Fungal infections in dandruff afflicted scalps on medical students

Skin mycoses are caused mainly by dermatophytes, which are fungal species that primarily infect areas rich in keratin such as hair, nails and skin. In most of the dandruff sufferers, hair fall is a very common problem. In our study, we detected the fungal infections associated with dandruff on the Medical students scalp using staining technique and cultura media. Moreover, the preliminary study was planned to identify only fungal infections present in dandruff scalps. Altogether 4 different types of fungi were encountered from 50 samples. The most dominant fungus was Candida albicans (50%), followed by Aspergillus niger (24%), Cryptococcus spp (16%) and Penicillium spp (10 % ) from the dandruff scalp. Our study provides useful information for the prevention of fungal infections. Dandruff is a common disorder affecting the scalp condition. Dandruff cannot be completely eliminated but can only be managed and effectively controlled by proper antifungal agents.