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Sub-Category:

Hair Conditions

Number of Conditions: 1

Piedra

Specialty: Infectious Diseases

Category: Fungal Infections

Sub-category: Hair Conditions

Symptoms:
hard nodules on hair shafts; hair brittleness; hair breakage

Root Cause:
Infection of the hair shaft by fungi; Trichosporon causes white piedra, and Piedraia hortae causes black piedra.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Microscopic examination of hair shafts, fungal culture.

Treatment:
Hair shaving, antifungal shampoos, and oral antifungal medications in persistent cases.

Medications:
Ketoconazole shampoo (topical antifungal), itraconazole or terbinafine (oral antifungals in severe cases).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; more common in tropical and subtropical regions.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Poor hygiene, warm and humid climates, sharing hair care tools.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with appropriate treatment, but recurrence is possible if predisposing factors persist.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Cosmetic concerns and hair damage.