BACKGROUND: Skin laser treatment has improved significantly and has become an effective treatment approach for many skin diseases while also having applications for beauty treatments. However, since skin laser transfers energy directly to the skin, the misuse of such treatment may result in permanent damage to skin tissues. OBJECTIVE: This survey of Korean adults, conducted to obtain their perspectives on and their treatment experience with skin laser treatment, will be used to determine the current status of skin laser treatment and to identify necessary changes to ensure proper and safe conduct of skin laser treatment. METHODS: From April 5th to April 12th, 2016, a survey was conducted to obtain information regarding the perspectives and the treatment experience of adults aged 20~59 years. RESULTS: Approximately 50% of the participants had experience with skin laser treatment, and among these, 24.7% had not received treatment at a dermatology clinic. Compared to treatment at a dermatology clinic, the danger of side effects was 1.7 times higher at a non-dermatology clinic, 2 times higher at a skin care shop, and 5.3 times higher at an Oriental medical clinic. Among patients who received skin laser treatment, 16.1% experienced side effects, and among these, 1 out of 4 patients visited a non-dermatologist for treatment of these side effects. CONCLUSION: The results of the survey showed that in order for the public to receive safe and effective skin laser treatment based on professional diagnosis, there is a definitive need to provide correct information to the public and to implement changes to ensure proper understanding of skin laser treatment among this population.
Adult ; Beauty ; Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Skin Care ; Skin Diseases ; Skin*

The interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) assay is employed as a complementary diagnostic test for bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in many countries. To simplify this assay, we established a 96-well plate format using the ESAT-6 and CFP-10 antigens and then employed it to determine the extent of Mycobacterium (M.) bovis infection in dairy herds with a history of BTB outbreaks in a country where only selective culling is practiced. The sensitivity and specificity of this IFN-gamma assay were 85.9% and 100%, respectively, based on comparison with the conventional single intradermal tuberculin test (SIDT). The IFN-gamma assay was also positive in 30.4% and 36.8% of SIDT-negative animals from herds with recent and remote BTB outbreaks, respectively. Of 14 SIDT-negative, IFN-gamma positive cattle, five (35.7%) were culture positive and an additional six were positive based on a polymerase chain reaction-based test for M. bovis. Therefore, the IFN-gamma assay has the potential to serve as a specific and sensitive test for M. bovis infection in dairy cattle. Further, the results indicated that a substantial portion of SIDT-negative animals in herds with previous BTB outbreaks were actually infected with M. bovis. Accordingly, the present selective-culling strategy may require modifications to include this more sensitive assay.
Animals ; Antigens, Bacterial/*diagnostic use ; Bacterial Proteins/diagnostic use ; Cattle ; Female ; Interferon-gamma Release Tests/*veterinary ; Mycobacterium bovis/*isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Tuberculosis, Bovine/*diagnosis/*epidemiology/microbiology

BACKGROUND: Medical skin care is essential for the treatment of skin diseases all over the world. Medical skin care is also part of medical practice and this must be differentiated from the simple skin care that is given for normal healthy skin. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to discuss medical skin care and the related medical devices and legal issues. METHODS: We reviewed the related laws and regulations, we consulted experts and associations and we analyzed the result of the survey. RESULTS: Legally, medical skin care and simple skin care are well classified. However, many illegal procedures are still performed by non-medical personnel and many adverse effects have been reported as a result. Furthermore, there are no legal restrictions for the performer based on the grade of each medical skin care procedure. CONCLUSION: For the best results and safe procedures, medical skin care must be performed by approved medical equipment under the supervision of a physician or medical personnel. Continuous control and guidance by the government is strongly needed.
Jurisprudence ; Organization and Administration ; Skin ; Skin Care ; Skin Diseases ; Social Control, Formal

BACKGROUND: There is a long-standing controversy whether melanocytes in vitiligo of more than 1 year duration are actually lost or still present. Resolving this matter is essential in understanding the underlying pathology and for the development of the treatment. On previous immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies of vitiligo lesions, damage of melanocyte and keratinocyte in early lesions were reported and complete absence of melanocyte in long standing lesions were known. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the existence of the differences in pathologic changes in melanocytes according to the duration of the lesion. METHODS: We investigated the vitiliginous skin samples from 31 patients with early(less than 1 year duration) vitiligo and 30 patients with long standing(l to 5 years duration) vitiligo under the electron microscopy. RESULTS: Multiple degenerative changes in melanocytes were observed in the early and long standing lesions. In long standing lesions, degeneration of melanocytes including pyknotic, in-dented nuclei, vacuolated cytoplasms and blunted dendrites were more pronounced than early lesions. Even in long standing lesions, definite or presumptive melanocytes were observed in 16(53.3%) of 30 cases. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the melanocytes of vitiligo lesions were damaged and that the percentage of degenerative changes increase in accordance with the duration of the lesion. However, in long standing lesions as well as in early lesions, some residual melanocytes can be observed ultrastructurally.
Cytoplasm ; Dendrites ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Melanocytes ; Microscopy, Electron ; Pathology ; Skin ; Vitiligo*

BACKGROUND: Recently, the molecular pathologic investigation for clonality in lymphomas has been introduced and has gained a role in the diagnosis of lymphomas. In fact, the clonality test using TCRGR phenomenon has been done by Southern blot analysis (SBA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for molecular pathologic diagnosis of T cell lymphomas. However, it is difficult to perform SBA with paraffin embedded specimens or with samples of small skin biopsies. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of PCR amplification of TCR gene in paraffin em-bedded cutaneous T cell lymphomas. METHODS: Iii this study, the clonality was assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of T cell receptor gamma (TCR) gene from the DNA extracts obtained from paraffin em-bedded tissues (PET) of malignant T cells, B cell lymphomas, and benign cutaneous T cell proliferative disorders. Heteroduple-x-analyses were also performed to rule out the false positives. RESULTS: Among the total of 62 cases analyzed, monoclonality was observed in 4 out of 10 mycosis fungoides, 7 out of 9 cutaneous T cell lymphomas excluding mycosis fungoides, 1 out of 3 angiocentric lymphomas, 2 out of 2 lymphomatosis papulosis, 1 out of 7 large plaque parapsoriasis, and 1 out of 2 T cell lymphomas in other organs. No monoclonality was observed in 9 inflammatory cutaneous diseases, 5 small plaque parapsoriasis, 4 cutaneous B cell lymphomas, and 11 B cell lymphomas in lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the PCR method and heteroduplex analysis used in this study were not only practical but also efficacious for the diagnosis of cutaneous T cell lymphomas using tissues embedded in paraffins.
Biopsy ; Blotting, Southern ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Gene Rearrangement* ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor ; Heteroduplex Analysis* ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Paraffin ; Parapsoriasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell* ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: An alternative approach to oral PUVA therapy for psoriasis, psoralen bath plus UVA therapy(bath PUVA therapy) that avoids the adverse effects associated with oral PUVA therapy has increasingly been used during recent years. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bath-8-MOP-UVA therapy in the treatment of psoriasis. METHODS: Twenty patients were enrolled in this study after determination of the minimal phototoxic doses(MPD). We evaluated the total treatment number, duration, final UVA dose and total cumulative UVA dose of bath-8-MOP-UVA therapy to reach grade 4 response and categorized each patient into clearing, improvement, or failure groups based on the therapeutic efficacy. We measured the PASI score at two week intervals. Blood samples were obtained from all twenty patients 2 hours after bath-8-MOP and plasma levels of 8-MOP were quantified by a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The following results were obtained from this study. 1. Phototoxicity testing with bath-8-MOP-UVA elicited mean MPD value of 3.5+/-1.3J/cm2. 2. The mean PASI score at 10 weeks was significantly decreased to 5.8+/-1.3 from baseline PASI score 20.1+/-4.3. 3. Among 20 patients, clearing was shown in 13 patients(65%), 6 patients(30%) were improved and 1 patients(5%) showed failure. 4. In clearing and improvement groups, the mean treatment number, duration, final dose of UVA and total cumulative UVA dose reaching grade 4 were 19.3+/-5.4, 49.9+/-13.5days, 5.2+/-1.3J/cm2 and 68.6+/-30.1J/cm2, respectively. 5. Five patients experienced side-effects. Two patients had intense tan, one withdrawing because of it and the other continued treatment. Three had pruritus that was controlled on oral antihistamines. Phototoxic or other classic adverse effects of oral PUVA therapy, such as nausea, vomiting and headaches, were not observed in any of our 20 patients. 6. All twenty patients had an undetectable plasma 8-MOP level. The lower limit of detection level was 20ng/ml. CONCLUSION: Bath-8-MOP-UVA therapy for psoriasis is a very effective and safe alternative to oral PUVA therapy.
Baths ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Dermatitis, Phototoxic ; Ficusin ; Headache ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Limit of Detection ; Methoxsalen ; Nausea ; Plasma ; Pruritus ; Psoriasis* ; PUVA Therapy ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl ; Vomiting

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia(IPEH) is a benign, non-neoplastic, vascular lesion, that is characterized histologically by papillary projections lined by proliferating endothelium in a vascular lumen. We describe a case of IPEH occuring on upper lip, an unusual site of the lesion, in 16-year-old man and stress the importance of an adequate understanding of this benign vascular disorder, since it resembles a low-grade angiosarcoma.
Adolescent ; Endothelium ; Hemangiosarcoma ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Lip*

No Abstract Available.
Humans

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical manifestation of acute herpes zoster associated pain (AHP) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and nerve block effect in AHP and PHN. METHOD: We assessed twenty eight patients by physical examination and pain questionairre, and nerve block effect in thirty one patients. We injected local anesthetics and triamcinolone into nerve root or trunk in study group, and saline in control group. The effect was assessed by visual analogue scale. RESULT: 1. Clinical manifestation: There was high incidence in thoracic dermatome. AHP and PHN patients expressed "sharp" pain. Pain rating index of AHP and PHN were 32.9, 33.0. 2. Nerve block effect: There was no nerve block effect in AHP (p>0.05) and PHN (p>0.05), but four patients of PHN patients in study group had significant pain relief, who suffered from pain during 2 month, 10 month, 6 years, 8 years. CONCLUSION: AHP and PHN had variable clinical manifestation but no difference between them. There was no nerve block effect in AHP and PHN but we can consider nerve block as a additive method for pain relief of PHN because some patients responded to nerve block and there was no significant complication in nerve block.
Anesthetics, Local ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nerve Block* ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic* ; Physical Examination ; Triamcinolone

BACKGROUND: It is a trend that the average life span is prolonged in proportion to the advance of socio-economy and medical science. Consequently, the number of elderly patients with skin diseases is increasing. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to see the change of patterns of skin diseases in elderly patients. METHODS: One thousand four hundred and twenty elderly patients, over the age of 65, who visited the departments of dermatology and in five hospitals, from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997 were selected. We surveyed the frequeney of skin disease by types and the distributions by month, season and age.
Aged* ; Dermatology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Seasons ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin*