Wound healing after laser skin resurfacing: the effect of a silver sulfadiazine-hyaluronic acid-containing cream under an occlusive dressing.

Introduction: Occlusive dressings promote wound healing after laser skin resurfacing. Our goal was to evaluate whether a cream containing hyaluronic acid-silver sulfadiazine could improve this process.

Methods: Ten guinea pigs received laser resurfacing on the skin of their backs.

Evaluation of a clinical attachment in Primary Health Care as a component of undergraduate medical education.

Introduction: It seems that there is a trend in undergraduate medical education towards including clinical attachments in primary health care (PHC) worldwide. The benefits of such initiatives are already well described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a clinical attachment in undergraduate medical students in a European country with an odd medical educational system that essentially lacks any kind of academic PHC departments.

Comparison of primary health care services between urban and rural settings after the introduction of the first urban health centre in Vyronas, Greece.

Background: Discrepancies in primary health care (PHC) services between urban and rural settings have already been studied in many countries; however, limited information exists regarding countries, such as Greece, where public Health Centres dedicated to primary care have not been in existence in major cities. The objective of this study was to evaluate points of divergence or convergence between an urban and a rural health centre, in an attempt to underline challenges faced by the introduction of urban health centres in Greece.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in the Health Centre of Vyronas, Athens, Greece and in the Health Centre of Nea (New) Madytos, Thessaloniki Prefecture, Greece between February 2004 and February 2006.

General Practice as a career choice among undergraduate medical students in Greece.

Background: Although General Practice (GP) was recognized as a medical specialty in Greece in 1986, the number of GPs is insufficient to cover needs and only few medical graduates choose GP as a career option. In the present study we investigated the profile of medical students in terms of their decisions regarding specialization and the possible association of career choices different from GP with the status of undergraduate training regarding GP.

Methods: The sample consisted of final year students in the Medical School of the University of Athens, Greece.

Hair induction after laser-assisted hair removal and its treatment.

Background: Laser hair removal is a relatively safe procedure with limited side effects. Hair induction has been previously scarcely reported.

Objective: We sought to report the incidence of this strange side effect in a large number of patients treated for hair removal and to follow its course and treatment.