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

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate differences between lavender abdominal massage and inhalation on dysmenorrhea, menstrual pain, anxiety, and depression. METHODS: This study used a non equivalent quasiexperimental design. Lavender essential oil and almond oil were used in massage and a lavender necklace and artificial perfume necklace in inhalation for female college students. Frequencies, percentages, Chi-square, Fisher' s exact test and t-test with the SPSS/WIN 12.0 program were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Dysmenorrhea was significantly higher inhalation for placebo treatment compared to lavender inhalation (p< .001). There was not significant difference between lavender abdominal massage and inhalation. CONCLUSION: Lavender abdominal massage and inhalation could be effective methods to reduce dysmenorrhea. However, before lavender abdominal massage and inhalation can be considered as intervention, it is more needed to study of menstrual pain, anxiety and depression.
Anxiety ; Aromatherapy ; Depression ; Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Lavandula ; Massage ; Menstruation ; Perfume ; Plant Oils ; Prunus dulcis

BACKGROUND: Contact dermatitis is frequently caused by cosmetics. Detection of causative allergens is important in prevention and treatment of cosmetic contact dermatitis. Patch test has been accepted as the only reliable diagnostic method to detect allergens. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to clarify evoluting trends of positive patch tests and to compare the positive frequencies of various allergens between different time sequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed patch test results of the 806 cosmetic contact dermatitis patients, who had visited our clinic from 1982 to 1997. We divided the patients into three groups as follows: I group:1982-1987, II group:1988-1992, III group:1993-1997 and compared the test results. The patch tests were performed with standard batteries, cosmetic-related allergens and the patients's own cosmetics. RESULTS: The results of the studies were summarized as follows; 1. Trends of increasing positivity in cosmetic-induced dermatitis was noted in a chronologic point of view. Among the patients, an increased proportion of males was notable. 2. In age distribution, a decreasing proportion of patients at the third & the fourth decades was observed. Contrary to this, the proportion of patients over the fifth decades was increased. 3. Among standard allergens, nickel sulphate showed the highest positive rate in all defined triple periods, whereas positive rates of neomycin sulphate & balsam of Peru were diminishing sequentially. Among fragrance allergens, cinnamic alcohol & cinnamic aldehyde revealed the highest positive rates. 4. In as is test, skin care products showed the highest positive rate, followed by toiletries and makeup products. Increasing positive rates of the toiletry products were observed in order of time. In fragrance products, positive rates reached their peak in the second period and declined in the third period. CONCLUSION: This study showed that perfume components were the most frequent allergens in cosmetics followed by preservative agents. Our study showed that comestic allergies in men seems to have increased.
Age Distribution ; Allergens ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Male ; Neomycin ; Nickel ; Patch Tests* ; Perfume ; Peru ; Skin Tests

Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) is a syndrome as a persistent bronchial hyperreactivity with asthmatic dyspnea which occurs after one or more inhalation exposures to a high concentration of irritant gasses, smokes or vapors in subjects who had preciously had no respiratory disease. We report a case of a 34 years old female worker suffering from reactive airways dysfunction syndrome who had been taking charge of guest room cleaning at a condominium. 7 months before, she inhaled high concentration of chlorine gas in confined and poor ventilated working space of bathroom at the condominium. As she was washing a bathroom with a bleaching agent (6 % sodium hypochlorite) without dilution, dyspnea, dizziness, headache, nausea, and coughing developed after work. She still suffer from dyspnea and coughing. All functional tests were normal except for methacholine challenge test which reveals bronchial hyperreactivity. She has some symptoms of dyspnea and coughing when exposed to perfume, cold air, and heavy work.
Adult ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity ; Chlorine* ; Cough ; Dizziness ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; Methacholine Chloride ; Nausea ; Perfume ; Smoke ; Sodium

Incidental acantholysis is a rare histologic findings, and reported in basal cell carcinoma, keratoacanthoma, psoriasis, tinea corporis, etc We describe a case of contact dermatitis in a 64-year-old female who suffered from recurrent itchy, erythematous patches on face, neck, and shoulder She presented with recently aggravated itchy skin lesions after using perfume and Tiger balm. Patch test showed strong positive reaction to balsam of Peru, fragrance anix, and Tiger balm. A biopsy specimen showed lichenoid dermatitis and incidental focal acantholysis which was not previously reported in literatures.
Acantholysis* ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Female ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Patch Tests ; Perfume ; Peru ; Psoriasis ; Shoulder ; Skin ; Tigers ; Tinea

BACKGROUND: Chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) is a rare disease worldwide. It has been defined on the basis of three criteria: 1) clinical - a persistent eczematous eruption on sun- exposed area with possible extension into non-exposed areas, 2) photobiological - a reduction in the minimal erythema dose to UVB irradiation, and possibly longer wavelengths, and 3) histologic - an appearance consistent with chronic eczema, with or without the presence of lymphoma-like changes. However, only a few clinicohistopathologic and photobiological analyses of CAD have been undertaken in Korea. OBJECTIVE: To explore photoallergens and/or allergens causing or thought to be associated with CAD in Korean patients, and to compare the photopatch or patch test results in Korea with those from other countries. METHODS: Thirty-five Korean patients with CAD were enrolled for this study. Photopatch tests were carried out by applying two sets of the Scandinavian photopatch series to each patient. Two days after application, the photopatch tests were analysed, and one set of the photoallergens was irradiated with 50% of the MED-UVA. Both sets of photoallergens were examined 2 days later. A European standard series was used to assess the patch tests. At two and four days after application, patch tests were analysed. RESULT: Twenty-seven of the 35 patients (77.1%) who had photopatch tests showed positive responses; balsam of Peru, promethazine HCl, perfume mix, fentichlor, chlorhexidine digluconate, and chlorpromazine HCl were the common photoallergens that elicited a positive response. Twenty-one of the 35 patients (70%) showed allergy to nickel, chrome, and/or ammoniated mercury. Noticeably, photoallergens such as balsam of Peru, perfume mix, cobalt, and captan revealed positive reactions in the patch tests, too. CONCLUSION: In 77.1% and 74.3% of CAD patients, photoallergens and allergens were identified, respectively. Among them, 57.1% showed positive reactions including both photopatch and patch tests. After the most frequent photoallergens, perfume and spices, and phenothiazines or related antihistamines ranked next and were found to be a unique characteristic to Korea. Photopatch and patchtests are the method for detecting photoallergens and allergens as important initiating agents and are the diagnostic tool for the epidemiologic study of CAD.
Allergens ; Captan ; Chlorhexidine ; Chlorpromazine ; Cobalt ; Eczema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Erythema ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Nickel ; Patch Tests* ; Perfume ; Peru ; Phenothiazines ; Photosensitivity Disorders* ; Promethazine ; Rare Diseases ; Spices

Chronic actinic dermatitis is an uncommon, persistent, light induced eruption occurring mostly on exposed skin. It is eczematous or pseudolymphomatous in nature, probably representing delayed type hypersensitivity to endogerious photoallergens. It usually worsens in summer and affects elderly men. A 72-old-male was presented with a 14 month history of pruritic skin lesions. They were composed of waxy thickened scaly plaques of the face and dorsa of the hands, and depigmented patches of the neck, which worsened when exposed to sun light. We performed photo test and photopatch test. MED of UVA was lowered and the patch and photopatch test revealed only contact sensitivity to Balsam of Peru, perfume mix and fragrance mix. A biopsy specimen showed hyperkeratosis and spongiosis of the epidermis and perivascular lymphocytic and many eosinophilic infiltrations of the dermis. The patient was treated with systemic and topical corticosteroids with marked improvement.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Male ; Neck ; Perfume ; Peru ; Photosensitivity Disorders* ; Skin ; Solar System