Many physicians treat tinea capitis without a confirmatory culture or KOH preparation if the presentation is typical (i.e., urban setting and child presents with scaling, alopecia, and...

The KOH test, also known as a potassium hydroxide preparation or KOH prep, is a quick, inexpensive fungal test to differentiate dermatophytes and Candida albicans symptoms from other skin disorders like psoriasis and eczema.

Dermatophyte infections of scalp hair (tinea capitis), beard hair (tinea barbae), and nails (tinea unguium or dermatophyte onychomycosis) are discussed in detail separately.

However, the 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) smear, a simple bedside test, is often underused when diagnosing cutaneous fungal infections. We aimed to evaluate whether KOH smear results altered dermatologists’ diagnosis and management, and the factors that influenced its ability to detect cutaneous fungal infections.

Our study examines the sensitivity and specificity of both KOH smear and fungal culture in determining the presence or absence of tinea pedis, using clinical assessment as the gold standard.

2025年2月19日 · A KOH prep test is a simple, non-invasive procedure for diagnosing fungal infections of the skin or nails. Cells are collected from the affected area, placed on a slide with a solution consisting of potassium hydroxide, and examined …

Diagnosing tinea cruris involves taking a KOH skin scraping from the edge of the rash. The potassium hydroxide solution helps visualize fungal elements under the microscope. The PPV for the KOH test in diagnosing tinea cruris is approximately 88%, making it a reliable diagnostic tool in primary care settings.

False-negative KOH preparations often result from inadequate scrapings. A tinea capitis sample for KOH preparation can be taken by scraping the black dots (hairs broken off at the skin line)....

To diagnose tinea corporis, a healthcare provider collects a small scraping of the affected skin and performs a KOH test. Under the microscope, the test reveals fungal hyphae—branching, thread-like structures characteristic of dermatophytes.

KOH smear and fungal culture are complementary diagnostic tests for tinea pedis, with the former being the more sensitive test of the two, and the latter being more specific.