KOH Mount Test

 

1892: German dermatologist Paul Gerson Unna popularized the use of potassium hydroxide to clear keratinized tissues. KOH dissolved keratin while leaving the chitin-containing fungal cell walls intact, making fungi easier to identify microscopically.

 

 

 

                                                            Paul Gerson Unna and Nivea

German dermatologist Paul Gerson Unna played a crucial role in the creation of NIVEA Creme. In 1911, he introduced chemist Dr. Isaac Lifschütz—the inventor of the revolutionary water-in-oil emulsifier Eucerit—to Beiersdorf co-founder Dr. Oscar Troplowitz, laying the scientific foundation for the iconic skin cream. 

Unna’s deep understanding of dermatology allowed him to identify Eucerit as the perfect base for a cosmetic skincare product. Because this new mixture was snow-white, Troplowitz named the cream "NIVEA," deriving it from the Latin word nix, nivis (meaning snow).

 

 

Early 20th Century: The KOH preparation became a standard diagnostic method in dermatology clinics for evaluating:

• Tinea (ringworm)
• Onychomycosis (nail fungus)
• Pityriasis versicolor
• Candidiasis

 

 

 

 

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