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Tinea Barbae (Barber's Itch)

By

Denise M. Aaron

, MD, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine

Reviewed/Revised Sep 2023
View PATIENT EDUCATION
Topic Resources

Tinea barbae is a dermatophyte infection of the beard area most often caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes or T. verrucosum. Diagnosis is by examination of plucked hairs on potassium hydroxide wet mount. Treatment is with oral antifungals and sometimes prednisone.

Diagnosis of Tinea Barbae

  • Potassium hydroxide wet mount

Diagnosis of tinea barbae is by identifying the fungal element (hyphae) on potassium hydroxide wet mount of plucked hairs, culture, or biopsy.

Treatment of Tinea Barbae

  • Oral antifungals

  • Sometimes prednisone

Treatment of tinea barbae is micronized griseofulvin 500 mg to 1 g orally once a day until 2 to 3 weeks after clinical clearance (see table ). Terbinafine 250 mg orally once a day and itraconazole 200 mg orally once a day have also been used.

If the lesions are severely inflamed, a short course of prednisone should be added (to lessen symptoms and perhaps reduce the chance of scarring), starting with 40 mg orally once a day (for adults) and tapering the dose over 2 weeks.

Drugs Mentioned In This Article

Drug Name Select Trade
Fulvicin P/G, Fulvicin U/F, Grifulvin V, Grisactin, Gris-Peg
Desenex Max, Lamisil, Lamisil AT, Lamisil AT Athletes Foot, Lamisil AT Jock Itch, Terbinex
ONMEL, Sporanox, TOLSURA
Deltasone, Predone, RAYOS, Sterapred, Sterapred DS
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NOTE: This is the Professional Version. CONSUMERS: View Consumer Version
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