Since the standard recommendation by the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group, day 2 and day 4 patch test readings have been performed by most dermatologists. However, nearly half of positive reactions can be observed only either on day 2 or on day 4 and the interpretation of these reactions is a problem. We compared the patch test reaction according to the reading time in 754 patients who had been performed patch test with standard battery and in 367 patients who had been performed patch test with various cosmetic allergens including cosmetics as is. The study result is summoized as follows : 1. Persistent reactions were observed in 59.8% patients tested with standard battery, however transient reactions were observed in 20.8% and delayed reaction in 19.4%. 2. Frequent allergens which showed transient reaction were carba mix, paraben mix, tego, imidazolidinyl urea, in order of frequency. Frequent allergens which showed late reactions were neomycin sulfate, quinidine mix, farmaldehyde, and imidazolidinyl urea. 3. Persistent reactions were observed in 47.1% patients. tested with cosmetics as is, however transient reactions were observed in 29.4% and delayed reactions in 23.5%, Facial skin care products showed the i,.st high positivity. 4. Persistent reactions were observed in 41.0% patients tested with cosmetics ingredients, however transient reactions were observed in 38.7% and delayed reactions in 23.0%. Frequent cosmetic allergens were cinnamic alcohol, cinnamic aldehyde, ylang ylang oil, sandawood oil, and benzyl salicylate. In conclusion, the reaction pattern in general was similar to the dats of others. However, the individual allergens showed transient reaction were somewhat different. Higher rate of transient reactions were observed in patch test positive reactions with cosmetic ingredients than standard battery and cosmetics as is.
Allergens ; Cananga ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Humans ; Neomycin ; Patch Tests* ; Quinidine ; Reading ; Skin Care ; Urea

BACKGROUND: Factors that regulate hair matrix cell division within the hair follicles and control hair growth cycle have been poorly understood untill now. One of the main.causes seems to be lack of good in vitro models. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the hair growth promoting potencies of several agents including individual components of keratinocyte growth media. METHODS: Several agents such as epidermal growth factor, insulin, bovine pituitary extract which were contained in keratinocyte growth media as well as minoxidil and transforming growth factor-α were added to the isolated anagen hair follicles. Measuring the length of hair follicle, thymidine and leucine uptake were used for hair growth parameter. RESULTS: Isolated anagen hair follicles in keratinocyte growth media showed a significant increase in length over 48 hours. [Methyl-³H] thymidine and [U-¹⁴Cl leucine uptake were sustained at basal state as well as over 48 hours and [methyl-³H] thymidine uptake increased in the matrix cells under autoradiography. Insulin with a concentration above 0.5µg/ml and transforming growth factor-α with a concentration above 10ng/ml showed a promoting effect on hair growth. However, other agents did not promote hair growth at all. CONCLUSION: Our in vitro model resembles the in vivo status of hair growth for a limited period of time and we think that normal human hair organ culture may be a useful model for developing hair growth promoting agents in vitro.
Autoradiography ; Cell Division ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Hair Follicle* ; Hair* ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Insulin ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* ; Keratinocytes ; Leucine ; Minoxidil ; Organ Culture Techniques* ; Thymidine

This study was undertaken to observe the effect of the preirradiation of UVA on the eryt,hematous reaction by UVB. Twenty-five healthy Korean adult male volunteers were taken as subjects. The results were as follows: 1)Preirradiation of 10J/cm and 20j/cm of UVA had no influence on the erythematous reaction induced by UVB. Preirradiation of 30 J/cm of UVA decreased the minimal erythemal dose(MED) of UVB significantly (p<0,05), and 4pJ/cm of UVA dicl very significantly(p<0. 001). 2) Preirradiation dose of UVA(x) and MED of UVB(y) had statistically significant relationship (y=33. 23 - 33 x, r= -0.39, p<0. 05). So preirradiation of UVA decreased MED of UVR in relation with the preirradiation dose. 3) For the objective criteria of skin erythematous reaction induced by the UV irradiation, MED was considered more accurate and efficient than minimal perceptible dose (MPI).
Adult ; Erythema* ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; Volunteers

Formaldehyde and its derivatives are used to improve the wet strength, waterresistance, shrink-resistance, grease-resistance and other characteristics of paper and. paper products. We have recently analyzed 78 different kinds of paper sources which are being used in Korea by the lutidine method. The forma.ldehyde concentrations of the most paper sources were under 50 ug/gm ranges except 4 copying paper sources which were in the 50 to 100 ug/gm ranges.
Formaldehyde* ; Korea

We report a case of nasal BCC in which the skin defect is reconstructed by a local labial-alar transposition flap. In nasal reconstruction, the local flap is the preferred methods. This flap has the advantage of a more acceptable scar, is easy to make, and less edematous than a superiorly based flap. However, for defects larger than 1cm, this flap is not advisable and the defect has to be located adjacent to th nsolabial fold.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Cicatrix ; Nose* ; Skin*

This study was undertaken to investigate the optimal conditions for challenge testing with DNCB in 3 vehicles applied to guinea pigs in standardized amount/ area (pg/cm2) The results are sumrnarized as follows: 1) All test reactions were negative when tested in 10 unsensitized animals. 2) There were significant difference in positive rate between 0. 05%, DNCB in alcohol and 0.1% DNCB in alcohol, but there were no significant difference between 0. l%, DNCB in alcohol and 0, 2% DNCB in alcohol. Same results were obtaincd when DNCR was dissolved in acetone. 3) Acetone gives the significantly higher degree of positive reactions, indicating that alcohol may be the safer vehicle in eliciting a response than acetone. 4) With DNCB in olive oil, relatively few animals reacted compared to the results obtained with alcohol and acetone. Furthermore, olive oil is slippery and difficult to utilize when attempting to delineate surface area. 5) With alcohol, we obtained a good correlation between the amount applied and the resulting response, showing that this vehicle might be a superior vehicle in eliciting contact allergy.
Acetone ; Animals ; Dinitrochlorobenzene* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Hypersensitivity* ; Olea ; Olive Oil

No abstract available.
Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Vitiligo*

Both eruptive vellus hair cyst and steatocystoma multiplex are uncommon conditions. There are clinical similarities between these two entities, but histological features are distinctive. We describe a patient with multiple subcutaneous nodules on the chest and both axilla, showing combined histological features of both an eruptive vellus hair cyst and steatocystoma multiplex. This case suggests that eruptive vellus hair cyst and steatocystoma multiplex are variants of one disorder which originate in the pilosebaceous duct.
Axilla ; Hair* ; Humans ; Steatocystoma Multiplex* ; Thorax

Cutaneous protothecosis sometimes poses diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Isolation of the causative organism may not be successful and spores may be mistaken for other skin diseases unless the characteristic sporangia are detected in tissue sections. Because there are few cases, the optimal therapy is still being debated. On Liebs crystal violet staining we found charateristic purplish dots in Prototheca spores; these correspond to the amyloplasts or dense bodies found under electron microscopy. The isolated organisms were inhibited in vitro by itraconazole, amphotericin B, ketoconazole, and amorolfine and we were able to successfully treat two patients with itraconazole.
Amphotericin B ; Gentian Violet* ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Itraconazole* ; Ketoconazole ; Microscopy, Electron ; Plastids ; Prototheca ; Skin Diseases ; Sporangia ; Spores

Tinea pedis is frequently found in people with poor personal hygiene and in hot, humid environments. The authors investigated the clinical, epidemiological, and mycological characteristics of tinea pedis in 170 garbage workers(166 males and 4 females) employed in a garbage plant in Seoul, Korea. 40 were clerical workers and 130 were field workers. Tinea pedis was found in 134 with a prevalence rate of 78.8%. Of those 134, 61(45.5%) also had onychomycosis. The prevalence of tinea pedis increased with age and the period working in garbage plant. However, there was no difference in the prevalence of tinea pedis between clerical workers and field workers, mitigating against the conclusion that their tinea pedis may be of occupational origin. Clinically tinea pedis was classified into 4 types ; interdigital (41.8%), vesicular(23.1%), dry squamous(22.4%), and mixed(12.7%). KOH smear positivity and culture positivity was related to clinical types of the lesion the lowest in the interdigital type. In the interdigital type, the etiology of nonmycotic lesions could not be identified. Negative fungal cultures could have been due to secondary bacterial infections. 63 strains of dermatophytes were isolated; 54 strains of Trichophyton rubrem(85.7%), 8 strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes(12.7%) and 1 mixed infection of T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes. T. mentagrophytes was isolated only from the vesicular lesions. 8 strains of yeast forms, positive in KOH smears and yielding pure colonies, were also isolated, and repeated mycologic examination yielded the same results. Among them, at least 4 cases of Trichosporon beigelii, and 1 case of Candida parapsilosis were considered to be of pathogenic significance.
Arthrodermataceae ; Bacterial Infections ; Candida ; Coinfection ; Garbage* ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Korea ; Male ; Onychomycosis ; Plants ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton ; Trichosporon ; Yeasts