Oak moss is a lichen extract obtained from Evernia prunastri and Pseudovernia furfuracea. It is the potent,ial allergen in contact dermatitis to perfumes. Sensitivity to oak moss has been atributed mainly to atranorin, evernic acid, usnic acid and fumarprotocetraric acid. We report a 44-year-old female patient presenting with features of contact dermatitis due to oak moss in perfumes. Patch test results revealed positive reactions to fragrance mix, oak moss, atranorin and evernic acid.
Adult ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Female ; Humans ; Lichens ; Patch Tests

Increased melanin pigmentation following ultraviolet irradiat.ion is due to increasing tyrosinase activity and multiplicatian of functioning melanocytes. After UV-irradiation, the size of melanocytes increases, and melanocyte dendrites elongatc, and branch. In this experiment, we induced the activation of melanocyts in the epidermis of C57BL black mice by ultraviolet-B(UVB) irradiation and observcd ihe effect of azelaic acid and retinoic acid on the UVB activated epidermal melanocytes. Sixty C57BL black mice were irradiated by UVB 100mJ/cm daily for 10 days, and then azeiaic acid and retinoic acid were topically applied daily for 7 weeks. For the estimation of morphologic change of epidermal melanocytes, light microscopic observation with split DOPA stain was performed at the end of the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th week of topical application. The results are summerized as follows : 1. The number, size and circumference of DOPA-positive epidermal melanocytes were significantly decreased in 20% azelaic acid applied group and 30% azelaic acid and 0.05% retinoic acid applied group. 2. In 20% azelaic;i.cid and 0.05% retinoic acid applied group, the number, size and circumference of DOPA-positive epidermal melanocytes were nore significantly decreased than in 20% azelaic acid applied group. In summary, the present study suggets that azelaic acid act as a depigmenting agent on epidermal melanocyte; and such depigmenting effect of azelaic acid was increased by addition of retinoic acid.
Animals ; Dendrites ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Epidermis ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Mice* ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Pigmentation ; Tretinoin*

We report a patient with a cutis laxa-like, generalized PXE without systemic involvement. A 28-year-old woman had loose, pendulous skin of the neck, axillae, thighs, trunk and body folds which resulted in a prematurely aged appearance. She had no family history of related diseases. Histological examination showed considerable accumulations of swollen and irregularly clumped fibers in the middle and lower dermis and von Kossa s stain revealed calcium deposits along the altered elastic fibers.
Adult ; Axilla ; Calcium ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Female ; Humans ; Neck ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum* ; Skin ; Thigh

We report a patient with a cutis laxa-like, generalized PXE without systemic involvement. A 28-year-old woman had loose, pendulous skin of the neck, axillae, thighs, trunk and body folds which resulted in a prematurely aged appearance. She had no family history of related diseases. Histological examination showed considerable accumulations of swollen and irregularly clumped fibers in the middle and lower dermis and von Kossa s stain revealed calcium deposits along the altered elastic fibers.
Adult ; Axilla ; Calcium ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Female ; Humans ; Neck ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum* ; Skin ; Thigh

No abstract available.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Rabbits*

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (oriental sore) is usually a self-limited infection of the skin caused by the protozoan Leishmania tropica. The disease is endemic to the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It has been seen in this country among many Korean technical experts and labourers working in the endemic areas of the disease. Our patient had acquired cutaneous leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia and it had remained active for six months. He had been treated with antimony and metronidazole but failed because of severe side effects. And then we treated the patient witb cryosurgery and the skin lesions were followed by resolution with cosmetically acceptable scar in 4 months. The brief review of literature on the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis was undertaken.
Africa ; Antimony ; Asia ; Cicatrix ; Cryosurgery* ; Humans ; Leishmania tropica ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous* ; Metronidazole ; Middle East ; Saudi Arabia ; Skin

Friction melanosis is frequently developed in thin, young woman, on thc covered skin of spinc, rib, elbow, knee and tibia. These lesions range from brown to rcddish-brown in color, appear in either band shapes or reticular patterns, and exhibit no overt syrnptoms. They do not show any inflamatory changes, and the skin remains smooth. According to histopathological findings, the main changcs arc perivascular melanophages on the papillary derrnis and upper dermis, and also increased melanin granules on the basal layer. The following case concern a relatively thin 20-year-o1d female patient. She had a syrwptoniless brown color changcs above the ribs of back, growing in dircction of the ribs for a period of three years. This change was band shaped, but there were no signs of inflammatory reaction, leaving the skin smooth. A biopsy was performed on the relevant tissue, and clinical-histopathological analysis was resulting in diagnosis of friction melanosis.
Biopsy ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Dronabinol ; Elbow ; Female ; Friction* ; Humans ; Knee ; Melanins ; Melanosis* ; Ribs ; Skin ; Tibia

In the present study soap chamber test was carried out for assessing irritancy of toilet soaps and soap ingredients. The results obtained in the present study are summarized as follows; This chamber test can discriminate the differences of irritancies between various soaps and soap ingredients. 2. Soap irritancy is not directly related with its alkalinity. 3, Erythema score and scaling score tend to parallel each other with weak correlation(r=p 46), but erythema score and fissuring score show strong correlation (r=p77) Scaling score and fissuring score show moderate correlation(r=p.64), 4. In the eighteen kinds of toilet soaps, two soaps are most irritating, harsh soap and the total irritancy scores of all soaps are within 1. 9 5. 1. Baby soaps are not milder than the common toilet soaps. 5. Generally, total irritancy score of soap ingredients is concentration dependent. Average total irritancy scores of five main soap ingredients in 4 times of recommended allergen concentration are as follows; Builders 5. 30, Perfumes l. 88, Color 0. 70, Fatty acids p. 35 and Superfat p.
Erythema ; Fatty Acids ; Soaps*

Linear porokeratosis is a rare variant of porokeratosis and usually occurs in childhood. A 37-year-old female is presented with linear porokeratosis on the posterior aspeet of the right lower extremity exhibiting the classical histopathologic criteria of the disease. Treatment with an oral etretinate resulted in a remission of the lesions.
Acitretin ; Adult ; Etretinate ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Porokeratosis*

Aplasia cutis congenita is an anomaly characterized by absence of localized areas of the integument. The most common type of aplasia cutis congenita is a circular or oval, sharply outlined ulcer 1 to 3cm in diameter on the vertex of the scalp at the level of the posterior fontanel. Two cases of aplasia cutis congenita are presented. The first case was in a male newborn infant with a localized defect on his scalp. The second case was also in a male newborn infant who had extensive symmetrical involvement of his heels. No similar conditions and associating other congenital anomalies were found in the family members of reported cases.
Cranial Fontanelles ; Ectodermal Dysplasia* ; Heel ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Scalp ; Ulcer