Black hairy tongue. A scanning electron microscopic study.

A patient with tongue malignancy associated with a black hairy tongue is presented. Specimens from e area fo the black hairy tongue and from a normally appearing part were studied with the scanning electron microscope. The "hairs" consisted of elongated filiform papillae due to accumulated keratinized layers. In-between these layers, fungi and bacteria were found. The aetiology of the blck hairy tongue in this patient is discussed.