Weekly hair washing: The recommended solution for women with afro-textured hair to alleviate dandruff and scalp discomfort.

Dandruff and scalp discomfort are common concerns for women and men in Africa. Moreover, women with afro-textured hair are prone to scalp discomfort owing to irregular hair washing, frequent use of oil-based products on their scalp, and harsh chemical treatments. Current literature does not, however, provide data on the pathophysiological mechanisms of these conditions in this population.

Analysis of Three Species of Traditionally Used for Hypermelanosis in Selected Provinces in South Africa.

There is a growing demand and use of herbal cosmetics for skin purposes due to their perceived safety when applied to the skin. Three species commonly known as "ummemezi" are used interchangeably by women in rural areas of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces to treat hypermelanosis as well as sun protection. We conducted a phytochemical comparison of three species; (Schinz) Alston, Tul.

The Effect of Melasma on the Quality of Life in People with Darker Skin Types Living in Durban, South Africa.

Melasma is a common skin disorder of acquired hyperpigmentation that appears commonly on the face. Although asymptomatic, melasma causes psychosocial and emotional distress. This study aimed to assess melasma's severity on people with darker skin types, evaluate the effects of melasma on the quality of life (QoL), and establish QoL predictors in affected individuals.

Melasma in people with darker skin types: a scoping review protocol on prevalence, treatment options for melasma and impact on quality of life.

Background: Melasma is one of the most encountered dermatoses in dermatology and skin care clinics. It is a challenging chronic, recurrent condition associated with hyperpigmentation. Its aetiology is poorly understood.

An Investigation into the Acute and Subacute Toxicity of Extracts of Stem Bark In Vivo.

The conventional use of medicinal plants is in part based on the widespread belief that plant crude extracts are non-toxic. In South Africa, traditional preparations of used to treat hypermelanosis have accordingly been regarded by many as non-toxic. Whether that is so impacts on the potential of bark extracts to be developed as a commercial drug to treathypermelanosis, given their documented capacity to inhibit tyrosinase activity.

The Feasibility of an Interdisciplinary Approach on the Management of Psoriasis in South Africa.

Context: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, inflammatory skin disease associated with comorbidities such as psoriatic arthritis, depression, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Due to its visibility, psoriasis can induce stress and have a negative impact on a patient's quality of life. Current medical interventions are often ineffective and costly and are associated with undesirable side effects, thus emphasizing the need for innovative approaches to treatment.

An Update on Adverse Cutaneous Drug Reactions in HIV/AIDS.

Background: The global mortality from HIV and the cutaneous burden of infective, inflammatory and malignant diseases in the setting of AIDS have significantly declined following the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Regrettably, there has been a contemporaneous escalation in the incidence of adverse cutaneous drug reactions (ACDR), with studies attesting that HIV-positive individuals are a hundred times more susceptible to drug reactions than the general population, and advanced immunodeficiency portending an even greater risk. Several variables are accountable for this amplified risk in HIV.

Cytomegalovirus neuritis in perineal ulcers.

Background: Although a range of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced cutaneous manifestations is described in AIDS patients, skin involvement in immunocompromised patients is rare, and intraneural CMV inclusions or CMV neuritis has not been documented in skin biopsies.

Methods And Results: Cutaneous biopsies of CMV lesions were collected prospectively for 12 months. The morphology, sites and symptomatology of the individual lesions, associated systemic illnesses, treatment schedules and disease outcome were recorded.