It has been well known that human sera exert an inhibitory effect on the growth of dermatophytes and candida. Several different inhibitory serum factors have been isolated and investigated by some workers. In clinical aspects, the patients with diabetes are prone to derrnatophyte and candida infections. The authors attempted to investigate whether diabetic sera would have any difference in inhibitory effect on in vitro candidial growth compared with norma1 sera, Fifty and 30 serum samples were obtained from patients with diabetes and bealtby adults respectively, Aliquots of candida albicans were mcubated in the test tubes containing nutrient kiroth with addition of eacb serum. Iron was also added to saturate transferrin in the serum. The degree of candidial growth was determined by the change of percent transmission on spectrophotometry of the candida-inoculated nutrient broth in the test tubes during 24-hour incubation. The results were as followings: 1. The sera from both patients with diabetes and healthy adults were found to retain the inhibitory effect on in vitro candidial growth, though the transferrin, a known serum inhibitor, was removed by saturation with iron. 2. The inhibitory effect of diabetic sera was weaker than that of normal sera. 3. The degree of the inhibitory effect of each diabetic serum was not correlated with corresponding serum glucose level.
Adult ; Arthrodermataceae ; Blood Glucose ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Humans ; Iron ; Spectrophotometry ; Transferrin

Contact allergy to clindamycin is rare, especially in relation to its widespread use in topical formulation. Neverthless, when patients using topical clindamycin complain of itching, patch testing with this preparation and its separate ingredients should be considered. We report a case of allergic contact dermatitis due to clindamycin solution for acne vulgaris therapy in a 24-year-old woman.
Acne Vulgaris ; Clindamycin* ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Patch Tests ; Pruritus ; Young Adult

We roport herein three cases of pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy in two primigravidas and one multigravida in erythematous papules and urticarial plaques on both thighs, buttock and upper extremites. In the second case, lesions initially developed on both thighs and then preaded on abdomen, back and exter ities. Abdomen, thighs and extremites were involved in the third case. Histopathologic findings revealed acanthosis orfocal spongiosis in epidermis and lymphocytic perivascular infiltration with or without eosinophilsn dermis. They were treated with systemiror topical steroids and, mtihistamines. Itching was relieved within a few days after therapy and skin lesions resolved spontaneously after delivery.
Abdomen ; Buttocks ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Pregnancy* ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Steroids ; Thigh

A case of cutaneous cartilaginous tumor was diagnosed from solitary nadular skin lesion on a toe of 59-year old female. Lack of information about cartilage tumors in the dermatologic literature suggest that they rarely develop as supeficial lesions. General clinico-pathologic feature of the tumor is reviewed.
Cartilage ; Chondroma ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Toes

BACKGROUND: Epidermal cysts are the most common of all cysts. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to report the clinical and histopathologic features of epidermal cysts. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical and histopathologic features of 205 cases that were diagnosed with epidermal cysts at the department of dermatology in Anam Hospital of Korea University for 11 years, from January 1983 to December 1993. RESULTS: 1. Of the 3,400 cases of skin biopsy specimens, 205 cases were epidermal cysts(6%). There were 141 male cases (68.8%) and 64 female cases (32.2%). The ratio of male to female was 1:0.45. 2. Most patients with epidermal cysts belonged to age ranging from 20 to 59 with the highest incidence in the 3rd decade. 3. The site of predilection of the epidermal cysts were face 94(45.9%), trunk 37(18.0%), neck 23(11.2%), leg 21(10.2%), arm 19(9.3%),scalp 7(3.4%), scrotum 2(1.0%), and vagina 2(1.0%). 4. Histopathologically, 61 cases (29.3%) were ruptured. The most common cystic wall change was acanthosis followed by atrophy, hyperplasia, hypergranulosis, parakeratotis, basalioma-like change, squamous eddies, dyskeratosis. The most common cystic content was keratinous material followed by parakeratotic cells, pigment, bacterial colony, RBC, inflammatory cells, hair shaft, calcification, trichilemmal keratinization, pilomatricoma-like change. The most common stromal change was giant cells followed by fibrosis, granulation tissue formation,vessel proliferation, pigment. CONCLUSION: According to our results, which agree with those of Chung, the epidermal cysts occur as a disease particular to young men, especially on the face. Histopathologically, when an epidermal cyst ruptures and the contents of the cyst are released into the dermis, a considerable foreign body reaction with numerous multinucleated giant cells results.
Arm ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Dermatology ; Dermis ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells ; Granulation Tissue ; Hair ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Leg ; Male ; Neck ; Rupture ; Scrotum ; Skin ; Vagina

Dermabrasion involves the removal of the epidermis and the upper dermis by means of a motor-driven rotary abrasive instrument or a brush using ethyl chloride or dichlorotetrafluoroethane(Freon) as the evaporative refrigerant-anesthetic. Kurtin(1952) developed this refrigeration-abrasion method and named it skin planing. The technique of skin planing was introduced to Korea in early 1960s and it was extensively used for corrective surgery of scar induced by small pox until early 1970s. The indication for dermabrasion includes correction of scars, prophylaxis and correction of aging of the skin, removal of congenital nevoid anomalies, malignant and benign skin tumors, tattoos and others. The authors dermabased the cutaneous lesions of xeroderma pigmentosum, angiofibroma (adenoma sebaseum), nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn, epidermal verrucous nevus and linear porokeratosis, using Stryker' pneumatic powered dermabrader, with successful results. The technique of dermabrasion and the literature were briefly reviewed.
Aging ; Angiofibroma ; Cicatrix ; Dermabrasion* ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Ethyl Chloride ; Korea ; Nevus, Sebaceous of Jadassohn ; Porokeratosis ; Skin ; Skin Diseases* ; Xeroderma Pigmentosum

We repart herein a case of psoriasifomi sarcoidosis. A histopathological examination reveaied sarcoidal ulomas throughout the dermis. There wa no systemic nvolvement, The skin lesions resolved aftier one month following treatment with low dose oral prednisolone. This is the first case of psoriasiform sarcoidosis in Korea.
Dermis ; Korea ; Prednisolone ; Sarcoidosis* ; Skin

Irritant skin reactions can be evaluated by several techniques. Using different scores for the degree of erythema, edema, scaling and fissuring is the time-honored approach but implies t,he disadventagrs of lacking objectivity and pararretric properties. This paper describes the objective nteasurement of irritant. skin responses to various concentrations of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS) and Ethanol by a color reflectance meter(Chroma Meter) and compares with visual scoring The results are summarized as follows : 1. Pretreatment assessments by a Chroma Meter on normal forearm area showed an average score of 7.70+1.53 for Chroma Meter value a*(rediies:; score). 2. Skin responses to SLS in various concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5% under occlusion for 24 hours were assessed by visual scoring system. They are measured 0.56+1.10, 0.74+1.29, 1.19 1.36, 2.11+1.69, 2.19+1.91, 2.56+1.50 2.81+2.16 respectively. 3. Skin responses to SLS in various concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5% under occlusion for 24 hour were assessed by a Chroma Meter valu a*(redness score). They are measured 8.29+1.98, 8.37+2.47, 9.31+2.27, 10.34+2.97, 10.35+3.18, 10.51+2.47, 11.61+3.45 respectively. 4. Skin responses to Ethanol in various concentrations were nearly negligible. 5. We have demonstrated there is a highly significant correlation between skin redness measured by the Chroma Meter and visually assessed erypthma(p<0.0001). It yields reproducible, objective, quantitative measurements of iryhema that parallel the subjective visual assessments.
Edema ; Erythema* ; Ethanol* ; Forearm ; Humans ; Male ; Skin* ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate* ; Sodium*

Allergic contact dermatitis from aroma oils has long been recognized and with increasing frequency. Contact dermatitis of the allergic type of fragrances used for aromatherapy has been reported rarely, and only in patients exposed due to their occupation. We report herein a case of allergic contact dermatitis to aroma oils in an aroma therapist. A 25-year-old woman, an aroma therapist, had been treated with topical steroids under the impression of contact dermatitis. She had had pruritic erythematous maculopapules on the arms extending to the hands for the previous 6 months. Patch tests showed strong reactions to aroma oils(3% fennel and 3% juniper). The skin lesions were cleared after she stopped her job. However, re-exposure to aroma oils caused eczematous lesions repeatedly at the sites previously involved. We predict that increasing popularity of aromatherapy will lead to increasing number of patients developing allergic contact dermatitis from aroma oils. This has to be taken into consideration when testing patients with suspected contact dermatitis.
Adult ; Arm ; Aromatherapy ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Foeniculum ; Hand ; Humans ; Oils ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Steroids

The present study was carried out to find a simple and safe in. vitro test for phtotoxic drugs. Authors selected two strains of Salmonella typhimurium(TA98 and TA102) which have been used in Ames test for the detsction of mutagenecity af various chemical substances. Both strains are genuine products of genetic enzineering. The etrain TA98 should be highly vulnerable to ultraviolet radition because it lacks normal I)NA excision repair gene. The strain TA102 was chosen as control since it maintained the DNA repair gene. These strains were subjected to increasing dosea of UVA with or without pretreatment of 8 methoxypsoralsn(8-MOP) which is a prototype of photatoxic druge. The authors made use of a perforated stain-less steel template which provided a simple and eosy monitoring of ultraviolet irradiation effects i.e. clear zones due to inhibition of the atrains could be determined. By using this methad, the authors acquired the following results .' I. 8-MOP alone exerted no inhibition on both strains at concentration upto 100mg /ml. 2. UVA irradiation alone showed no growth inhibition at dose upto 5J/cm. 3. UVA irradiation after pretreatment with 8 MOP resulted varying growth inhibition in proportion to irradiation doses. 4. Authors found a suitable concentration of 8-MOP for this test is 10pg/ml. With this ccncentrstion, minimal phatatoxic dose of UVA were O.l J/cm for the strain TA98 and 1.0J/cm for the strain TA102 respectively.
Dermatitis, Phototoxic ; DNA Repair ; Methoxsalen ; Salmonella ; Steel