BACKGROUND: Acne is a relatively common disorder, especially in the adolescent. The condition is characterizecl by comedones, papules and pusi:ules. Acne patients frequently wash their face. Cleansing with an effective agent is therapeutic and preventive for patients suffering from acne vulgaris. OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to compare thc efficacy and safety of a facial clemser consisting of 1% triclosan and 0.5% Ku Shen and a in in the treatment of facial acne vulgaris. METHODS: The study was camed out on two groups of people: a treatment and a control group. Efficacy and safety were assessed at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12. Efficacy was determined by investigating counts of non-inflamatory open and closed comedones, and inflamatory papules and pustules. Global improvement was also assessed. RESULTS: At week 12, the mean counts in the differe,nt lesions were as follows; 11.2 versus 17.2 for total lesions (p<0.05); 9.4 versus 11.3 for non-inflammatory lesions (p<0.05); 1.8 versus 5.9 for inflammatory lesions (p<0.05) in the treatment and control group, respectively. A Statistically significant difference was observed in patients overall self-assessment (p<0.05). The Group applying the facial cleanser with 1% triclosan and 0.5% Ku Shen felt significantly better than the one applying the control facial cleanser. Some patients developed mild and transient local side effects. CONCLUSION: Cleansing three times a day with a facial cleanser consisting of l% triclosan and 0.5% Ku Shen was found to be effective ancl safe for patients suffering from acne vulgaris.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Adolescent ; Dronabinol ; Humans ; Self-Assessment ; Triclosan*

A case of multiple trichilemmal cysts (TC) is presented. TC is known to be a kind of keratinous cyst with lining cells showing trichilemmal keratiniration. A 63-year-old female patient presented with a 30 year duration of increasing in size and number of twenty five nodular lesions on the scalp. All twenty five TC on the scalp were totally excised and examined microscopically. However, the evidence of proliferation or malignant change like the previous case reports was not found in our case.
Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Scalp

A 4-year-old boy has had a solitary sclerotic depressed plaque on the right anterior chest since birth. The histopathologic findings are consistent with morphea profunda: thickening, hyalinization, and homogenization of collagen bundles in the dermis and subcutaneous tissues, admixture with a prominent lymphocytic and plasma cell infiltrate, and sweat glands en-trapped between the thickened collagen bundles. We report a case of congenital solitary morphea profunda.
Child, Preschool ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Male ; Parturition ; Plasma Cells ; Scleroderma, Localized* ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Sweat Glands ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Xerosis is a relatively common disorder, especially in the elderly. The condition is characterized by fine scaling and is associated with generalized pruritus. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of Zalsming cream in patients with xerosis and pruritus. METHODS: Thirty patients were treated with Zalsming cream. Clinical efficacy, as measured by the score of subjective symptom and objective signs, transepidermal water loss(TEWL) and electron microscopic finding, were asessed at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after topical application of the cream. RESULTS: The scores of clinical signs and TEWL showed statistically significant improvements. No one developed any local or systemic side effects. CONCLUSION: Topical application of Zalsming cream was found to be effective and safe for patients suffering from xerosis and pruritus.
Aged ; Humans ; Pruritus*

BACKGROUND: Topical irritants disrupt the cutaneous permeability barrier through the removal of stratum comeum lipids. This perturbation of barrier integrity stimulates a variety of homeostatic repair responses that ultimately result in the normalization of bamer function. Object To measure the effect of desoxymethasone ointment, vaseline and hydrobase on the barrier recovery of benzalkonium chloride (BKC) imtated skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The left flank skin of 2-3 monthold hairless mice was treated with BKC and then desoxymethasone ointment, vaseline and hydrobase were applied. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was checked after 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 hours. Electron microscopic examination was performed after 3 and 24 hours after desoxymethasone, vaseline and hydrobase had been applied. RESULTS: The recovery of TEWL was most prominantly observed in the desoxymethasone ointment treated group followed by vaseline and hydrobase. Electron microscopic examination using ruthenium tetroxide fixation revealed that secretion and numbers of lamellar bodies and complete formatice of lipid bilayers were most prominent at desoxymethasone ointment and vaseline treated group. CONCLUSION: Desoxymethasone ointment, vaseline and hydrobase can be good agents in improving bamer recovery after exposure to irritant material.
Animals ; Benzalkonium Compounds* ; Desoximetasone* ; Irritants ; Lipid Bilayers ; Mice ; Mice, Hairless* ; Permeability ; Petrolatum* ; Ruthenium ; Skin*

We report a interesting case of acral lentigenous malignant melanoma associated with pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia in a 65-year-old women A skin lesion showed a 5 x 5cm sized, black colored protruding mass with ulcerative surface on the right great toe for the last 10 years. Histopathological findings reveled hyperplasia of epidermis and the epithelium of the upper protion of the adnexa admixed with a proliferation of atypical epitheloid melanocytes that involved the mid and lower portion of the epidermis and the papillary dermis. There were dyskeratotic cells and pseudohorn cysts between the aggregates of atypical melanocytes. Immunhistochemical staining revealed that the nucleus and cytoplasm of the atypical epitheloid cells were strongly positive for S-100 protein and negative for keratin. Keratin staining revealed aggregates of positively stained kertinocytes with dyskeratosis and pseudohorn cysts admixed and trapped among negatively stained atypical melnocytes. A unusual case of malignant melanorna associated with pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia in which conventional hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were difficult to differentiation between malignat melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein and keratin were essential in establesging the correct diagnosis.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cytoplasm ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Epidermis ; Epithelium ; Female ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma* ; S100 Proteins ; Skin ; Toes ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND: Calcipotriol ointment has been reported to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Scalp involvement of psoriasis is extremely common and in some patients the scalp may be the only affected site. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of calcipotrial solution(50 u g/ml) in the treatment of scalp psoriasis. METHODS: Twenty five patients with mild to moderate scalp psoriasis were treated with calcipotriol solution(50 u g/ml) twice daily for 8 weeks. Efficacy as measured by erythema, thickness and scale of the lesions and safety were assessed every 2 weeks. RESULTS: Reduction of scores of erythema, thickness and scale of the lesions was statistically significant through the treatment. The extent of psoriasis and itching also decreased. An analysis of the overall assessment by investigator and patients at the end of the treatment showed cleared or marked improvement in 80% and 68% individually. Some patients developed a mild and transient burning sensation(2%) or lesional irritation(2%). Laboratory tests including serum calcium levels did not show any significant changes. CONCLUSION: Calcipotriol solution can be used as an effective and safe treatment method for scalp psoriasis.
Burns ; Calcium ; Erythema ; Humans ; Pruritus ; Psoriasis* ; Research Personnel ; Scalp*

A 55-year-old Korean female patient who presented with longitudinal black pigmentation affecting the right thumbnail is described. Direct microscopic examination of nail tissue in 15% potassium hydroxide and cultures on Sabourauds glucose agar revealed Candida species. Cardida species as a cause of longitudinal melanonychia has, to our knowledge, been described only once in the literature. Our case may be the second one.
Agar ; Candida* ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pigmentation ; Potassium

The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is an acquired multisystemic disorder characterized by persistent elevated antiphospholipid antibodies and/or hypercoagulation in veins or arteries, or both. The clinical manifestations of the antiphospholipid antibody syodrome are recurrent thrombosis, fetal loss, thrcenbocytopenia, and various cutaneous lesions. Skin lesions are the first sign of this syndrome in 41% of patients and systemic thrombosis develops in 40% of them. Livedo reticularis is the most common cutaneous finding of the antiphosphotipid antibody syndrome. Although vasculitis has not been frequently noted in antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, some vasculitis such as polyarteritis nodosa, giant cell arteritis, and other nonspecific vasculitides have been found in association with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. We present a male patient with typical manifestations of leukocytoclastic vasculitis with deep vein thrombosis and positive antiphospholipid antibodies. It suggests that a case of antiphospholipid antibody syndorme was accompanied with cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis.
Antibodies, Antiphospholipid* ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome ; Arteries ; Giant Cell Arteritis ; Humans ; Livedo Reticularis ; Male ; Polyarteritis Nodosa ; Skin ; Thrombosis ; Vasculitis* ; Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous ; Veins ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Bentonite clay, which is a major component of mud pack, has been used for various purposes in cosmetics. Glycolic acid is known to be effective in the treatment of acne. Al-though those products are used widely, information on the mode of action and effects on the skin are little and controversial till now. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether bentonite alone, or bentonite with glycolic acid in mixed formulation affect the stratum corneum leading to alteration on cutaneous barrier function and whether those products alter the lipid lamellae and desmosomes of corneocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mud pack-type ointment of bentonite, bentonite and 5% glycolic acid formulation, bentonite and 10% glycolic acid formulation were applied on the volar fore-arm of the five healthy men and flank skin of five 6-8 week old hairless mice. Transepidermal water loss and capacitance were measured. Electron microscopic examination after ruthenium tetroxide postfixation was performed on the flank skin of the mice. RESULTS: Transepidermal water loss(TEWL) increased immediately and normalized 4 to 6 hours later after removal of vapor permeable membrane in both mouse and human. Capacitance did not show any evidence of change in the water content of the stratum corneum. Electron microscopic examination revealed that lipid lamellae and desmosome of corneocytes were not de-graded, but lamellar body secretion and partially electron-lucent material was-increased in 10% glycolic acid and bentonite mixture-treated area. CONCLUSION: Barrier function of stratum corneum is not disturbed by bentonite and glycolic acid formulations at the concentration used. Barrier structures are not disrupted, but lamellar body secretion and partially electron-lucent material was increased by bentonite and glycolic acid formulations at higher concentration.
Acne Vulgaris ; Animals ; Bentonite* ; Desmosomes ; Humans ; Male ; Membranes ; Mice ; Mice, Hairless ; Mud Therapy ; Ruthenium ; Skin ; Water