[Translated article] Outbreak of Dermatophyte Infections on the Head and Neck Related to Shave Haircuts: Description...

Since 2021, an increase in cases of tinea capitis has been detected in adolescents who shave their hair with fade haircut.

Multicenter retrospective observational study of cases of cephalic pole dermatophytosis with a history of having been acquired after frequent shaving in hairdressing. A call was made to dermatologists from the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) to provide cases observed between January 2021 and December 2022. Patients with microbiological confirmation by culture or direct examination with KOH were included.

107 cases were collected, 106 of which were male. 78 non-inflammatory forms were observed, compared to 29 inflammatory. The most frequently isolated fungus was Trichophyton tonsurans (75.7% of cases). The lesions appeared predominantly on the nape of the neck and temporal area.

The distribution by sex, age and lesional location seems to indicate that a new social trend, in which male adolescents regularly go to hairdressers to shave the occipital and temporal areas, would be the cause of this grouping of cases of ringworm of the scalp. The most frequent microorganism in our study (T. tonsurans) coincides with the most prevalent in our environment. This study shows an accumulation of cases that can be taken into account by competent Public Health agencies, which are responsible for ensuring compliance with the rules of disinfection of the material used for shaving.