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Trichilemmal cysts (TCs) can occur as sporadic lesions or in hereditary-familial settings with autosomal dominant transmission. These entities have not been widely analyzed in their peculiar aspects yet. The aim of this study was to describe a cohort of patients with diagnosis of TCs through a clinical and biomolecular characterization, intended to highlight some effective diagnostic criteria for their identification. Among 149 cases of this study, 24 cases of TCs (16.1%) arose in patients with at least one first-degree relative with diagnosis of TCs. Peculiar findings concerning hereditary lesions included the multiple presentation with an early onset age. On the basis of clinical evaluation, we propose a panel of clinical and histologic criteria for the diagnosis of hereditary TCs, which includes: (i) the diagnosis of TCs in at least two first-degree relatives or in three first- or second-degree relatives in two consecutive generations; (ii) at least one of the patients with TCs diagnosed <45 years; and (iii) the diagnosis of multiple or giant (>5-cm lesions) or rare histopathologic features (proliferating and ossifying) TCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a rare genetic autosomal recessive metabolic disease characterized by progressive mineralization and fragmentation of elastic fibers from soft connective tissues. The objective of our study was to analyze the epidemiological, genetic, cutaneous, and extracutaneous clinical data from the largest Italian monocentric cohort of PXE patients., Methods: We included all patients diagnosed with PXE and referred to Neurocutaneous Rare Diseases at Umberto I Polyclinic Hospital (Rome, Italy) between January 1983 and February 2024. A retrospective analysis of their data was performed., Results: We enrolled 86 patients (77.9% women), revealing compound heterozygosity in 19.8% of cases and homozygosity in 5.8%. Missense (34.9%), non-sense (5.8%), splice-site (5.8%), deletion (4.7%), and frameshift (2.3%) mutations were disclosed. Cutaneous alterations were noted in the neck (69.7%), axilla (33.7%), inguinal (17.5%), and cubital folds (11.7%). The most common ocular findings were angioid streaks (64.0%) and choroidal neovascularization (18.6%), with blindness reported in 5.8% of cases. Thicker intima-media was observed around the mid-fifties in the supra-aortic trunks (40.7%), lower limb arteries (32.6%), and renal arteries (4.7%). Regurgitation was more common in atrioventricular valves (48.8%) than in semilunar ones (10.5% and 9.3%). Dyslipidemia (19.8%), hypertension (18.8%), and fatty liver disease (12.8%) were prevalent, with calcifications found in the kidneys (25.6%), liver (15.1%), spleen (11.6%), and testicles (8.1% of males). Autoimmune diseases and depression were observed in 11.6% and 4.7% of cases, respectively., Conclusions: Enhanced understanding of PXE can improve patients' quality of life and facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.

Oral lichen sclerosus (OLS) represents a diagnostic challenge even for expert dermatologists due to its rarity and subtle clinical manifestations. Only few cases have been reported in literature to date. OLS typically presents with whitish macules in the oral cavity. Histopathological examination remains crucial for definitive diagnosis, with characteristic features including epithelial atrophy, subepithelial hyalinization, loss of elastic fibers, and lymphocytic infiltration. Management strategies vary depending on lesion size and symptomatic presentation, with topical or intralesional corticosteroids being the most commonly used treatment modalities. Long-term monitoring is recommended due to the potential for malignant transformation, although no cases have been reported to date. Greater awareness and understanding of OLS are essential for accurate diagnosis and effective management. Based on these findings, we recommend performing an accurate evaluation of the oral mucosa, especially when dealing with patients affected by genital or extragenital lichen sclerosus (LS). Moreover, we emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration between dermatologists and other specialists of oral disorders, such as dentists. This short review briefly summarizes available data on OLS, highlighting its diverse clinical presentations and diagnostic challenges. Despite its infrequent occurrence, OLS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of white macules in the oral cavity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Paganelli, Mandel, Contu and Motolese.)

Introduction: Recent developments of noninvasive, high-resolution imaging techniques, such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), have enhanced skin cancer detection and precise tumor excision particularly in highly aggressive and poorly defined basal cell carcinomas (BCCs)., Objectives: The aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility and reproducibility of a systematic clinical workflow combining noninvasive (RCM-OCT) and invasive fluorescence confocal microscopy (FCM) imaging modalities in pre- and intra-surgical evaluations of the lateral and deep margins of BCC., Methods: Superficial incisions were made 2 mm beyond the clinical-dermoscopic BCC margins. Lateral margins were then explored with OCT and RCM. In positive margins, a further cut was made 2 mm distal from the previous. A final RCM/OCT-based double-negative margin was drawn around the entire perimeter of the lesion before referring to surgery. The freshly excised specimen was then examined with FCM (ex-vivo) for the evaluation of the deep margin. Histopathologic examination eventually confirmed margin involvement., Results: The study included 22 lesions from 13 patients. At the end of the study, 146 margins-106 negative (73%) and 40 positive (27%) at RCM/OCT-were collected. The RCM/OCT margin evaluation showed an overall sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 96.3%. The overall positive margins diagnostic accuracy was 98.2%. Reproducibility was evaluated on recorded images and the raters showed a substantial inter-observer agreement on both RCM (κ = 0.752) and OCT images (κ = 0.724)., Conclusions: The combined RCM/OCT/FCM ex-vivo approach noninvasively facilitates the presurgical and intrasurgical lateral and deep margin assessment of poorly defined BCCs.

In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is poorly investigated in oral pathology due to the peculiar anatomical and topographical oral mucosa features. A dedicated handheld confocal microscope with an intra-oral probe was developed for oral mucosa imaging. The main objective was to describe the healthy oral mucosa and the cytoarchitectural findings detectable in different oral disorders by means of the newly designed handheld confocal microscope. Secondary aim was to identify the main RCM criteria that differentiate oral lesions in order to provide algorithm for a rapid non-invasive evaluation. This observational retrospective study included all consecutive patients with oral disorders and volunteers with healthy oral mucosa who underwent RCM examination in our outpatient clinic from September 2018 to December 2021. Three different investigators examined together the RCM images to detect the key features and secondary criteria for each type of oral lesion collected. The study population included 110 patients affected by oral lesions and seven volunteers with healthy oral mucosae. A total of 15 oral disorders were imaged and divided in three main groups: white, red and pigmented lesions. Key features and secondary criteria were identified for every single type of oral disease. RCM permits a cytoarchitectural evaluation of the oral mucosae affected by inflammatory, dysplastic and neoplastic diseases, thus orienting the clinicians towards non-invasive diagnosis and enhancing the diagnostic management. The "tree diagrams" proposed allow a schematic and simplified view of confocal features for each type of oral disease, thus drastically reducing the diagnostic timing., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

There is a lack of efficacious topical treatments for patients suffering from psoriatic nail disease (PND). We investigated the efficacy of Calcipotriol-Betamethasone Dipropionate (Cal/BD) foam with and without ablative fractional laser (AFL) in patients with PND. A total of 144 nails from 11 patients were treated in a 24-week long, open-label, randomized, intra-patient controlled proof-of-concept hybrid trial. In addition to daily Cal/BD foam application, half of each patient's psoriatic nails were randomized to receive optical coherence tomography (OCT)-guided AFL treatment at baseline, 6-, and 12-week follow-ups. In-clinic assessment (N-NAIL), patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), and drug consumption were supplemented by remote evaluation of 15 subclinical OCT features, smartphone app-based safety monitoring, and photo-based assessment (NAPSI). After 24 weeks of Cal/BD foam treatment, patients achieved a significant improvement (p < 0.001) in both clinical (N-NAIL -76%, NAPSI -68%) and subclinical (OCT -43%) PND severity as well as a 71% reduction in PROMs. AFL-assisted Cal/BD treatment led to higher clinical (N-NAIL -85%, NAPSI -78%) and OCT-assessed (-46%) reduction of PND signs than Cal/BD alone (N-NAIL -66%, NAPSI -58%, OCT -37%), but did not reach statistical significance. Smartphone app images documented adverse events and mild local skin reactions, particularly erythema (75%), laser-induced swelling (28%), and crusting (27%). This hybrid trial demonstrated a reduction in clinical NAPSI and N-NAIL scores, subclinical OCT features, and PROMs, suggesting that Cal/BD foam is a safe and efficacious treatment for PND. Larger trials are warranted to prove the clinical benefit of AFL pretreatment as a Cal/BD delivery enhancer., (© 2022 The Authors. Dermatologic Therapy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Treatment choices for patients with advanced-stage mycosis fungoides (MF) or Sézary syndrome (SS) who have failed first-line systemic therapies can be challenging, as several options are available. However, most evidence is based on observational and early phase studies due to the rarity of the disease. Mogamulizumab has recently been approved for the treatment of adult patients with MF or SS who have received at least one prior systemic therapy; it has a good tolerability profile prompting its use in combination with other agents. This article aims at describing the role of the concomitant use of bexarotene with mogamulizumab in this setting., Cases Presentation: To add information in the field, we describe our experience with four patients with MF/SS who failed first- and second-line treatments and started the combination mogamulizumab in addition to bexarotene. The combination of bexarotene with mogamulizumab in patients with advanced MF/SS after the failure of bexarotene alone obtained a response in all the four patients observed. The response was maintained longer than expected., Conclusions: The combination is promising and deserves further study.

Eccrine poroma (EP) is a rare benign adnexal tumor that may mimic benign or malignant tumors and differential diagnosis may be difficult under clinical and dermoscopic examination. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) examination may add important information to diagnosis and subsequent management of solitary lesions for which dermoscopy can be challenging. The aim of the present study was to investigate features of EP at RCM in order to detect the characteristics that might aid in the differential diagnosis of EP versus other solitary lesions (benign or malignant). Secondary objective was to correlate the resulting features with histopathological findings. This monocentric retrospective observational case-control study included all EPs registered with RCM between January 2007 and May 2018. Control cases were benign or malignant lesions similar in clinical appearance, morphology, and dermoscopic features to EPs. RCM evaluators were blinded to clinical-dermoscopic images and to final histopathological diagnoses. Finally, RCM-histopathological correlation was performed. A total of 11 EPs and 33 controls were included in the present study. Among RCM parameters, "cords without palisading," "dark holes," "prominent vascularization" and "abundant stroma" resulted positively associated with EP in univariate analysis. RCM features correspond to the histopathological diagnosis of EP in 97% of cases, as illustrated by the cluster analysis. An excellent correlation between diagnostic features of conventional histopathology and RCM was observed. RCM assists in the differential diagnosis of solitary lesions, allowing to reach a correct diagnosis of EP through the identification of its four characteristics., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Gel formulation of chlormethine (CG) has gained a preeminent role among therapies available for mycosis fungoides (MF). To evaluate the frequency of use of CG for MF treatment and to determine the limits and potentialities of CG in a real-world setting. A systematic review of articles published prior to October 2021 was performed. Articles were included in the review if a full-text English version was available. MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science were each queried from their date of inception with the following terms: "mechlorethamine gel", "chlormethine gel", and "mycosis fungoides". The reference lists of the studies retrieved were searched manually. Moreover, this study included all consecutive patients with different stages of MF (from IA to IIB) who started treatment with CG gel between July 2020 and May 2021. Data of the literature were compared to our single-center real-life experience. Of the surveyed literature, 11 publications were included in the final analysis describing a total of 548 patients with MF. Eleven patients with a median (standard deviation) age of 66 years (15.1) were enrolled and followed up, receiving CG (0.02% chlormethine HCl). Response to treatment resulted higher (90.1%) in our study population than in other real-world experiences published in literature. This systematic review supports the role of CG for MF treatment, showing its limits and potentialities. Our single-center real-life experience revealed an elevated percentage of clinical response with high safety and tolerance, demonstrating its versatile use with dose and application rate adaptability., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Importance: Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that given data paucity, a comparison of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) with dermoscopy is complex. They recommend comparative prospective studies in a real-world setting of suspect lesions., Objective: To test the hypothesis that RCM reduces unnecessary lesion excision by more than 30% and identifies all melanoma lesions thicker than 0.5 mm at baseline., Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial included 3165 patients enrolled from 3 dermatology referral centers in Italy between January 2017 and December 2019, with a mean (SD) follow-up of 9.6 (6.9) months (range, 1.9-37.0 months). The consecutive sample of 3165 suspect lesions determined through dermoscopy were eligible for inclusion (10 patients refused). Diagnostic analysis included 3078 patients (48 lost, 39 refused excision). Data were analyzed between April and September 2021., Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to standard therapeutic care (clinical and dermoscopy evaluation) with or without adjunctive RCM. Information available guided prospective clinical decision-making (excision or follow-up)., Main Outcomes and Measures: Hypotheses were defined prior to study initiation. All lesions excised (baseline and follow-up) were registered, including histopathological diagnoses/no change at dermoscopy follow-up (with or without adjunctive RCM). Number needed to excise (total number of excised lesions/number of melanomas) and Breslow thickness of delayed diagnosed melanomas were calculated based on real-life, prospective, clinical decision-making., Results: Among the 3165 participants, 1608 (50.8%) were male, and mean (SD) age was 49.3 (14.9) years. When compared with standard therapeutic care only, adjunctive RCM was associated with a higher positive predictive value (18.9 vs 33.3), lower benign to malignant ratio (3.7:1.0 vs 1.8:1.0), and a number needed to excise reduction of 43.4% (5.3 vs 3.0). All lesions (n = 15) with delayed melanoma diagnoses were thinner than 0.5 mm., Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial shows that adjunctive use of RCM for suspect lesions reduces unnecessary excisions and assures the removal of aggressive melanomas at baseline in a real-life, clinical decision-making application for referral centers with RCM., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04789421.

Background: The growing interest in the visualization of psoriatic nail unit changes has led to the discovery of an abundance of image characteristics across various modalities., Objective: To identify techniques for non-invasive imaging of nail unit structures in psoriatic patients and review extracted image features to unify the diverse terminology., Methods: For this systematic scoping review, we included studies available on PubMed and Embase, independently extracted image characteristics, and semantically grouped the identified features to suggest a preferred terminology for each technique., Results: After screening 753 studies, 67 articles on the visualization of clinical and subclinical psoriatic changes in the nail plate, matrix, bed, folds and hyponychium were included. We identified 4 optical and 3 radiological imaging techniques for the assessment of surface (dermoscopy [n = 16], capillaroscopy [n = 12]), sub-surface (ultrasound imaging [n = 36], optical coherence tomography [n = 4], fluorescence optical imaging [n = 3]), and deep-seated psoriatic changes (magnetic resonance imaging [n = 2], positron emission tomography-computed tomography [n = 1]). By condensing 244 image feature descriptions into a glossary of 82 terms, overall redundancy was cut by 66.4% (37.5%-77.1%). More than 75% of these image features provide additional disease-relevant information that is not captured using conventional clinical assessment scales., Conclusions: This review has identified, unified, and contextualized image features and related terminology for non-invasive imaging of the nail unit in patients with psoriatic conditions. The suggested glossary could facilitate the integrative use of non-invasive imaging techniques for the detailed examination of psoriatic nail unit structures in research and clinical practice., (© 2022 The Authors. Experimental Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The introduction of targeted therapies for the treatment of BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma was associated with different cutaneous adverse events (AEs)., Objectives: To describe the type, frequency and severity of cutaneous AEs related to vemurafenib; to understand the association between AEs and vemurafenib efficacy in terms of median overall survival (OS) and median progression-free survival (PFS); to identify molecular characteristics of long-term responders., Methods: This observational, retrospective, monocentric study included all consecutive patients with unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma and BRAF V600E mutation that started treatment with vemurafenib between May 2012 and May 2014., Results: 62 patients with a median age of 56 years (range 26-82) were enrolled and received vemurafenib for a median period of 7.9 months (range 0.8-63.7). Among them, 45 patients presented at least one skin AE, 12 reduced the dosage due to cutaneous toxicity, and only one firstly reduced and after stopped the therapy. No specific molecular biomarkers were detected in long-term survivors., Conclusions: Among long-term survivors, skin AEs seem to be less frequent and less severe. Results on multivariable analysis revealed that the presence of at least one G2 toxicity is a protective factor considering PFS, but not in terms of OS.

Background: Digital dermoscopy follow up (DDF) is useful in improving the recognition of melanoma, catching early changes over time, although benign nevi can also show changes. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) improves accuracy in diagnosing melanoma and decreases the number of unnecessary resections., Objective: To evaluate dynamic dermoscopic and RCM changes during follow up of equivocal melanocytic lesions and assess the impact of adjunctive RCM to DDF for melanoma diagnosis., Methods: A retrospective, multicenter study of extrafacial atypical melanocytic lesions excised during follow up was performed. Morphologic changes were evaluated, comparing dermoscopy and RCM baseline and follow-up images., Results: One hundred thirty-seven atypical melanocytic lesions were studied, including 14 melanomas and 123 benign nevi. Significantly greater changes in DDF of atypical network, regression, atypical streaks, and asymmetrical growth as well as in dynamic RCM of atypical cells and dermal-epidermal junction disarray were noted in melanomas. With adjunctive dynamic RCM and major changes at DDF, sensitivity reached 100%, with 40.6% specificity., Limitations: Selected series of difficult to recognize lesions, with both DDF and dynamic RCM images., Conclusion: Adjunctive dynamic RCM improves early melanoma recognition sensitivity., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2021 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Syphilis represents a major public health concern disproportionately affecting HIV positive patients and, in many cases, both infections are newly diagnosed at the same time. To date, limited studies are available on syphilis incidence in patients with a new HIV diagnosis., Methods: Patients newly diagnosed with HIV in 2010-2018 were included in the study and screening tests for syphilis were performed at baseline and at least once a year. Primary aims were to analyze the incidence rate of HIV-syphilis coinfection and syphilis reinfection. Secondary objective was to identify characteristics independently associated with coinfection and reinfection., Results: Of 500 newly diagnosed HIV patients, 20% presented a concomitant positive syphilis serology. Among them, 54 patients had a serology indicative for an active syphilis requiring therapy, while 46 had a history of prior treatments. The independent factors for syphilis acquisition were: MSM contact (OR=2.64; 95% CI: 1.48-4.72; P<0.001), male gender (OR=2.43; 95% CI: 1.08-5.48; P=0.032), and age (OR=1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05; P=0.005 per year increasing). Presence of syphilis at the time of HIV diagnosis remained fairly stable during the study period (P for trend, P=0.689). We observed 52 syphilis reinfections related to 37 people. Patients with at least one reinfection were all males and 86.5% MSM., Conclusions: Males and MSM with HIV presented high rates of syphilis coinfection and reinfection suggesting persistent high-risk sexual behaviors and the need for appropriate intervention strategies in order to early detect and treat syphilis avoiding life-threatening complications and the spread of the infection in the community.

Background/objectives: Non-invasive skin imaging features of main skin inflammatory and autoimmune diseases have been reported, although a comprehensive review of their correlation with histopathologic features is currently lacking. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to review the correlation of dermoscopic, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) criteria of main inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases with their corresponding histopathologic criteria correlation., Methods: Studies on human subjects affected by main inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, defining the correlation of dermoscopic, RCM or OCT with histopathologic criteria, were included in the review. Five groups of diseases were identified and described: psoriasiform, spongiotic and interface dermatitis, bullous diseases and scleroderma., Results: Psoriasiform dermatitis was typified by white scales, corresponding to hyperkeratosis, and vessels, observed with RCM and OCT. Spongiosis, corresponding to dark areas within the epidermis with RCM and OCT, was the main feature of spongiotic dermatitis. Interface dermatitis was characterised by dermoepidermal junction obscuration. Blisters, typical of bullous diseases, were visualised as dark areas with RCM and OCT while scleroderma lesions were characterised by dermoscopic fibrotic beams, related to dermal thickness variations, with specific OCT and histopathologic correlations., Conclusions: Although the role of RCM and OCT has yet to be defined in clinical practice, non-invasive skin imaging shows promising results on inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases, due to the correlation with histopathologic features., (© 2021 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.)

Scalp dysaesthesia, considered a variant of the cutaneous dysaesthesia syndrome, is characterized by chronic sensory symptoms, including pruritus, pain, burning and stinging in a well-defined location, without objective findings. Its aetiology is not well elucidated and treatment options are limited, thus it can be challenging and frustrating for both patient and physician. It can be associated with lichen simplex chronicus. In this paper, we review the literature on the pathogenetic factors, diagnostic methods and therapeutic options in the management of scalp dysaesthesia. Dissociation, cervical spine disease and muscle tension seem to be the most important pathogenetic factors. Trichoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy and biopsy are all helpful for the diagnosis of the disease. Therapies include high-potency topical or intralesional corticosteroids, capsaicin and topical anaesthetics, sedative antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation, botulinum toxin and vitamin B12., (© 2021 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.)

Introduction: Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a form of primary lymphocytic scarring alopecia characterized by a progressive recession of the fronto-temporal hairline. Although the clinical presentation of FFA is very typical, biopsy for histopathological examination is still recommended to confirm the diagnosis. Currently, a growing number of skin and mucosal inflammatory diseases are diagnosed with modern noninvasive techniques such as dermoscopy without the necessity of a biopsy., Objectives: The International Dermoscopy Society (IDS) aimed to test the ability of its members to diagnose classic FFA through clinical and dermoscopic parameters and to compare acquired data to the largest cohort studies published since 1994., Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study describing patient demographics, clinical presentation and diagnostic tools used in a sample of FFA patients collected by IDS members. A literature search was then performed using Pubmed to review studies reporting more than 100 cases., Results: IDS members submitted 188 cases demonstrating a predominant female population (98.4%). In 71.8% of the cases, the clinical presentation and the trichoscopic findings allowed for the diagnosis. Out of 24 revised studies, 13 showed that clinical and trichoscopic features were decisive for the diagnosis in almost all cases., Conclusions: Demographic and clinical data of our cohort were mostly comparable to previous reported data on FFA. The relevant role of the clinical and trichoscopic features in diagnosing FFA was confirmed by our study and the reviewed literature. Trichoscopy could be considered a worldwide-acknowledged non-invasive technique for the diagnosis of FFA., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None., (©2022 Starace et al.)

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is a common and chronic condition. It may impact self-esteem, self-image and quality of life. Benefit, tolerability, cosmetic acceptance and patient satisfaction are key to ensure good treatment outcome. Hair loss improvement and hair quality with AC5 (2,4-Diamino-Pyrimidine-N-Oxyde, arginine, 6-O glucose linoleate (SP94), piroctone olamine and Vichy mineralizing water) once daily was assessed in 527 subjects with mild AGA in an open-label, observational, international real-life study. After 3 months, investigators evaluated the impact of AC5 on hair loss, product satisfaction and asked subjects about local tolerance; subjects assessed hair growth and quality and satisfaction. Data from 357 subjects were evaluable for the benefit analysis; 59.9% of subjects were female; the mean age was 33.6±8.7 years. Duration of hair loss was 1.62±2.24 years. 71.3% of women had a Ludwig score of 1 and 40.8% of men had a Hamilton Norwood score of 2. At the end of study, hair loss was reduced in 89.0% of subjects; it was slightly higher in women (92.5%) than in men (83.8%). Subject satisfaction on a scale from 0 (not satisfied at all) to 10 (completely satisfied) was 7.9±1.7. Tolerance was rated good to very good by 98.6% of all subjects. In conclusion, AC5 reduces mild AGA in both men and women with a pleasant texture. AC5 was well tolerated and highly appreciated., (© 2021 The Authors. Dermatologic Therapy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Reconstruction of large defects of the upper cheek defects still remains a challenge for the surgeon, who can apply different techniques. We present a new method involving the use of a dermal regeneration template to achieve an improved, faster healing of pedicled buccal fat flap in a 75-year-old woman affected by melanoma of the upper-middle cheek. The tumor involved soft tissue, zygomatic arch and periocular fact. The choice of the surgical technique consisted first in the creation of a buccal fat pad to restore the important lack of tissue over the underlying bones, and then in the position of a dermal acellular matrix (Integra ® Dermal Regeneration Template; Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation, Plainsboro, NJ, USA). Three weeks later, once the neodermal formation was finished, a split thickness graft was placed. This is a not yet described association that represents a good surgical option for the restoration of large cheek defects that allows good functional and cosmetic result in older patient when minimal surgical invasion and operative duration are necessary because of a patient's general condition. The postoperative course with this surgical technique was regular and a good functional result was achieved. This technique provides an adequate functional coverage, a restoration of soft tissue lacking and an acceptable cosmetic result without ectropion.

Objectives: The impact of optical tissue clearing on optical coherence tomography (OCT) for nail tissue imaging has not been investigated. This study seeks to compare the effects of an emollient and water on visualization of micromorphology and morphometric outcomes., Materials and Methods: Thirty-six healthy nail plates were processed with a fractional CO 2 laser, imaged with OCT, and measured with calipers in duplicates. All samples were reassessed after 12-hour long sequential immersion in water and an emollient (Crodamol™ STS). OCT images were evaluated for thickness and scattering signal of the nail., Results: Emollient-impregnation caused stronger scatter responses (P < .0001) and decreased nail thickness (MD 45 μm, P < .0001) measured on OCT. Caliper-derived measurements were not affected by Crodamol™ (MD 11 μm, P = .5538). Hydration increased nail thickness on OCT (MD 49 μm, P < .0001) but reduced thickness measurements taken with calipers (MD 41 μm, P < .0001). Emollient-impregnation improved visualization of onychocytes compared with dry (P = .0209) and hydrated samples (P < .0001), and reduced occurrence of refractive artifacts (P < .0001)., Conclusion: The use of an emollient for OCT imaging can enhance nail tissue visualization without significant effects on caliper measurements. Hydration of nails, in contrast with emollient-impregnation, may lead to disagreement between caliper- and OCT-measured nail thickness and should be practiced cautiously., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna-melanoma (LMM) are histotypes of melanoma arising in skin with cumulative solar radiation damage. The extension of atypical melanocytes to the hair follicle (folliculotropism) is a histopathological feature of LM/LMM. Its role has not been totally clarified, but it may be correlated to treatment response in LM or to progression in LMM., Objective: This retrospective, multicentric study aims to identify dermatoscopic features associated with folliculotropism in LMs/LMMs., Patients and Methods: We analyzed cases of head and neck LMs/LMMs diagnosed between 2005-2014 at Melanoma Units, University of Bologna/Modena/Florence/Siena (Italy), Nice (France): 25 LMs and 73 LMMs were included., Results: Grey circles (44 %) indicated an isthmic/bulb level of involvement, which were completely absent in the infundibular LM lesions (P = 0.041). In the group of LMMs, light/dark brown pseudonetwork and light brown structureless areas were an indicator of diffuse distribution of malignant melanocytes in the follicular units (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively), while grey circles indicated focal or diffuse distribution (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: A better understanding of the extension of malignant melanocytes is helpful, aiding clinicians in their decision to perform a radical excision or obtaining a biopsy in the most invasive area of the lesion, which includes potential folliculotropism., (© 2020 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Despite an increasing request for skin rejuvenation above the knee, very few treatment options have been reported in literature. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 1:4 hyperdiluted calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) in the treatment of skin laxity and dimples of the skin above the knees. A retrospective evaluation of hyperdiluted CaHA treatment for skin laxity and dimples above the knee was performed. Efficacy was classified as blinded evaluation of pre (T0) and 3-month post-treatment (T1) photographs by three investigators according to the validated knee cellulite severity score (KCSS) and patient satisfaction. Safety was evaluated through pain scores and adverse events evaluation. A significant reduction of KCSS at T1, as compared to T0, mainly in subjects with lower KCSS at T0, was observed (P < .05). All blinded assessments resulted in a correct identification of T0 and T1 pictures and evaluations of all investigators were found to be consistent and reliable. All patients were satisfied. Only minor adverse events (swelling, erythema, bruising, and skin irregularities) were reported, lasting 2 to 3 weeks after treatment. Our preliminary results highlight the efficacy and safety of hyperdiluted CaHA in the treatment of skin laxity and cellulite above the knees., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The therapeutic approach to patients with psoriasis and concomitant multiple sclerosis is challenging. We report the clinical case of a 44-year-old man affected by psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treated with secukinumab for 2 years, who received also dimethyl fumarate because of a recent diagnosis of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. Moreover, a mini-review of the available literature regarding the use of secukinumab in patients with psoriasis or ankylosing spondylitis and coexisting central nervous system demyelinating diseases was performed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of successfully combining secukinumab and dimethyl fumarate for the treatment of two different immune mediated inflammatory diseases with good response and safety outcomes. Our case emphasizes the potential efficacy of this combination therapy, which may represent an effective synergistic strategy to manage such challenging patients., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Perioperative antibiotic treatment duration in skin reconstruction with dermal substitutes is not well established. This study compares the incidence of infective complications after two different durations of perioperative antibiotic treatment in patients undergoing surgical reconstruction with skin dermal substitutes (SDS) after excision of skin cancer. Infective complications at the site of SDS were compared in subjects undergoing surgical reconstruction who received either a > 24-hour (extended protocol) or a ≤ 24-hour (short protocol) perioperative antibiotic treatment. Of 116 patients undergoing SDS surgical reconstruction, 62 (53.4%) received an extended schedule, and 54 (46.6%) received a short schedule. The two groups were similar for gender, age, comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and type of skin cancer. Overall incidence rate of infection was 20.7% (24/116). No differences in terms of risk of infection were observed between the two groups (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.42-2.55; P = .937). Patients undergoing SDS reconstruction in the limb/foot had a higher risk of infection in comparison with those undergoing SDS reconstruction in the chest/head (OR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.06-6.86; P = .038). The short protocol was demonstrated to be beneficial to patients undergoing surgical reconstruction with SDS. A ≤ 24-hour perioperative antibiotic schedule did not increase the infection rate, potentially allowing a reduction of antibiotic exposure., (© 2020 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing disease often associated with comorbidities. While its associations with cardiovascular and metabolic factors have been investigated, little is known about its association with impairment of renal function., Materials and Methods: We performed a cohort study of 219 psoriatic patients in which we evaluated chronic kidney disease (CKD) and eGFR as well as albuminuria according to their KDIGO stratification risk criteria. We also evaluated circulating immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM), C3-C4 levels and the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio. We divided the patients into two groups, according to the presence or absence of known and established CKD risk factors., Results: In our population, the risk of CKD was moderate in 17.35 % of patients, high in 5.02 % and very high in 3.66 %. The risk prevalence for CKD was slightly greater in the group without established risk factors than the risk prevalence reported in NHANES 1999-2006. The presence of psoriatic arthritis, duration of psoriasis (≥ 21 years) and magnitude of the PASI score showed a positive correlation with the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio., Conclusions: We found an association between microalbuminuria and the duration of psoriasis, as well as with psoriatic arthritis. Moreover, patients with microalbuminuria exhibited a higher Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome stratification risk., (© 2020 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The incidence of cutaneous melanoma (CM), the deadliest form of skin cancer, has gradually increased in the last decades among populations of European origin. Epidemiological studies suggested that farmers and agricultural workers are at an increased risk of CM because they were exposed to pesticides. However, little is known about the relationship between pesticides and CM., Objectives: To investigate the association between exposure to pesticides and CM by systematically reviewing the literature. Secondary aim was to determine the categories of pesticides mainly involved in CM development., Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed up to September 2018 using MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science. Studies assessing CM risk in licensed pesticide applicators were considered. Strict criteria were established to select independent studies and risk estimates; random effect models, taking into account heterogeneity, were applied. A pooled risk estimate for CM was calculated for the use of each type of pesticide and type of exposure. Between-study and estimate heterogeneity was assessed and publication bias investigated., Results: A total of nine studies (two case-controls and seven cohorts) comprising 184 389 unique subjects were included. The summary relative risks for the categories 'herbicides - ever exposure', 'insecticides - ever exposure', 'any pesticide - ever exposure' and 'any pesticide - high exposure' resulted 1.85 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 3.36], 1.57 (95% CI: 0.58, 4.25), 1.31 (95% CI: 0.85, 2.04) and 2.17 (95% CI: 0.45, 10.36), respectively. Herbicides and insecticides had no between-study heterogeneity (I 2  = 0%), while a significant heterogeneity (I 2  > 50%) was detected for the high exposure to any pesticide. No indication for publication bias was found., Conclusions: Individuals exposed to herbicides are at an increased risk of CM. Future properly designed observational studies are required to confirm this finding., (© 2019 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Introduction: Brittle nails are fragile or split nails; they affect 20% of the population and may be primary or secondary to different conditions. The aim of our studies was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a new water-based nail-strengthening treatment containing hyaluronic acid and Pistacia lentiscus with daily application for a period of 1-3 months for one study (n = 30) and up to 6 months for a second study (n = 30)., Methods: In total, we enrolled 60 patients of both sexes with brittle and weak nails due to primary or secondary causes and evaluated the efficacy of this new product using subjective and objective methods: clinical evaluation, assessment of photographs, onychoscopy evaluation, investigator and patient global assessment, dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM)., Results: Studies subjects presented a statistically significant improvement in global assessment scale (GAS) scores at 14 days (GAS = 1.7 ± 0.6), 1 month (GAS = 1.4 ± 0.7) and at 3 months (GAS = 1±0.7) versus the GAS score obtained before treatment (1.9 ± 0.5) (p < 0.0001). From the Italian study at 6 months (n = 30) 76% of the patients had an improvement in their nail appearance. Reduction in nail plate roughness with improved nail resistance and decreased distal breakage were the most evident benefits, demonstrated on clinical and instrumental evaluations. No side effects were reported. All patients reported an improvement in nail appearance after using the product for 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, and had a positive opinion on the product., Conclusions: This new product is an effective, safe, and easy-to-use option for topical treatment of brittle nails and primary nail fragility and an adjuvant therapy in secondary nail fragility. Moreover, its ease of application and cosmetic qualities allow good compliance., Funding: ISDIN.

Background: Many therapeutic options are today available for neck aging, but little evidence exists about the efficacy of combining such procedures. Nonsurgical treatment of neck laxities and wrinkles is often preferred by patients, and combined strategies are nowadays emerging as the standard of care. Both plasma exeresis and hyaluronic acid (HA) injection are two emerging techniques in this setting., Aims: To investigate the synergic effect of plasma exeresis and non-cross-linked HA injection, in stabilized hybrid complex of low and high molecular weight, in terms of both tolerability (assessed using VAS scale of pain) and improvement of neck skin laxities, according to the GAIS score assigned by patients and clinicians., Patients/methods: Ten consecutive patients with signs of neck skin laxities (≥ type 3 according to the Glogau wrinkle scale) aged between 35 and 65 years were enrolled in our study. Two treatment sessions were performed. During the first session, both plasma exeresis and HA injection were performed. Patients were re-evauated after 30 days, and HA injection in the wrinkles of the neck was repeated. After 30 days from the second treatment session, a follow-up visit was performed to assess global efficacy of the two-step combined treatment and to monitor eventual long-term side effects., Results: A GAIS score of 1 or 2 was present in 90% of the treated cases, according to both patients and clinicians. Mean VAS value for pain was 2.4/10. Minor side effects such as erythema and/or edema were transient and completely resolved. No major adverse events were observed., Conclusions: We strongly encourage the combined treatment with plasma exeresis and non-cross-linked HA injection for its promising remodeling effects in the field of neck rejuvenation., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Negative pigment network (NPN) is a dermoscopic structure observed more frequently among melanomas than naevi. Precise tissue correlates of NPN are still elusive., Objective: To describe the reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) findings underlying NPN in melanocytic neoplasms., Methods: We retrospectively identified all melanocytic neoplasms displaying dermoscopic NPN that were imaged with RCM and subsequently biopsied between 2011 and 2015. Images from study lesions (n = 50) were evaluated for dermoscopic and RCM Criteria. Histopathological correlational study was performed in a subset of cases (n = 15)., Results: The study data set consisted of 21 melanomas (42%) and 29 naevi (58%). Melanomas showed more frequently irregularly shaped globules than naevi (62% vs. 28%, P = 0.03); NPN also tended to be more asymmetrically located among melanomas (86%) than naevi (62%), albeit not significant (P = 0.06). Under RCM, we observed three patterns of dermal papillae (DP): (i) 'Dark DP' - whereby DP were devoid of nests and often surrounded by a junctional proliferation as thick-Rings - this pattern was less common among melanomas (n = 10, 48%) than naevi (n = 23, 79%, P = 0.02); (ii) 'Bulging DP' - whereby junctional nests of melanocytes protrude into the DP, often in association with junctional proliferation as Meshwork - with comparable frequency among melanomas (n = 12, 57%) and naevi (n = 23, 79%, P = 0.09) and (iii) 'Expanded DP' - whereby junctional and/or dermal nests filled and expanded the DP, often in association with dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) Clod pattern - seen more commonly among melanomas (n = 15, 71%) than naevi (n = 6, 21%, P < 0.001). Dermoscopy-RCM correlation and comparison to histopathological findings show that the hypo-pigmented lines of NPN correlate with broadened epidermal retes, which often show overlying surface dells and wedge-shaped hypergranulosis, while the pigmented globules of NPN correlate with a predominantly-junctiona of melanocytes along and between the elongated retes., Conclusions: Dermoscopic NPN correlates with three DEJ RCM patterns with differing frequency between naevi and melanomas., (© 2019 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder that targets anagen phase hair follicles. The course is unpredictable and current available treatments have variable efficacy. Nowadays, there is relatively little evidence on treatment of AA from well-designed clinical trials. Moreover, none of the treatments or devices commonly used to treat AA are specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The Italian Study Group for Cutaneous Annexial Disease of the Italian Society of dermatology proposes these Italian guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Alopecia Areata deeming useful for the daily management of the disease. This article summarizes evidence-based treatment associated with expert-based recommendations.

Background: Nail dermoscopy (onychoscopy) during physical examination assists in correct diagnosis. Often further magnifications are necessary for an effective differential diagnosis. With the addition of a red light to the dermoscope, important vascular features can be visualized., Objective: To describe common features observed at onychoscopy with a new device that combines the regular white light with the red light illumination, demonstrating that it is useful for diagnosis of nail disorders., Methods: We enrolled 33 consecutive patients referred to the Nail Diseases Dermatology Unit of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and to the Outpatient Consultation for Nail Disease of the Dermatology Unit of the University of Bologna. Patients were assessed with a standard hand-held dermoscope and at the red light dermoscope. Dermoscopic images were collected., Results: The new prototype was used during daily clinical practice and allowed a more accurate visualization of some details that classic onychoscopy can miss. In particular, with the help of the red light it was possible to better visualize nail lesions that were characterized by some kind of colour change or vascular alterations., Conclusion: The new device of red light for vascular pattern onychoscopy can be a new investigation method to observe nail alterations, especially due to vascular pattern, even with low magnification, without the necessity to use higher resolutions., (© 2019 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Myiasis is a common travel-associated dermatosis. We describe a 52-year-old Italian man who acquired Dermatobia hominis when bitten by a mosquito during a visit to Argentina. He had a painful nodular lesion on the left cheek that had been present for about 3 weeks. The complete removal of the larva is the goal of medical treatment. Prescription of antibiotics to avoid secondary infections is not recommended. For psychological reasons and due to the failure of previous therapies, the lesion was excised. Travelers to endemic areas should be informed of preventive measures to reduce mosquito bites and transmission of the infestation., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Screening tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis infections performed in at-risk population show a higher number of positive tests compared to those carried out in the general population. 'Test & Counselling' Ambulatory of Infectious Disease Clinic (T&C-IDC) and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Ambulatory of Dermatology Unit (STDs-DU) of Modena began collaboration in 2010 and adopted a common diagnostic serological profile since 2013., Objectives: The main objective was to analyse the number of screening tests performed in the T&C-IDC and STDs-DU, comparing the results obtained after the adoption of the shared protocol with the previous period. The secondary aim was to evaluate the linkage to care of newly diagnosed patients., Methods: Consecutive patients referred to the T&C-IDC and STDs-DU from January 2010 to December 2016, with at least one performed screening test for HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis were enrolled. Referral of patients with a new infection was obtained by capture-recapture methods in hospital databases., Results: During the 7-year observation, we collected 13 117 admittances for 9154 patients. A significant increase in the number of screening tests (P < 0.001) and ratio between tests and admissions (P = 0.002) was observed. A total of 644 (7.0%) people with at least one infection were diagnosed. Among these, the most common was syphilis (41.9%), followed by HBV (25.7%), HCV (21.4%) and HIV (10.9%). Syphilis occurred predominantly in Italians (72.5%) and males (75.7%), as like as HCV, while foreign-born (85.5%) mainly harboured HBV infection. HIV diagnosis was detected more frequently among males (67.1%) with a similar proportion between Italians and foreign-born. Five hundred and forty-three out of 644 (84.3%) patients were linked to care., Conclusion: The collaboration between T&C-IDC and STDs-DU has proven to work well increasing the diagnosis over the time and obtaining good results in linkage to care., (© 2018 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Background: Atypical basal cell carcinoma (BCC), characterized by equivocal dermoscopic features typical of malignant melanoma (MM), can be difficult to diagnose. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) enables in vivo imaging at nearly histological resolution., Objectives: To evaluate with RCM atypical melanocytic lesions identified in dermoscopy, according to common RCM criteria for the differential diagnosis of BCC, and to identify representative RCM parameters for superficial (sBCCs) and nonsuperficial (nsBCCs) basal cell carcinomas (BCCs)., Methods: A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients evaluated with RCM, selecting excised lesions classified at dermoscopy with ≥1 score from the re visited 7-point checklist, mimicking melanoma, registered between 2010 and 2016. Cluster analysis identified BCC subclassifications., Results: Of 178 atypical lesions, 34 lesions were diagnosed as BCCs with RCM. Lesions were confirmed BCCs with histopathology. Dermoscopic features included atypical network (55.9%) and regression structures (35.5%) associated with sBCCs, and an atypical vascular pattern (58.8%) and irregular blotches (58.8%) with nsBCCs. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified 2 clusters: cluster 1 (100% sBCCs) was characterized by the presence of cords connected to the epidermis (90%, p < 0.001), tumor islands located in the epidermis (100%, p < 0.001), smaller vascular diameter (100%, p < 0.001) and solar elastosis (90%, p = 0.017), and cluster 2 (nsBCCs 85%) was defined by the dermic location of tumor islands (87.5%, p < 0.001) with branch-like structures (70.8%, p = 0.007) and surrounding collagen (83.3%, p = 0.012), peripheral palisading (83.3%, p = 0.012) and coiled vascular morphology (79.2%, p < 0.001) with a larger vascular diameter (50%, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: RCM is able to diagnose BCCs mimicking melanoma at dermoscopy and seems able to identify sBCCs and nsBCCs., (© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Favre-Racouchot disease (FRD) is a relatively common dermatosis induced by chronic sun exposure. FRD is clinically and histologically characterized by the presence of both comedones and cysts in the context of an elastotic degeneration of the dermis. Those lesions are mainly located in the face, especially in the malar and periorbital areas. Smoking and radiotherapy seem to play a role in the pathogenesis together with UV exposure. The disease affects predominantly the aged population and seems to be a problem of mainly aesthetic concern. No official guidelines are available for the treatment of FRD; most common therapeutic strategies are represented by topical retinoids and laser treatments. The goal of our review was to identify the principal clinical and epidemiological characteristics of FRD and to analyse all the therapeutic strategies available. We also focused our attention on the follow-up of this particular dermatosis. Our aim was therefore to suggest alternative possible strategies for both the treatment and the follow-up of these patients. Our data support the efficacy of carbon dioxide laser and topical retinoids in the setting of FRD, but we also suggest considering alternative treatments, such as plasma exeresis. We also recommend planning both a short-term and a long-term follow-up visit, as the majority of relapses is observed after 10-12 months., (© 2018 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Background: Epidermoid cysts are cutaneous benign tumors commonly seen in young or middle-aged adults. Plasma exeresis is an innovative technique for several skin conditions: it causes ionization of the atmospheric gas between the proximal tip of the device and the tissue to be treated, creating sublimation of the tissue., Objective: To remove the cyst with a novel technique that allows a good cosmetic result., Materials and Methods: Patients with clinical diagnosis of at least one epidermal cyst, aged between 18 and 70 years were enrolled. A standardized procedure was used. After administration of topical and sometimes local anesthesia (for cysts bigger than 1 cm), a tiny hole was created with plasma exeresis. The content of the cyst was then extruded and Micro Hartman Alligator Ear Forceps pulled out the loosened capsule., Results: Twenty patients aged between 18 and 68 years were enrolled: 11 males (55%) and 9 females (45%). Twenty-eight cysts were successfully removed. The diameter ranged from 3 to 24 mm. No side effects were observed. The scar measured not more than 3 mm., Conclusion: This study suggests that plasma exeresis could represent a good and safe option to remove noninfected cysts on cosmetic areas, although further study is required.