Intrafollicular Tinea Versicolor Demonstrated on Monomer Plastic Strips

Abstract

Our procedures for direct examination of the cutaneous flora have been limited, until now, to single cell-layers of the stratum corneum stripped onto transparent pressure-tape (1). By utilizing a new plastic adhesive several layers of horny cells, hair sheaths, and hairs may be stripped onto a glass microscope slide, stained, and examined. The application of this adhesive to tinea versi- MATERIALS AND METHODS Eastman #910 monomerf is alkyl 2-cyano-acrylate, a plastic adhesive which converts from the liquid to the solid state by polymerization when pressed into a thin film. The reaction is catalyzed by minute amounts of water and weak bases present on the adhered surfaces (2). The polymerized film is resistant to most common Fig. 1. Strip of normal skin showing replica of surface furrows. At 80° angle X 2 Fig. 2. Strip of tinea versicolor infection showing discrete scaly lesions. X 1.9.