Diagnosis, assessment and management of atopic dermatitis in children with skin of colour.

Background: It is important to be able to manage patients regardless of ethnicities. The understanding of skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis, in patients with skin of colour (SOC) is lagging compared with that in patients with lighter skin and has been identified as an educational gap among medical practitioners.

Objective: This paper synthesises the latest literature on the diagnosis, assessment, treatment outcomes and cultural considerations for managing atopic dermatitis in children with SOC in the general practice setting.

Importance of skin of colour dermatology in the primary care setting in Australia.

Background: Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world. Basic knowledge in skin of colour dermatology is essential if we wish to strive for clinical excellence and improved patient outcomes for all Australians. A need for further training and education in this field has been highlighted by medical practitioners around the globe.

Worldwide expert recommendations for the diagnosis and management of vitiligo: Position statement from the International Vitiligo Task Force Part 1: towards a new management algorithm.

Background: The treatment of vitiligo can be challenging and depends on several factors such as the subtype, disease activity, vitiligo extent, and treatment goals. Vitiligo usually requires a long-term approach. To improve the management of vitiligo worldwide, a clear and up-to-date guide based on international consensus with uniform stepwise recommendations is needed.

Worldwide expert recommendations for the diagnosis and management of vitiligo: Position statement from the international Vitiligo Task Force-Part 2: Specific treatment recommendations.

Background: The treatment of vitiligo can be challenging. Up-to-date agreed consensus recommendations on the use of topical and systemic therapies to facilitate the clinical management of vitiligo are currently lacking.

Objectives: To develop internationally agreed-upon expert-based recommendations for the treatment of vitiligo.

A comprehensive review of dermoscopy in melasma.

Melasma is a common acquired hyperpigmentation disorder that predominantly affects females with skin of colour. It is difficult to treat and impacts on people's quality of life, owing to its predilection for the face. In addition to helping make the correct diagnosis, dermoscopy can assist in the exclusion of differential diagnoses, to inform treatment decision-making and to recognize treatment-related adverse effects.

Optimisation of skin phototype classification.

Understanding individuals' skin pigmentation and photosensitivity is important in judging risk of skin cancer and response to certain treatment modalities. However, individuals with darkly pigmented skin are poorly represented in the widely used Fitzpatrick skin phototype (FST) system. Moreover, the FST system is prone to misuse, as it relies on subjective patient and clinician assessment of skin type, and does not clearly differentiate pigmentation from photosensitivity.

Atopic dermatitis in skin of colour. Part 2: considerations in clinical presentation and treatment options.

Recent advances in atopic dermatitis (AD) present the condition as a heterogeneous disease of distinct endotypes across ethnic groups. AD in people with skin of colour may appear psoriasiform, lichenoid, scaly or papular, with a violaceous colour and there is a higher prevalence of post-inflammatory dyspigmentation compared with affected individuals of White ethnicity. These differences in clinical presentation may limit the use of AD assessment tools in people with skin of colour, leading to the potential for misdiagnosis and underestimation of severity, particularly in relation to assessment of erythema.

Atopic dermatitis in skin of colour. Part 1: new discoveries in epidemiology and pathogenesis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a global condition that has a rising prevalence in developing countries such as those within South-east Asia and Latin America. Recent research represents the condition as a heterogeneous disease of distinct endotypes among different ethnic groups. Variation between ethnic groups in physiological measures such as transepidermal water loss, ceramide/+, skin sensitivity, alongside pathological barrier and immune system dysfunction processes, may ultimately lead to the distinct phenotypes seen clinically.

Expert opinion about laser and intense pulsed light (IPL)-induced leukoderma or vitiligo: a cross-sectional survey study.

Vitiligo patients may desire laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation, vascular treatments, and other laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) assisted treatments. However, there is a risk of inducing new depigmented patches (Koebner phenomenon). In absence of guidelines on the safe use of laser or IPL in vitiligo patients, dermatologists tend to be reluctant to administer these treatments.

Effect of oral tranexamic acid on erythema index in patients with melasma.

Melasma is a common disorder of hyperpigmentation that presents a therapeutic challenge for clinical dermatologists. The pathogenesis is complex, but previous studies have demonstrated vascular proliferation is a key factor in the development of the classic hyperpigmented patches. Studies have revealed reduction of erythema by oral tranexamic acid; however, there has been no direct comparison to placebo.

Evaluation of the efficacy of cysteamine cream compared to hydroquinone in the treatment of melasma: A randomised, double-blinded trial.

Background/objective: Melasma is a commonly acquired disorder of hyperpigmentation that often poses a therapeutic challenge for dermatologists. Recently, cysteamine cream has shown promising results compared to placebo. This study aims to determine the efficacy of cysteamine cream compared to hydroquinone cream in the treatment of melasma.