Vitamin A is a fat-soluble, unssturated, long-chain isoprenoid an4 classic active- form found in mammalian tissue is the all-trans alcohol vitamin A (vitamin A alcohol or retinol). Vitamin A acid (VAA) represents the terminal product of vitamin A oxidation. Harris et al in 1332, first proposed the term "antikeraStinizing effect" to expression of tne effect of vitamin A on various epithelia. In 1943, Straufjord,over-enth usiastically reported tbat oral use of vitamin A also had a beneficial effect on acn . Kligman, in 1969, reported that VAA produce peeling effect and fabourable results with topically applied UAA in acne vulgaris. Many investigators reported that VAA was effective in man hyperkeratotic disorders, including psoriasis, senile comedon, verruca plana, keratosis palmaris et plantaris, plantar wart etc. Mode of actio. of VAA is unclear as yet. But, it is obserbed that continued susceptibility of skin to VAA is related to labilize lysosomes, thereby releasing prot.olytic and hydrolytic enzyme capable of inciting inflammatory reaction; VAA accelerates tum over of homey cells and converted hard keratin into soft keratin, so lessening of the coheiveness of homey cells is implied. Thus the effect of VAA in acne treatment are that VAA inhibits the formation of comedon and existing comedones tend to be extruded by the increased production of noncoherent homey cells and acceleration of the flow of cells out of the sebaceous glands. For this study, 52 patients were treated with application of topical VAA alone and 9 patients concurrently with topical VAA anl comedon extraction. The results were as follows: 1. The 43 patients treated with topical VAA alone showed significant improvement up to 70% at the end of third week. In this group, closed comedon, papules, pustules are progressively reduced during the first week but the number of open comedon transiently increased (34%) during first week of treatment, decreased after that. 2. The 9 pa.tients treated with topical VAA and co nedon extraction showed similar effect(80%) at the third week of treatment. But no sign of increase of open comedon was not shown in first week of treatment. 3. Discomfortable clinical effects such as scaling, buming, tightness were seen up to 83%, occassionally pruritus, pain edema., contact dermatitis, lichenifcation were seen.
Acceleration ; Acne Vulgaris* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Edema ; Humans ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar ; Lysosomes ; Pruritus ; Psoriasis ; Research Personnel ; Sebaceous Glands ; Skin ; Tretinoin ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins* ; Warts

This clinical and histopatholgical study was performed with 149 cases of acquired melanocyticnevi, which were obtained as surgical specimens from 1975 to 1985 at Depa.rtment of Clinical Pathology, Seoul Red Cross Hopital. The results were as follows: 1) Histologic subdivision of melanocytic nevus into junctional(,J), IJC, compound (C,"), ICI, and intradermal(I) is used. IJC is a lesion in an intermediate state between ,junctional and compound nevus, and ICI, between compound and intradermal nevus. 2) The age distribution of the excisional melanocytic nevus peaks during the third decade of life, with 47% of patients between 21 40 year old of age. 3) Of l49 specimens with excisional melanocytic nevus, the number of junctional, IJC, compound, ICI and intradermal nevus were 17, 4, 21, 32 and 75 in each group And so, it is likely that evolution of the melanocytic nevus have an increased opportunity for surgical excision. 4) Among the 17 cases of junctional nevus, one case is found in 5th and the other one in 7th decade. 5) In distvibution of melanocytic nevus, head including face is the most common site among the body area and then trunk, neck, lower and upper extremity in decreasing orders.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Head ; Humans ; Neck ; Nevus ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Nevus, Pigmented* ; Pathology, Clinical ; Red Cross ; Seoul ; Upper Extremity

We report a case of hidradenoma papilliferum of the left nipple in a 23-year-old female patient. Hidradenoma papilliferum occurs only in women, usually on the labia majora or in the perineal or perineal region and represents an adenoma with apocrine dif ferentiation. Histologic examination of the lesion revealed findings consistent with hidradenoma papilliferurn. She had been performed surgical excision
Acrospiroma* ; Adenoma ; Female ; Humans ; Nipples* ; Young Adult

Any type of urticaria may affect as many as 20% person during their lifetimes, yet the causes of this disorder is established in no more than 20% of cases. So, 308 patients with urticaria(acute ; 73, factitial; 120, chronic;115) were evaluated for results of historical and laboratory tests. The results were summerized as follows,' 1. The disesse primarily affected 2nd % 3rd decade(46.2%) with predominance of woman than man (M: F=1: 1.4). 2. Ninety-seven(31.5%) had at least one abnormal finding in the laboratory tests but, may be twenty-three(7.5%) would have causal relationship. 3. We sought serologic markers of Hepatitis B virus infection in serum from 8(14%) of 57 patients with urticaria. Of these, 4 were found to have abnormal liver function. 4. Sixty-five had taken at least one sort of drug previously or just before urticaria developed, but, may be forty-six(14.9%) would have a causal relationship and the predisposing drugs were analgesics, antibiotics, common cold medication & vitamin etc. 5. The predisposing conditions were as follows ; pulmory tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, hyperthyroidism, tonsillitis & ascariasis, etc. Of these, eleven(3.6%) of this patients were newly found to have underlying diseases. 6. This study showed inciting factors of urticaria in 27.2%(84/308).
Analgesics ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ascariasis ; Common Cold ; Female ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Liver ; Palatine Tonsil ; Tonsillitis ; Tuberculosis ; Urticaria* ; Vitamins

Although we made a comparision of fingertip dermatoglyphic patterns between R7 patients with atopic dermatitis(Femals: 54, Male: 35) and 73 their families without atopic dermatitis, no significant results were obtained. So, we compared secondly our results of 2 groups with those of two thousand nonatopic, normal Koreans, as control. Results are as follows: ] In comparison with control, a significant increase in the ulnar loop pattern was detected in families(p<0, ()5), not atopic dermatitis. p. No significant differ ence between right hands and left hands in all three g f OUpS. In atopic dermatitis and control groups, 1 st and 4 th digits showed mostly whorl pattern, and 3 rd and 5 th digits had more ulnar loop pattern than others. Rut families had mostly ulnar loop pattern at all digits except 4 th digit, wl..orl pattern. 4. Each of atopic dermatitis, family and control group had 13, 79% (whor1: 8. 05% ulnar loop: 5 75%), 15. 49p; (whorl: 4. 23%, ulnar loop: 11. 27%), 15. 78%(whorl: 8, 52% ulnar loop: 7. 1 %, arch: 0. 05%), of same dermatoglyphic pattern on all ten digits. Especially, ulnar loop pattern in fanilies was detected significantly higher than other two groups(p<0. 05). Average incidences of bilateral symmetry of pattern type between right and left digits were 78.57%, 74. 67% and 78.74% respectively in atopic dermatitis, family and control group.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Dermatoglyphics* ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male

We report one case of hair follicle nevus, benign highly differentiating appendageal skin tumor of hair follicle. It arises from pluripotential cells that have formed during life. This patient is a 40-year-old woman who had a localized brownish plaque on the leht cheek for three years. Histologic study revealed many small but mostly mature hair follicles consistent with hair follicle nevus.A Case of Cutaneous Periarteritis Nodosa
Adult ; Cheek ; Female ; Hair Follicle* ; Hair* ; Humans ; Nevus* ; Polyarteritis Nodosa ; Skin

A 16-year-old girl developed pyoderma gangrenosum without underlying disease at first. She was treated with local cutaneous dressing and systemic oral prednisolone and minocycline for 10 months, imtermittently. After that, acute leukemia, which was undeterminated type, was developed 4 years after first onset. Since pyoderma gangrenosum may be a preindication of underlying disease, continual follow up check for systemic disease is required.
Adolescent ; Bandages ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukemia* ; Minocycline ; Prednisolone ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum* ; Pyoderma*

Puraotix-C(0.1% Clocortolone Picalats Cream) is a new di-halogenated topical corticosteroid, and used in trial for treating several kinds of dermatoses. We treated 30 patients with Purantix-C who had one of the following dermatoses; atopic dermatitis, neurodermatitis, pustulosis palmaris et plantsris, seborrheic dermatitis, pityriasis rosea, nummular eczema, psoriasis vulgaris, pruritus ani and pompolyx. Among these 30 patients, Purantix-C showed excellent or good result (66.7%) either unoccluded or occluded application, 2~3 times daily for 7~10 days. Comparing with Lidex(0.05% fluorocinonide cream) and purantix-C, both of them had similar effect on eczema and psoriatic groups but Lidex was more effective than Purantix-C for treating the patients with the pustulosis palmaris et plantaris. Purantix-C without containing perfume and coloring substapce was less irritative.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Eczema ; Fluocinonide ; Humans ; Neurodermatitis ; Perfume ; Pityriasis Rosea ; Pruritus Ani ; Psoriasis ; Skin Diseases

Generalized distinct hyperpigrnented macules developed at 2. 7 years after starting photochemotherapy(psoralen and UVA) in a 66-year-old psoriatic male patient. The histopathologic feature of this macule was characterized as a lentiginous p roliferation. The significance and long term course of PUVA lentigo are still unknown. So, we will further monitor this patient continually for melanocytic dysplasias, including melanoma.
Aged ; Humans ; Lentigo* ; Lichen Planus ; Male ; Melanoma ; Mouth Mucosa

Two cases with umbilical polyp are reported. One was 7-year-old boy who had l. 5cm x l. 6cm protruded urnbilieal growth, the other was 2-year-old baby who had 0. 7crn x 0. 6cm umbilical growth. This uncommon malforrnation arises from remnants of the omphalomesenteric duct and should be clinically discerned from a granuloma pyogenicum or other benign umbilical neoplasms. Histllogically umbilical polyp shows blanching glandular structures lined by intestinaI mucosa in connection with the surface of the skin. When the umbilical polyp is not associated with any other types of underlying abnormalities, it may be treated by a simple surgical excision.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; Humans ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Polyps* ; Skin ; Vitelline Duct