• Skin scraping - Alcohol wipe the affected and allow to air dry. Using a blunt scalpel, tweezers or a bone curette, firmly scrape the lesion, particularly at the advancing edge.  
• Hair - Clean the surface with alcohol wipe. Pluck the broken hair stumps and scrape the scales from near the advancing edge of the lesions with forceps or flat edged tweezers.  Epilated hairs are preferred.
• Nail clippings - Clean the nail surface and beneath it with an alcohol wipe. Clip tips with alcohol wiped nail clippers or scissors. Scrape all over the top of the nail with a sterile scalpel until the crumbling, white degenerating portion is reached. Collect any white or black debris from beneath the nail.  
  

Culture for Dermatophytes ONLY

Swabs are sub-optimal specimen for fungal examination.

DO NOT LEAVE SPECIMEN BETWEEN GLASS SLIDES OR SEND ANY SHARP SCRAPING OBJECTS IN THE CONTAINER WITH THE SPECIMEN

Store at room temperature until transport to laboratory

When received. Expected turnaround 4-6 weeks