What is "tinea barbae"

n. fungal infection of the face and neck [syn: barber's itch]

Tinea barbæ (also known as "Barber's itch," "Ringworm of the beard," and "Tinea sycosis") is a fungal infection of the hair. Tinea barbae is due to a dermatophytic infection around the bearded area of men. Generally, the infection occurs as a follicular inflammation, or as a cutaneous granulomatous lesion, i.e. a chronic inflammatory reaction. It is one of the causes of Folliculitis. It is most common among agricultural workers, as the transmission is more common from animal-to-human than human-to-human. The most common causes are Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. verrucosum.