II. Epidemiology

  1. Adult males
  2. Seen now in farmers related to animal exposure

III. Etiology

  1. Trichophyton verrucosum
  2. Trichophyton mentagrophytes

IV. Pathophysiology

  1. Dermatophyte infection of the beard and mustache area
  2. Trichomycosis (Invasion of Hair Shaft)
    1. Resembles Tinea Capitis infection

V. Symptoms

  1. Pruritus
  2. Local tenderness

VI. Signs

  1. Distribution
    1. Beard and mustache area
    2. Eyelashes and eyebrows (rare)
  2. Pustular Folliculitis
    1. Hair Follicles surrounded by inflammation
      1. Papules and Pustules
      2. Superimposed exudate and crust
    2. Hair easily removed
  3. Circular reddish patches with scale
    1. Hairs broken off at surface

VIII. Labs: Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) of plucked hair

  1. Hyphae seen invading Hair Shaft

IX. Management: Systemic Antifungal Medications

  1. Treat for 2-3 weeks after lesion resolution (typically requires 4-6 weeks of treatment)
  2. See Tinea Capitis for Antifungal Medication options and dosing

X. Complications

  1. Staphylococcus Aureus superinfection
  2. Kerion

XI. Reference

  1. Fitzpatrick (1992) Color Atlas Dermatology
  2. Hainer (2003) Am Fam Physician 67(1):101-8 [PubMed]

Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)

Related Studies

Ontology: Sycosis barbae (C0275798)

Concepts Disease or Syndrome (T047)
SnomedCT 55875000, 21769009, 156410002
English Sycosis vulgaris, Barbers' rash, Barber's rash, barber's rash, barbers itch, bacterial folliculitis, barber rash, folliculitis barbae, sycosis barbae, sycosis vulgaris, barbers rash, barber itch, Sycosis vulgaris (disorder), Sycosis barbae (disorder), Sycosis barbae, barbae; sycosis, barber's itch, barber's; itch, itch; barber's, sycosis; barbae, sycosis; vulgaris, vulgaris; sycosis, Sycosis barbae, not parasitic, Sycosis, non-parasitic, Sycosis, vulgaris
Italian Sicosi della barba, Sicosi volgare, Irritazione cutanea della barba
Dutch sycosis vulgaris, barbiersrash, barbae; sycosis, barber's; itch, itch; barber's, sycosis; barbae, sycosis; vulgaris, vulgaris; sycosis, sycosis barbae
French Sycosis, Pelade de la barbe, Sycosis staphylococcique
German Sycosis vulgaris, Pili incarnati, Sycosis barbae
Portuguese Sicose vulgar, Erupção cutânea de Barber, Sicose da barba
Spanish Sicosis vulgar, Foliculitis de la barba, sicosis vulgar (concepto no activo), sicosis vulgar, sicosis de la barba, no parasitaria, sicosis de la barba (trastorno), sicosis de la barba, Sicosis de la barba
Japanese 尋常性毛瘡, 須毛瘡, トコヤシン, 床屋疹, ジンジョウセイモウソウ, シュモウソウ, スモウソウ
Czech Folikulitida vousaté části obličeje, Sycosis vulgaris, Vyrážka po holení
Hungarian szőtüszőgyulladás, sycosis barbae, Sycosis vulgaris