Can dermoscopy serve as a diagnostic tool in dermatophytosis? A pilot study

Background: Dermoscopy has been shown to be a useful tool in assisting the noninvasive diagnosis of various general dermatological disorders. Aim: The purpose of the study was to describe the dermoscopic findings in various dermatophytosis. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 clinically diagnosed tinea infections of skin, hair, and nails, which were evaluated using a dermoscope (Dermlite 3 gen DL3N, California USA, 10x). Results: Among 100 patients of dermatophytosis, 69 were males and 31 females. The maximum number of patients had tinea corporis, followed by tinea cruris and tinea capitis. Dermoscopic findings noted in cases of tinea corporis included diffuse erythema, follicular micropustules, and brown spots surrounded by a white-yellowish halo, broken hair, wavy hair, and rare, morse code hair. Dermoscopy of tinea capitis depicted comma hairs, corkscrew hairs, zigzag hairs, and morse code hairs. Proximal jagged edge, spikes, and longitudinal striations were present in the cases of onychomycosis. Dermoscopy of tinea incognito yielded morse code hairs, follicular micropustules, and easily deformable hairs that look weakened and transparent and show unusual bends. Limitations: Dermoscopic findings were not correlated to fungal culture. Conclusion: Dermoscopy can be used as a fast, inexpensive, and noninvasive diagnostic tool to enhance diagnosis of cutaneous fungal infections.