KOH SKIN, HAIR, NAILS
Name: KOH SKIN, HAIR, NAILS
Mnemonic: KOHS
Container: Sterile container
Handling: Specimen: SKIN, HAIR, NAILS: Submit in clean, dry container.
Skin: Cleanse skin with 70-95% alcohol; collect scales with a scalpel at the active border of the lesion.
Hair: Pluck 10-12 hairs with forceps.
Nails: Cleanse nail with 70-95% alcohol; Remove outermost layer by scraping with a scalpel and discard the scraping. Collect scraping from the deeper, diseased areas of the nail. Scrapings from under the nail can also be submitted. Stability: Ambient
Required Information: Source of specimen
Reported: Routine 1 day, STAT 1hr
CPT: 87220
Department: Microbiology
Note: Do not refrigerate the specimen.