Methotrexate: role of treatment in skin disease.

Methotrexate has been used for over half a century to treat a wide spectrum of skin conditions. It is a valuable steroid sparing agent, preventing protracted steroid courses and their undesirable side effects. While many alternative therapies exist and continue to emerge to treat these dermatologic conditions, the long history, affordability, and relative safety associated with methotrexate ensure its enduring utility.

Evaluation of the chemopreventative effects of ALA PDT in patients with multiple actinic keratoses and a history of skin cancer.

Background: Actinic keratoses (AKs) are in situ epidermal tumors that may progress to invasive squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Aminolevulinic acid with photodynamic therapy (ALA PDT) is a field treatment for AK.

Objective: To evaluate the time to development of new non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) within one year of ALA-PDT treatment in immunocompetent patients with AK and a history of skin cancer.

1,450-nm diode laser in combination with the 1550-nm fractionated erbium-doped fiber laser for the treatment of steatocystoma multiplex: a case report.

Steatocystoma multiplex (SM) is a rare condition characterized by multiple, small, asymptomatic dermal cysts. Treatment options are limited, with varying degrees of success; these include oral isotretinoin, surgical excision or drainage, and liquid nitrogen cryotherapy. The most effective method is excision, but cosmetic considerations, time, overall cost, and pain must be considered, because patients tend to have multiple cysts.

Cutaneous Curvularia infection of the forearm.

Phaeohyphomycosis is the general term for infections caused by dematiaceous fungi. Although rare in humans, these infections are being reported at an increasing rate. Curvularia is a dematiaceous fungus that is ubiquitous among soil and vegetation in temperate areas and has only recently been revealed to cause human disease.

Pediatric psoriasis.

Several variants of psoriasis are seen in children, the most prevalent types include plaque, guttate, and psoriatic diaper rash; pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis are less frequently observed. Genetic susceptibility and environmental triggers are both involved in the development of this autoimmune disease. As well as improving symptoms, a treatment plan should strive to identify and eliminate precipitating factors.

Psoriasis and the pregnant woman: what are the key considerations?

Pregnancy is characterized by multiple physiologic changes. During the entire gestational period, both mother and infant are vulnerable to a variety of external and internal factors. Maternal disease, use of certain medications, drugs, alcohol, smoking, and radiation exposure can have devastating effects on the fetus.

Nevus sebaceous revisited.

Nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn is a hamartoma with a combination of abnormalities of the epidermis, hair follicles, and sebaceous and apocrine glands. Herein, we discuss the results of an extensive literature review on the topic of nevus sebaceous with a particular focus on the debate about the necessity for prophylactic excision. We also focus on the documentation of associated malignant tumors that were reported to develop within NS.

An unusual presentation of idiopathic basal cell carcinoma in an 8-year-old child.

We report the unusual case of a young child who developed an idiopathic basal cell carcinoma (BCC). The patient was otherwise healthy, with no history of excessive sun or radiation exposure or any predisposing factors for nonmelanoma skin cancer. This is a rare case that exemplifies the need for pediatricians and dermatologists to be aware that BCC may occur in children, even if they have no predisposing factors.

595 nm long pulsed dye laser with a hydrocolloid dressing for the treatment of hypergranulation tissue on the scalp in postsurgical defects.

The formation of hypergranulation tissue is an aberrant process that interferes with normal wound healing. Excessive granulation tissue results in the persistence of open wounds. It is resistant to currently available treatment modalities.

Alcohol and skin disorders: with a focus on psoriasis.

Alcohol is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in our society and is implicated in multiple health conditions, including hepatic failure, neurological damage, hematological disorders, and nutritional deficiencies, to name a few. Although alcohol induced cutaneous abnormalities can also cause significant morbidity, they tend to be overshadowed by the other disease states associated with alcohol use. In addition to the cutaneous stigmata linked to chronic alcoholic liver disease, alcohol can directly cause or exacerbate several skin conditions.

Resolution of odontogenic keratocysts of the jaw in basal cell nevus syndrome with GDC-0449.

Background: Odontogenic keratocysts of the jaw are a central feature of basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) and arise from the basal cell layer of the surface epithelium. Although they are benign, they tend to be aggressive, with local invasion of bony structures, extensive growth, and potential for substantial disfigurement and speech dysfunction. Complete surgical resection is the current standard of care; however, the procedures are often technically challenging and are followed by high recurrence rates.