Dermatology Research and Practice

Background. Attention to the administration of probiotics for the treatment of psoriasis has recently increased. Aim. In the present study, improvements in dermatology life quality index (DLQI), psoriasis area severity index (PASI), and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores in the psoriasis patients receiving Lactocare® probiotic were compared to psoriasis patients receiving placebo. Methods. A total of 52 psoriasis patients were included in this study and randomly divided into treatment and placebo (control) groups. The control group received topical hydrocortisone associated with placebo; in the treatment group, Lactocare® was administrated orally associated with hydrocortisone. The mean of VAS, DLQI, and PSAI scores was recorded and evaluated pretreatment and post-treatment in both groups for 3 months. The mean of the scores in the control groups was compared to the treatment group. Intragroup analysis was preformed with a comparison of the mean of these scores at baseline 4-, 8-, and 12-weeks post-treatment. Results. In the treatment group, a significant decrease was seen in PASI, VAS, and DLQI scores compared to the control group on week 12 post-treatment. Conclusion. Oral administration of Lactocare® probiotic (two times daily) associated with administration of topical hydrocortisone resulted in the improvement of PASI, DLQI, and VAS scores in the patients with psoriasis after 12 weeks of treatment. PASI reduction occurred in all patients who received probiotics.

Fordyce angiokeratoma is a benign lesion commonly developing on the scrotal skin. The incidence increases with age. About half of these lesions may be symptomatic and frequently cause itching and bleeding. Although the treatment is not always considered necessary, several treatment methods are used for symptomatic cases, especially for cosmetic purposes. Treatment options include surgical excision, laser ablation, electrocoagulation, cryotherapy, and sclerotherapy. The most widely used methods are electrocoagulation and cryotherapy. Although these two methods are similarly effective and safe, there are differences in means of patient comfort and cosmetic outcomes. Patient comfort can be defined as pain management during the procedure and the healing period. Bleeding and wound infection are other parameters that may decrease patient comfort. Patients would prefer treatment methods with less or no pain and shorter recovery periods, healthcare providers, and insurance. The cosmetic result is another critical issue, especially for patients with multiple lesions. Treatment methods avoiding genital scars are more likely to meet the aesthetic demands of the patients.

Chemical substances used during batik processing may affect the physiological function of the batik worker’s skin barrier. This study assessed the level of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, and skin acidity in 61 batik workers from the batik center in Paseseh village, Tanjung Bumi subdistrict, Madura Island, Indonesia. Forty-five batik workers involved in dry work including drawing patterns on the cloth with wax and sixteen batik workers involved in wet work including dyeing the cloth with a dye bath were included in this study. The mean TEWL level in the dry work section was 59.87 ± 11.94 g/m²/h on the palmar and 29.00 ± 13.09 g/m²/h on the dorsal side of the hand, while the mean TEWL in the wet work section were 47.39 ± 9.66 g/m²/h on the palmar and 37.07 ± 10.00 g/m²/h on the dorsal side of the hand. The mean skin hydration level in the dry work section was 49.80 ± 19.16 arbitrary units (a.u.) for the palmar side and 52.77 ± 16.21 a.u. for the dorsal side of the hand, while the mean levels of skin hydration in the wet work section were 47 ± 12.73 a.u. and 62.94 ± 10.09 a.u. for palmar and dorsal side, respectively. The mean levels of skin acidity in the dry work section were 5.45 ± 0.19 for the palmar side and 5.30 ± 0.20 for the dorsal side of the hand, while the wet work section had 5.30 ± 0.19 and 5.10 ± 0.19 for the palmar and dorsal side of the hand, respectively. The TEWL levels were found to be higher on the palmar side of the hand in both the dry work and wet work sections, which was consistent with the measurement of skin hydration levels that were lower on the palmar side of the hand. The mean skin pH levels for both work sections were considered within the normal range.

Objective. There is insufficient evidence to generate skin cancer screening guidelines at the population level, resulting in arbitrary variation in patient selection for screening skin examinations. This study was aimed at developing an easy-to-use predictive model of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) risk on screening total body skin examination (TBSE). Methods. This epidemiologic assessment utilized data from a prospective, multicenter international study from primarily academic outpatient dermatology clinics. Potential predictors of NMSC on screening TBSE were identified and used to generate a multivariable model that was converted into a point-based scoring system. The performance characteristics of the model were validated in a second data set from two healthcare institutions in the United States. Results. 8,501 patients were included. Statistically significant predictors of NMSC on screening TBSE included age, skin phototype, and history of NMSC. A multivariable model and point-based scoring system using these predictors exhibited high discrimination (AUC = 0.82). Conclusion. A simple three-variable model, abbreviated as CAP (cancer history, age, phototype) can accurately predict the risk of NMSC on screening TBSE by dermatology. This tool may be used in clinical decision making to enhance the yield of screening TBSE.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. It is characterized by pruritic eczematous lesions, affecting up to 20% of the children and negatively impacting their quality of life. Guidelines for AD management are available worldwide, but specific guidelines for pediatric AD in Saudi Arabia are lacking. This consensus document aims to identify the needs for the diagnosis and management of pediatric AD in Saudi Arabia by gathering the opinions and recommendations of key experts. We conducted a three-step modified Delphi method to develop the present consensus. The experts agreed that pediatricians and dermatologists commonly encounter AD; however, it is still under-recognized in its early stage in Saudi Arabia. The family physicians should be involved in assessing suspected children with a family history of atopy, particularly in patients with isolated lesions. Further, the experts confirmed that AD diagnosis should be documented, showing assessment criteria used, key morphological characteristics, and features used to ascertain the severity of the disease. There is still a need for simple validated diagnostic criteria suitable for daily practice for pediatric AD. The experts highlighted several medical conditions that pertain to the diagnosis and management of AD in Saudi Arabia.

Background. Acne is the most common inflammatory skin disease in adolescence. It is also prevalent in adults, especially females. The disease has a considerable impact on health-related quality of life. Many studies have reported the negative impact of acne on patients due to skin disfigurement, ineffective treatment, and adverse effects of the treatment. Numerous factors contribute towards nonadherence to therapy. Summary. This review discusses the various factors that are related to treatment nonadherence such as ineffective therapy, adverse effects with topical pharmacotherapy such as skin irritation and erythema as well as patient-related factors such as lack of knowledge of disease and a poor patient-physician relationship. Various methods are being adopted to increase adherence to treatments. Increased adherence to acne therapy has been associated with the use of dermocosmetics, such as moisturizers and cleansers. Encouraging the use of dermocosmetics in synergy with pharmacological regimens could support improved treatment adherence resulting in better clinical outcomes for acne patients. Conclusion. Dermocosmetics as an adjunct to pharmacological regimens has the potential to improve clinical outcomes by increasing treatment adherence in patients with acne.