BACKGROUND: Melasma is an acquired, symmetrical hypermelanosis that occurs on sun-exposed areas of the skin. It has significant emotional and psychological effects on those affected with the condition. Melasma Quality of Life Scale (MELASQOL) is a specific questionnaire to identify the most impaired areas of melasma patient's life. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose of this study is to investigate the changing of MELASQOL after the treatment of melasma. METHODS: A total of 27 volunteers with melasma were enrolled in this 8-week treatment study. The patients were instructed to apply an arbutin-containing cream, once a day for 8 weeks. The assessment of outcomes included the colorimetric value (L*) and MELASQOL score. RESULTS: The arbutin-containing cream group increased more in the colorimetric values (L*) after the 8-week treatment (p<0.01). The MELASQOL score was decreased (p=0.02). No significant adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSION: The treatment of melasma improves the QOL of melasma patients.
Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Melanosis ; Quality of Life ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Seborrheic* ; Lice Infestations*

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Seborrheic* ; Lice Infestations*

Lymphocytes can produce various kinds of cytokines which are responsible for the development of the infectious and allergic inflammation. We focused on the role of the lymphocyte in the pathogenesis of the nasal polyp. This study was designed to evaluate the functional differences of the lymphocytes between allergic and non-allergic polyp. Lymphocytes were obtained from peripheral blood and tissues of polyp in 12 patients with non-allergic polyp, 7 patients with allergic polyp and 5 normal subjects as control. Cytokines were measured with ELISA from each group of lymphocytes after stimulation with Concanavalin A (Con A). We compared the production of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma between the non-allergic and allergic groups. The levels of IL-4 and IL-6 from polyp tissue lymphocytes were higher in allergic group, while those of IL-2 and IFN-gamma were higher in non-allergic group. The levels of IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-alpha from peripheral blood lymphocytes were higher in allergic group, and IFN-gamma was higher in non-allergic group. These results suggest that cytokine productivity of the polyp tissue lymphocytes appear to be parallel to that of the peripheral blood lymphocytes in each group and shows distinct pattern of ytokine production between two groups.
Concanavalin A ; Cytokines ; Efficiency ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Interferons ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Lymphocytes* ; Nasal Polyps* ; Polyps ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: Pityriasis rosea is a common, acute self-limiting papulosquamous disorder in which many studies suggest viral causative factors in its pathogenesis. Recently, the link between pityriasis rosea and the reactivation of human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) and HHV-7 infection has been suggested. This evidence suggests that targetting HHV-6 or HHV-7 may be an effective treatment for pityriasis rosea. OBJECTIVE: We treated pityriasis rosea patients with oral famciclovir to investigate the effect of oral famciclovir in pityriasis rosea. METHODS: A case group of seventeen patients with pityriasis rosea were treated with oral famciclovir (250 mg 3 times daily for 7 days). Clinical evaluation at 0, 1 & 2 weeks was undertaken. A skin biopsy and polymerase chain reaction analysis of HHV-6 from a skin specimen were performed. We analyzed 19 patients with pityriasis rosea who were treated with topical steroid and oral antihistamines retrospectively and considered them as the control group. RESULTS: On the 7th day after oral famciclovir treatment was started, pityriasis rosea had regressed completely in 3 patients (17.6%) and had regressed partially in 9 patients (52.9%). On the 14th day, 12 patients (70.6%) had achieved more than partial regression. On the 7th day, systemic symptoms had improved in all 9 patients. Clearance of skin lesions was achieved in average 7.57 days in patients who had regressed completely after 14 days' treatment. Histological examination of patients was compatible with pityriasis rosea and polymerase chain reaction analysis of HHV-6 was negative in all 8 patients. Compared with the control group, the treatment for patients in the case group seemed to have better effects, but statistical analysis failed to show any significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Famciclovir was not effective in the treatment of pityriasis rosea, but further investigation is needed.
Biopsy ; Herpesvirus 6, Human ; Herpesvirus 7, Human ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Pityriasis Rosea* ; Pityriasis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Skin Diseases, Papulosquamous

Neuroendocrine tumors derive from the diffuse neuroendocrine system producing hormonal peptides and/or biogenic amines. Histologically neuroendocrine differentiation includes ultrastructural demonstration of neurosecretory granules and staining with immunhistochemical markers such as neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin, synaptophysin, and cytokeratin. Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin is rare but can be shown as an initial manifestation of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma as well as primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma. Histological differentiation between primary cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma and metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin is difficult and clinical correlation is important. We report a case of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung occurring on the scalp as a single nodule in a 65-year-old female who previously diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the stomach.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Biogenic Amines ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lung ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Neurosecretory Systems ; Peptides ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Scalp ; Skin ; Stomach ; Synaptophysin

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence of chronic urticaria in children is increasing, research on the disease is limited. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to study the clinical and etiological characteristics of chronic urticaria in pediatric patients. METHODS: From July 2013 to December 2016, patients with chronic urticaria aged less than 18 years answered questionnaires regarding their symptoms and provoking factors or specific exposures related to the disease. Some patients were also investigated with physical provocation and/or laboratory tests. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients (male to female ratio, 1.0) with a mean age of 11.1 years (range, 1.1~18.7 years) were evaluated. The severity of urticaria was classified into mild (23.0%), moderate (43.2%), and severe (33.8%) according to the patient rating scale. Twenty-one patients (28.4%) had a previous history of atopic disease. Some patients reported accompanying angioedema (18.9%) and general symptoms, such as fatigue (14.9%) and nausea or vomiting (8.1%). The etiology was identified in 14 patients (18.9%): 9 patients had dermographic urticaria, 3 patients had cholinergic urticaria, 1 patient had cold urticaria, and 1 patient had dermographic combined with cholinergic urticaria. Results of thyroid autoantibody and antinuclear antibody tests were positive in 4 patients (30.8%) and 13 patients (27.7%), respectively. Remission rates at 1, 2, and 3 years after the onset of chronic urticaria symptoms were 40.6%, 50.7%, and 52.2%, respectively. A mild urticaria severity score and the presence of angioedema seemed to be good prognostic factors for the remission of chronic urticaria. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this single-center study, further investigation is warranted to determine the incidence, etiology, and distinct features of chronic urticaria in children compared to those in adults.
Adult ; Angioedema ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Child* ; Fatigue ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nausea ; Prognosis ; Thyroid Gland ; Urticaria* ; Vomiting

Herpes zoster is a characteristic, segmental, cutaneous eruption associated with sensory axonal neuropathy, but complication of motor involvement can also occasionally occur. In many cases, the loss of motor function goes unrecognized because the extent of impairment is mild. However, if it is severe, motor weakness may lead to clinical problems. We report a case of ipsilateral shoulder paralysis caused by herpes zoster infection of the left C4-6 dermatomes in which motor weakness invaded major motion of the unilateral upper limb. An electromyography and motor nerve conduction test revealed that axonal degeneration of the upper trunk level of the brachial plexus developed secondary to herpes zoster infection. Therefore, we highlight there is possibility of severe motor deficit of a corresponding site after herpes zoster.
Axons ; Brachial Plexus ; Electromyography ; Herpes Zoster* ; Neural Conduction ; Paralysis* ; Shoulder* ; Upper Extremity

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa is an uncommon disorder that is characterized by dermal fibrosis, hyperkeratotic verrucous and papillomatous lesions and this is all caused by chronic non-filarial lymphedema secondary to infections, surgeries, tumor obstructions, radiations, congestive heart failure and obesity. We report here on a case of elephantiasis nostras verrucosa that occurred on the left lower leg of a 54-year-old woman who had a past history of extensive skin grafts and recurrent infection.
Elephantiasis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Leg ; Middle Aged ; Non-Filarial Lymphedema ; Obesity ; Skin ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplants

We report a case of a 67-year-old man presenting with a 2-week history of erythematous zosteriform indurated confluent nodules and plaques on the right chest which was affected by a herpes zoster infection one month ago. The previous history revealed an adenocarcinoma with malignant pleural effusion on the right lung (stage IV, T4N1M1) 3 months ago. Histopathologic findings showed tumor cells infiltrated throughout the dermis, forming focal glandular structures. We think that the case was the isotopic response in the form of an occurrence of a new skin disorder at the site of another unrelated and already healed skin disease. Many cases of isotopic response have been reported in Korean literature such as lichen planus, granuloma annulare, benign fibrous histiocytoma and reactive perforating collagenosis occurring on the healed site of herpes zoster infection. This is the first report of cutaneous metastatic carcinoma as an isotopic response in Korea.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Dermis ; Granuloma Annulare ; Herpes Zoster ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; Humans ; Lichen Planus ; Lung ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Thorax