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Extrinsic environmental factors, including patient lifestyle (alcohol intake, smoking, stress, sleep disturbances, and sedentary habit), diet and single nutrients intake may affect psoriasis clinical presentation, severity, and course. All English language articles dealing with psoriasis and lifestyle factors or diet gathered by an extensive PubMed search were carefully examined in order to explore their impact on the disease. Current authoritative knowledge confirms that low-calories, Mediterranean, and protein restricted/vegetarian diets may be beneficial. Psoriatic patients are also recommended to engage regular physical activity, to avoid alcohol intake and to consume fish rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as fruit and vegetables. Prebiotics and probiotics may also provide potential benefit, whereas vitamin D supplementation and gluten-free diet are useful in selected cases only. Changing of dietary and lifestyle habits alone does not replace conventional treatment, but must be considered as an adjuvant. Physicians may play a crucial role, by adequately acknowledging psoriatic patients on the advantages of proper lifestyle and diet habits as well as providing clues to reliable sources of dietary advice.

Background. Gynecology and dermatology share the diagnosis and the management of some disorders of the female external genital area. In the last decade, clinical diagnosis in dermatology has dramatically improved, thanks to the introduction of dermatoscopy. Technique. Dermatoscopy is a noninvasive, rapid, and simple technique performed with an affordable handheld instrument called dermatoscope, endowed with a light source and a high-quality lens achieving 10 times magnification. Experience. The use of dermatoscopy for the diagnosis of some common external genital disorders, i.e., genital warts (GW), vestibular papillomatosis (VP), molluscum contagiosum (MC), angiokeratoma (AK), and pediculosis pubis (PP), is presented and discussed. Conclusion. The use of dermatoscopy in a gynecologic office may considerably help the specialist to enhance in selected cases the clinical diagnosis and to avoid unnecessary and cumbersome investigations which may be time and money consuming.

Background: Ivermectin (IVM) 1% cream represents an emerging therapy for papulo-pustular rosacea (PPR) and erythema-directed photography is a useful tool for evaluation of patient’s erythem...

Background Ichthyosis vulgaris is a common disorder of keratinization caused by mutations in the filaggrin gene and clinically characterized by variable degree of xerosis. Methods Five patients affected by ichthyosis vulgaris and moderate to severe xerosis of the lower limbs, were treated twice daily for 30 days with an emulsion containing 10% urea, ceramides, and natural moisturizing factors (NMF). Evaluation was performed at baseline and at the end of treatment by clinical examination, Visual Analogue Scale to quantify itch, videodermatoscopy (VD), and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). Patients were also asked to provide an acceptability rating of the product based on spreadability, absorbency, odor, pleasantness and ease of application. Results At the end of treatment the tested urea-based emulsion resulted in a significant clinical improvement of xerosis in all patients. The product determined a remarkable reduction of itch, it was well tolerated and it had a good cosmetic acceptability. VD and RCM objectively confirmed the reduction/disappearance of scales and the improvement/normalization of furrow's size and morphology. Conclusions The tested urea-based emulsion represents a valid option for the treatment of xerosis in patients affected by ichthyosis vulgaris. VD and RCM confirmed to be useful non-invasive techniques for the therapeutic monitoring of this condition.