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Disseminated herpes simplex virus (HSV) is mainly seen in immunocompromised individuals. Atypical lesions can be present in both primary infection and reactivation disease. Compared with the general population, inmunocompromised hosts are at greater risk of increased persistency and severity of clinical manifestations, including severe systemic involvement such as esophagitis, meningitis, and hepatitis. Herein, we report the case of a liver transplant recipient with atypical disseminated herpes simplex virus-1 complicated by HSV-related hepatitis. Dermatological consultation and histological assessment were crucial for a correct diagnosis and treatment.

Lack of skin manifestations in COVID-19 hospitalized patients during the second epidemic wave in Spain: a possible association with a novel SARS-CoV-2 variant - a cross-sectional study The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Skin manifestations associated to COVID-19 were present in five patients (3.5%), including one patient (0.7%) with maculopapular rash and four patients (2.8%) with livedoid lesions. [Extracted from the article]

The objective of this study was to describe FAV findings in demodex-related skin diseases and correlate them with RCM. RCM is considered superior to SSSB in demodex mite detection.4 Fluorescence-advanced videodermatoscopy (FAV) is a novel non-invasive method, for in vivo skin examination at very high magnification (500×).5 The working principle of FAV is based on the ability of endogenous molecules to absorb the 405 nm (±5 nm) monochromatic light emitted by the probe, and afterwards emit fluorescence. It is mainly filled by gut cells, ranging from 15 to 50 µm, that contain numerous mitochondria.7 These cells appear as bright structures inside the opisthosoma in both FAV and RCM (black arrows). [Extracted from the article]

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is common. While topical minoxidil remains the only FDA-approved therapeutic for AGA, its efficacy is limited in stimulating clinically significant hair regrowth over the longer term. Oral minoxidil, which is used off-label, is a promising alternative; however, its effectiveness and underlying mechanisms warrant further investigation., Aims: To elucidate the site of action and infer the physiological mechanisms underlying therapeutic responses to oral minoxidil in patients with AGA., Methods: Forty-one patients with AGA underwent 6 months of low-dose oral minoxidil treatment. Minoxidil sulfotransferase (SULT) activity was assayed in plucked scalp hair follicles. The primary outcome was hair growth after low-dose oral minoxidil treatment for a minimum of 6 months, and the secondary outcome was SULT activity in hair follicles., Results: After 6 months of treatment, 26 (63.4%) patients experienced a clinical improvement in alopecia symptoms. The response rate was higher in men (19/26 [73.1%]) than in women (6/15 [40.0%]). Patients with low hair follicle SULT activity demonstrated a higher minoxidil response rate than those with high enzyme activity (85% vs. 43%, p = 0.009)., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that low SULT activity within the hair follicles is associated with a favorable response to oral minoxidil therapy in patients with AGA. Further elucidation of the underlying mechanisms could significantly improve personalized therapeutic approaches through improved patient selection and the rational design of adjuvant treatments., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed.

Background: Folliculitis decalvans (FD) is a rare primary neutrophilic scarring alopecia whose etiology has not been completely elucidated yet., Objective: The aim of the study was to determine if the follicular microbiota residing in FD-affected hair follicles had a distinct microbiological signature and if an aberrant immune response was present in the pathogenesis of FD., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 10 patients affected by FD. Trichoscopy-guided follicular biopsies were taken from affected and healthy scalp to identify the follicular microbiome using next-generation sequencing. We searched for microbiological biomarkers of FD-affected follicles using the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) tool. Additionally, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained, and their cytokine production was quantified after incubation with pathogen-associated molecular patterns isolated from patients' biopsies and compared with healthy controls., Results: β-diversity analysis showed statistically significant differences regarding bacteria comparing follicular microbiota of healthy and FD-affected hairs. Ruminococcaceae, Agathobacter sp., Tyzzerella sp., and Bacteriodales vadin HA21 family were good predictors of disease status. IL-10, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were significantly decreased in patients after incubation with various strains of bacteria compared with controls., Conclusion: FD hair follicles have a specific heterogenous follicular bacterial microbiota signature. Additionally, these patients seem to have an impaired immunological response., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Pliaglis ® is a self-occluding topical anesthetic containing a eutectic mixture of 7% lidocaine and 7% tetracaine, with proven efficacy and safety in several trials., Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Pliaglis ® for different dermatological procedures in real-life clinical practice., Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study included 35 patients treated with Pliaglis ® prior to five dermatological procedures (pulsed dyed laser, picosecond laser, non-ablative fractional laser, radiofrequency microneedling, and photodynamic therapy). The primary endpoint was to assess the pain during the procedure with a visual analogue score (VAS) from 0 (no pain) to 10 (most severe pain). Secondary endpoints were the global effectiveness and tolerability (from 0 = very low to 10 = excellent), and the adverse events (AEs) after Pliaglis ® removal, classified according to intensity (1-3)., Results: The median and mean pain VAS reported by patients was 2 (range 0-9) and 2.9 (±2.3), respectively. More than 65% of the patients had a VAS score ≤3. The effectiveness reported by investigators was "very good" (median 8 [range 2-10], mean 7.5 [±1.9]), which was strongly correlated with the pain VAS reported by patients (Spearman coefficient = - 0.9; p < 0.001). Forty-five percent of patients reported AEs and they were transient and mostly mild, with a mean intensity score of 1.5 (range 1-3). Tolerability of Pliaglis ® was reported by investigators as "excellent" (median 10 [range 1-10], mean 9 [±1.8])., Conclusions: Pliaglis ® is an effective topical anesthetic for several dermatological procedures, with an excellent safety and tolerability profile., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests:: None.