Perimenstrual flare of adult acne.

Background: Acne is typically regarded as an adolescent disease. A significant body of literature suggests a post-adolescent or adult form of acne. Female patients are known to experience perimenstrual acne flares, the exact prevalence of which is unknown.

Acute onset of a vesiculopustular rash in an ICU patient.

A 63 year-old woman with hyperthyroidism was admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit for ARDS following damage to her lungs from propylthiouracil. She was placed on 250 mg SSKI PO TID as an alternative therapy until thyroidectomy could be performed. Four days after admission, she abruptly developed an acneiform rash on her face, shown to be iododerma.

An Investigator-initiated Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Imiquimod 3.75% Cream When Used After Cryotherapy in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Actinic Keratoses on Dorsal Hands and Forearms.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of combination cryotherapy and imiquimod 3.75% cream versus cryotherapy alone in the treatment of hypertrophic actinic keratosis on the dorsal hand and forearm.

Methods: Twenty subjects with at least three hypertrophic actinic keratoses on each dorsal hand or forearm underwent cryotherapy treatment to hypertrophic actinic keratoses.

Familial multiple pilomatrixomas as a presentation of attenuated adenomatosis polyposis coli.

Pilomatrixomas are benign follicular tumors that occur most commonly in children. Rare multiple or familial pilomatrixomas have been associated with myotonic dystrophy and other disorders. Although sporadic pilomatrixomas and hybrid cutaneous cysts with pilomatrixoma-like features have been observed in some kindreds with Gardner syndrome, an autosomal dominant form of familial adenomatous polyposis, no definitive association has been made with multiple or familial pilomatrixomas.

Eczema.

Atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema, is a common chronic, relapsing skin disease characterized by pruritus, disrupted epidermal barrier function, and immunoglobulin E-mediated sensitization to food and environmental allergens. Atopic dermatitis is a complex disease that arises from interactions between genes and the environment. Loci on several chromosomes have been identified, including a family of epithelium-related genes called the epidermal differentiation complex on chromosome 1q21.

A bilateral comparison study of pimecrolimus cream 1% and a topical medical device cream in the treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis.

Corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy for atopic dermatitis, but long-term use is associated with adverse effects. We sought to evaluate the clinical efficacy of two steroid-sparing creams for atopic dermatitis. Twenty patients were enrolled in an investigator-blinded, bilateral comparison study.

Bilateral comparison study of pimecrolimus cream 1% and a ceramide-hyaluronic acid emollient foam in the treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis.

Topical corticosteroids have been the mainstay of treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD) over the last decade, especially in the setting of acute flares. However, heavy and prolonged use of topical corticosteroid is undesirable as it is associated with side effects such as, skin atrophy, telangiectasia, striae, steroid-induced dermatoses, rosacea, acne exacerbation, and in some severe and rare cases, systemic effects such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression, growth retardation and ocular problems. Non-steroidal ant-inflammatory agents specific for the treatment of AD (topical calcineurin inhibitors, or TCIs) are now available and they are a viable alternative to topical corticosteroids in treating dermatitis of the face, neck, eyelids, and intertriginous areas where there is a greater risk of the steroid-induced side effects.

A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Ammonium Lactate Lotion 12% and Halobetasol Propionate Ointment 0.05% in the Treatment and Maintenance of Psoriasis.

Consensus recommends a gradual reduction in the frequency or steroid potency of topical corticosteroids following clinical improvement in the treatment of psoriasis, although no established guidelines have been developed. The authors sought to evaluate a combination regimen in the treatment and maintenance of psoriasis. Patients with mild-to-moderate psoriasis were enrolled (n=55) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study using ammonium lactate lotion and halobetasol ointment.

An update on nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Estimates from the American Cancer Society suggest that there are more than two million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer in the United States per year. The following review highlights the topics of actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and Merkel cell carcinoma. This update on the cutting-edge clinical and dermpathologic research will assist the dermatologist in approaching, diagnosing, and managing nonmelanoma skin carcinoma.

Coal tar 2% foam in combination with a superpotent corticosteroid foam for plaque psoriasis: case report and clinical implications.

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, immune-mediated, multi-system disease that is treated with a variety of medicines, including topical corticosteroids and, historically, coal tar. In this case, the authors evaluated whether combination therapy with coal tar foam 2% and a topical corticosteroid would induce a remission and maintain clearance of plaque-type psoriasis over an eight-week period. A 59-year-old Caucasian woman with plaque psoriasis of her elbows presented to the authors' dermatology clinic and was treated with clobetasol propionate 0.

A practical approach to monitoring patients on biological agents for the treatment of psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory skin condition that manifests predominantly as well-demarcated, erythematous, scaly plaques on the elbows, knees, and scalp. While mild cases (minimal body surface) often respond to various topical treatments and light therapy, patients with extensive disease (larger body surface and possibly joint involvement) may require systemic medications for remission. The development of biological agents provides dermatologists valuable ways to help treat psoriatic disease quite efficiently, but literature regarding the monitoring of patients on biological treatments is sparse.

Cutaneous tuberculosis: a practical case report and review for the dermatologist.

Cutaneous tuberculosis occurs rarely, despite a high and increasing prevalence of tuberculosis worldwide. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterrium bovis, and the Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine can cause tuberculosis involving the skin. Cutaneous tuberculosis can be acquired exogenously or endogenously and present as a multitude of differing clinical morphologies.

Treatment of psoriasis in patients with hepatitis C: from the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Background: Treating psoriasis in patients with concomitant hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection presents a special challenge. Not only is psoriasis exacerbated by interferon therapy, the standard of care for HCV, but many psoriasis therapies are potentially hepatotoxic, immunosuppressive, or both, which has been generally thought to be a contraindication in chronic infections such as HCV.

Objective: Our aim was to arrive at a consensus on treating psoriasis in patients with concomitant HCV infection.