The efficacy of various degreasing agents used in trichloroacetic acid peels.

Background: Adequate preparation of the skin is necessary for a successful chemical peel. Little detailed attention has been given to the effect of degreasing on the efficacy of the peel.

Objective: To assess the influence of degreasers on the peel, compare their flammabilities, and discuss alternatives.

Abnormal nevoblast migration mimicking neurofibromatosis.

A patient appeared to have von Recklinghausen type I neurofibromatosis, but her numerous cutaneous tumors were intradermal nevi and not neurofibromas. The patient had hundreds of 1- to 3-cm firm, flesh-colored, dome-shaped papules and pedunculated nodules on her buccal mucosa, eyelids, face, extremities, and trunk as well as a large, confluent, cerebriform tumor extending from the 12th thoracic vertebra to the sacrum. No cafe au lait macules, freckles, or Lisch nodules were present.

Cryptococcal cellulitis in congenital lymphedema.

A 27-year-old woman with intestinal lymphangiectasia and congenital lymphedema developed cryptococcal cellulitis as a result of her underlying depressed cell-mediated immune responsiveness. Prompt therapy with amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine resulted in an excellent outcome. The authors believe that the increasing population of patients with depression of cell-mediated immune response will lead to an increase in the frequency with which cryptococcal cellulitis is seen and emphasize that proper evaluation of a patient with presumptive cellulitis includes consideration of fungal, as well as bacterial, etiology.