Tinea Barbae
It is a rare fungal infection of the skin, hair and hair follicles of the beard and mustache area caused by dermatophytes. Tinea barbae is also known by many other names such as beard ringworm, barber's itch and tinea sycosis. The most common dermatophyte fungi responsible for tinea barbae are zoophilic namely Trichophyton Verrucosum which originates from cattle and Trichophyton Mentagrophytes var. Equinum which originates from horses. Farmers are usually among the affected and it occurs due to direct contact with an infected animal. The clinical presentation varies but mostly it is itchy and appears as extremely inflamed lumpy, red areas along with pustules and crusting around the hair follicles. In deeper infections the affected area's appearance is usually that of firm, red nodules covered with pustules and oozing blood and pus. It's diagnosed by performing microscopy ad culture of the skin scrapings. Mild cases can be treated using topical antifungal agents but usually oral antifungal medications lke terbinafine, griseofulvin, itroconazole etc are required to treat it.