kerion
1
9.9
A painful fungal infection of the scalp or beard that makes swollen, pus-filled bumps
- noun
- /ˈkɛrɪən/
- Specialized
:
querión
- After a few weeks of suffering from a kerion, he noticed painful, pus-filled bumps on his head.
Examples
-
Destruction of hair follicles may be secondary to an inflammatory process such as kerion, trauma, or radiation therapy, or can be caused by a carcinoma or a metastatic tumor (2).
Academic text (2015) -
The doctor explained that a kerion is a severe fungal infection that affects the hair follicles on the scalp.
-
In 9 children (10.7%), the infection was inflammatory with follicular pustules and kerion.
Academic text (2007) -
She researched kerion to understand why her son had developed lumps on his scalp.
How Severe
abscess
23
7.5
- Specialized
23
7.5
kerion
1
9.9
- Specialized
1
9.9
tinea capitis
- Specialized
barber's itch
- Archaic
folliculitis
1
8.7
- Specialized
1
8.7
Surface Forms
Etymology
One helpful way to remember the word kerion is to think of an old Greek word kērion that meant 'honeycomb' or 'wax'. Doctors used this name because a kerion is a swollen, pus-filled patch on the scalp or beard that can look lumpy and rough, so the old word helps explain its modern meaning.