Scalp fungal infection

[Justadude7]

Hello,

Years ago I wnet to the doctor because the hair on the left side of my head was thinning. He said it was a fungal infection and prescribed some powder. I didn't use it consistantly enough and so it didn't end up being effective. It's been a few years and the infection seemed to to at least be halted. But now its coming back. I don't remember the name of the medicine the doctore prescribed, and I don't have insurance, so I can't aford a doctor visit at the moment.

The infection symptoms I have are as follows. The hair on two small areas on the left side of my head is thinning. At the centre of each area is a small red spot of skin (not a bump, just a flat red spot). The affected areas have become itchy of late, and the larger of the two affected areas is beginning to grow gray/white hair. Since I can't afford a doctor visit and I know there are over-the-counter treatments for stuff like this, I'd like a suggestion on what medicine I should get. I need to know asap please. Any info you can give would be a great help.

Thanks a lot.

Sincerely,

Patrick

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
For such type of hair loss, alopecia aereta and telogen effluvium need to be ruled out. It is nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset. There is a chronic form also which persists for a longer duration and starts with insidious onset. Chronic telogen effluvium is hair shedding lasting longer than 6 months. Treatment consists of medications like Minoxidil, surgical approach(hair transplantation) and improvement in diet.

My sincere advice is to consult a trichologist. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[BeeFree]

Hi Patrick,

Take a look at this: http://todayhealthcare.blogspot.com/2009/09/hair-thinning-and-hair-loss.html
And this: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/thinning-hair-solutions.html

All the best,
Brittany