Dermatology Research and Practice

BACKGROUND: Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common viral skin infection primarily affecting children which is difficult to treat using available therapeutic approaches. The sulfated polysaccharide named calcium spirulan (Ca-SP) has demonstrated antiviral effects against herpes simplex virus in keratinocytes in vitro , and a cream containing 1.5% Ca-SP and 1% of a defined microalgae extract (Spiralin® ) effectively prevented herpes labialis in a trial with susceptible individuals...

Skin damage among healthcare workers has been reported by many centers around the world. Occupational hand dermatitis is one of the most commonly known occupational skin diseases and a socially significant health issue. The use of gloves is one of the risk factors for the occurrence and/or aggravation of hand dermatitis. This cross-sectional study involved healthcare workers in 14 referral hospitals for COVID-19 throughout Indonesia. Questionnaires were distributed to the participants, which consisted of the subject's characteristics, glove-related skin problems, history of glove use, and clinical history...

Glomus tumours are painful superficial tumours, and ultrasonography is an extremely useful and noninvasive diagnostic technique for superficial organs. In this study, we retrospectively examined glomus tumours using ultrasonography. Among 18 patients histopathologically diagnosed with glomus tumours via ultrasonography, we observed five different development sites: subungual areas or those surrounding the nail bed (12), other areas on the finger surface (3), abdominal wall (1), upper arm (1), and forearm (1)...

BACKGROUND: For dry skin, the application of a hypoallergenic moisturizer twice daily is recommended in elderly individuals. However, it is not known which is the most effective and appropriate moisturizer among the commercially available moisturizers. AIMS: In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of the three widely used moisturizers for the treatment of senile dry skin. Patients/Methods . This interventional study involved elderly individuals aged >65 years who were living in a nursing home...

BACKGROUND: Nail psoriasis is a challenging chronic condition affecting patients functionally and psychologically. Nail involvement is observed in 15-80% of psoriatic patients with occasional presence of isolated nail psoriasis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate dermoscopic features of nail psoriasis and correlate them clinically. METHODS: The study included fifty subjects with nail psoriasis. Psoriasis skin and nail severity was evaluated using psoriasis area severity index (PASI) and nail psoriasis severity index (NAPSI)...

BACKGROUND: Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs), although rare, are known to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. SCARs include drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). Studies on SCARs are limited in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to characterize SCARs at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia...

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common form of noncicatricial hair loss of unknown cause, affecting 0.1-0.2% of the general population. Most evidence supports the hypothesis that it is disease of the hair follicle of autoimmune nature mediated by T-cells, with important cytokine role. Objective of the Study . The objective of this study is to study the association and changes in serum levels of interleukin-15 (IL-15) and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ) in patients with AA in relation to the type, activity, and disease duration...

Health care spending in Italy is high and continues to increase; assessing the long-term health and economic outcomes of new therapies is essential. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, pruritic, immune-mediated inflammatory dermatosis, a clinical condition that significantly affects patients' quality of life at a high cost and requires continuous care. This retrospective study aimed to assess the direct cost and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of Dupilumab and patients' clinical outcomes. All AD patients treated with Dupilumab at the Sassari University Hospital, Italy, between January 2019 and December 2021 were included...

The treatment options for mycosis fungoides (MF) have been expanding but unfortunately many of the currently used treatment modalities are unavailable in Egypt and other African/Arab countries. In addition, there is a lack of consensus on the treatment of hypopigmented MF (HMF), which is a frequently encountered variant in our population. We aimed to develop regional treatment guidelines based on the international guidelines but modified to encompass the restricted treatment availability and our institutional experience...

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human malignancy. The biological behavior of this entity is remarkably indolent. Claudin plays an important role in tight junctions, regulating paracellular passage of variable substance including growth factors and maintaining the polarity of epithelia. Up- or downregulated claudin expression has been reported in many cancers. Nevertheless, claudin expression in BCC of the skin remains unclear. We therefore examined the status of claudin 1 and 4 expressions in BCC and adjacent normal skin by immunohistochemistry (IHC)...

BACKGROUND: Solar radiations that reach the Earth can be divided into ultraviolet, visible light, and infrared. Overexposure to these radiations can facilitate adverse skin diseases such as sunburn, skin cancer, and photoaging. People who drive vehicles for an extended period are likely to develop skin cancer in the exposed body area. METHOD: This research proposes a wearable protective device around the upper arm to measure the transmitted radiation through the front and the side windows...

BACKGROUND: Lichen planopilaris (LPP) is a rare inflammatory disorder of the scalp that causes cicatricial alopecia. No therapeutic approach has been approved for this disease due to the rare frequency. Methotrexate and corticosteroid are commonly considered second- or third-line therapy. The efficacy of a combination of methotrexate and corticosteroid has been reported in some dermatological and immunological diseases. However, the efficacy of this combination in LPP is not clear. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the impact of methotrexate alone and in combination with corticosteroid on LPP...

Background: Attention to the administration of probiotics for the treatment of psoriasis has recently increased. Aim: In the present study, improvements in dermatology life quality index (DLQI), psoriasis area severity index (PASI), and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores in the psoriasis patients receiving Lactocare® probiotic were compared to psoriasis patients receiving placebo. Methods: A total of 52 psoriasis patients were included in this study and randomly divided into treatment and placebo (control) groups...

Fordyce angiokeratoma is a benign lesion commonly developing on the scrotal skin. The incidence increases with age. About half of these lesions may be symptomatic and frequently cause itching and bleeding. Although the treatment is not always considered necessary, several treatment methods are used for symptomatic cases, especially for cosmetic purposes. Treatment options include surgical excision, laser ablation, electrocoagulation, cryotherapy, and sclerotherapy. The most widely used methods are electrocoagulation and cryotherapy...

Chemical substances used during batik processing may affect the physiological function of the batik worker's skin barrier. This study assessed the level of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, and skin acidity in 61 batik workers from the batik center in Paseseh village, Tanjung Bumi subdistrict, Madura Island, Indonesia. Forty-five batik workers involved in dry work including drawing patterns on the cloth with wax and sixteen batik workers involved in wet work including dyeing the cloth with a dye bath were included in this study...

Objective: There is insufficient evidence to generate skin cancer screening guidelines at the population level, resulting in arbitrary variation in patient selection for screening skin examinations. This study was aimed at developing an easy-to-use predictive model of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) risk on screening total body skin examination (TBSE). Methods: This epidemiologic assessment utilized data from a prospective, multicenter international study from primarily academic outpatient dermatology clinics...

Background: Acne is the most common inflammatory skin disease in adolescence. It is also prevalent in adults, especially females. The disease has a considerable impact on health-related quality of life. Many studies have reported the negative impact of acne on patients due to skin disfigurement, ineffective treatment, and adverse effects of the treatment. Numerous factors contribute towards nonadherence to therapy. Summary . This review discusses the various factors that are related to treatment nonadherence such as ineffective therapy, adverse effects with topical pharmacotherapy such as skin irritation and erythema as well as patient-related factors such as lack of knowledge of disease and a poor patient-physician relationship...

Introduction: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common occupational disease. Its diagnosis is essentially based on interrogation and patch tests. However, commercially available batteries are sometimes not appropriate for the working conditions and the handled products, which must then be tested. In Tunisia, no previous study has focused on the contribution of patch tests with handled products in the workplace. The objective of this study is to establish the sociodemographic and occupational profile of the patients benefiting from patch tests with handled products in the workplace to identify the characteristics of these products as well as to evaluate the relevance of their positivity and their contributions in terms of aetiological diagnosis of occupational ACD...

Acne vulgaris, or acne, is a prevailing cutaneous predicament that customarily crops up on the face, neck, and trunk in the forms of comedones, papules, pustules, and nodules. According to epidemiologic explorations, acne affects 9.4% of the global population, making it the eighth most common disease globally. Acne perturbs up to 85% of adolescents, while it is periodically misconceived as an ailment that affects teenagers only; nonetheless, it also affects myriad adults. Acne has well-documented psychosocial ramifications, including adverse effects on self-perception, mental health, and social functioning...

Stress plays an important role in the causation and aggravation of psychodermatological conditions such as acne vulgaris. Alpha casein hydrolysate ( α s1-casein hydrolysate; Lactium) has been shown to decrease serum cortisol levels, reduce stress-related symptoms, and promote relaxation. "This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of Lactium™ plus standard care to those of standard of care alone in reducing stress levels and acne severity in patients with acne vulgaris." The C.E.R.T.A.I.N trial (Name registered with Clinical Trials Registry-India-No...