Tinea capitis is a common superficial fungal infection in China, often leading to inappropriate treatment due to misdiagnosis, which severely impacts patients’ quality of life and mental health. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of tinea capitis has become a core challenge in its treatment. In recent years, significant progress has been made in auxiliary tests for tinea capitis. Wood’s lamp examination and dermatoscopy-guided sampling can significantly improve the positive rate of fungal fluorescence microscopy. Combining fungal culture, histopathology, and molecular diagnostic techniques substantially shortens pathogen identification time. This review summarizes current auxiliary diagnostic methods for tinea capitis and their research advancements, aiming to provide references for establishing stratified, efficient diagnostic strategies in clinical practice. Particular attention is given to how different diagnostic techniques assist in pathogen species identification, thereby providing a basis for individualized treatment.
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