Tinea Barbae 

  • Author: Jacek C Szepietowski, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 23, 2012
 

Background

Tinea barbae is a superficial dermatophyte infection that is limited to the bearded areas of the face and neck and occurs almost exclusively in older adolescent and adult males. The clinical presentation of tinea barbae includes inflammatory, deep, kerionlike plaques and noninflammatory superficial patches resembling tinea corporis or bacterial folliculitis.

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Pathophysiology

Tinea barbae is caused by the keratinophilic fungi (dermatophytes) that are responsible for most superficial fungal skin infections. They infect the stratum corneum of the epidermis, hair, and nails. Several enzymes, including keratinases, are released by dermatophytes, which help them invade the epidermis. The mechanism that causes tinea barbae is similar to that of tinea capitis. In both diseases, hair and hair follicles are invaded by fungi, producing an inflammatory response. Tinea barbae is caused by both zoophilic and anthropophilic dermatophytes.

Infection caused by zoophilic dermatophytes usually is of greater severity than that produced by anthropophilic organisms. Thus, zoophilic dermatophytes are the primary cause of inflammatory kerionlike plaques, which most likely result from a more intense host reaction. Kerion formation has been described as resulting from Trichophyton rubrum infection.[1, 2] T rubrum, an anthropophilic dermatophyte, can invade hair shafts and deeper tissues (although rarely), resulting in an inflammatory reaction. Usually, infection involving hair is more severe; therefore, tinea barbae caused by anthropophilic dermatophytes often has a more severe course than tinea corporis caused by the same pathogen.

The formation of kerion is postulated by 2 theories. The first theory suggests that it results from diffusion of metabolites and/or toxins from the fungus; however, kerion formation most likely results from an immunologic response to dermatophyte antigens.

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Epidemiology

Frequency

United States

Tinea barbae is uncommon in the United States.

International

Currently, tinea barbae is infrequent around the world. As with other dermatophytoses, tinea barbae is more common in countries in which weather is characterized by high temperatures and humidity. Tinea barbae was observed more frequently in the past before single-use razors became available, and infection frequently was transmitted by barbers who used unsanitary razors. Therefore, it is not surprising that tinea barbae once was termed barber's itch. Now that habits and equipment have changed, this source of infection has been all but eliminated. Currently, tinea barbae is more common among rural inhabitants, and zoophilic dermatophytes constitute its primary pathogens.

Mortality/Morbidity

Permanent alopecia and scarring frequently follow spontaneous resolution of the inflammatory plaques and nodules of tinea barbae. In superficial chronic tinea barbae, alopecia may occur in the center of the lesions; however, this is not common.

Sex

Men are affected almost exclusively by tinea barbae because the disease involves the bearded areas of the face and neck. Involvement of the same areas in healthy women and children is classified as tinea faciei.

Age

Hair appears on the face at puberty; therefore, tinea barbae may occur almost exclusively in older adolescent and adult males.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Jacek C Szepietowski, MD, PhD  Professor, Vice-Head, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University; Director of the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland

Disclosure: Stiefel GSK Company Salary Employment; Orfagen Consulting fee Consulting; Maruho Consulting fee Consulting; Astellas Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Leo Pharma Consulting fee Consulting

Coauthor(s)

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH  Professor and Head, Dermatology, Professor of Pathology, Pediatrics, Medicine, and Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and Sigma Xi

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Franklin Flowers, MD  Chief, Division of Dermatology, Professor, Department of Medicine and Otolaryngology, Affiliate Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, University of Florida College of Medicine

Franklin Flowers, MD, is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard P Vinson, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA

Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Paul Krusinski, MD  Director of Dermatology, Fletcher Allen Health Care; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine

Paul Krusinski, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE  Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds Investigator; Genentech Grant/research funds investigator; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Grant/research funds investigator; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis investigator; Pfizer Grant/research funds investigator; Celgene Consulting fee DMC Chair; NIAMS and NHLBI Grant/research funds investigator

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous Chief Editor, William D. James, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

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Inflammatory tinea barbae resulting from Trichophyton mentagrophytesvar granulosuminfection.
Wax model of kerionlike tinea barbae. Courtesy of the Museum of the Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine, Wroclaw, Poland.
 
 
 
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