( 1%).

Prevention of the disease

The main preventive method that will help prevent fungal infection is personal hygiene. If you really love or you have to travel to countries with a hot climate as a business trip, stick to simple rules that will help to avoid infection with the white piedra:

1. Observe personal hygiene.
2. Do not use other people's hairbrushes, hairpins, hats.
3. Wash your hair often and under running water.
4. Do not tighten the hair very tight.

White piedra on the head( photo)

Complications

• If the disease is neglected, the patient is threatened with alopecia areata, increased hair loss.
• Also very unpleasant complications are cosmetic defects.

Forecast

• If the treatment of the fungus proceed in a timely manner, you can remove the white piedra in a few weeks or immediately( after cutting the hair).
• If the disease is triggered, it can provoke focal alopecia, and also leave behind cosmetic defects on the epithelium.

About the manifestation of mycosis of the head in children will tell a specialist in the video below: