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Atopic dermatitis management is challenging and usually requires intermittent or continuous, long-term treatment with topical and/or systemic anti-inflammatory agents and appropriate skin care. Most patients affected by atopic dermatitis improve during sun exposure. It has been reported that the change from a subartic/temperate to a subtropical climate for 4 weeks improved significantly skin symptoms and quality of life in children, even for 3 months after return. However, until now the effect of sun exposure on adult patients with atopic dermatitis has never been investigated.We conducted a retrospective study to assess the short-term effect of sun exposure during summer holidays on skin symptoms of adults affected by AD.One hundred and fourteen patients were enrolled in the study (62 males; aged 18-72 years, mean age 35.3±12.6). Seventy-three out of 114 patients (64%) spent their holidays at the seaside, and 41/114 (36%) in the mountains; 38/41 (92.7%) subjects from the latter group reported that during their holidays they frequented outdoor swimming pools or solariums almost every day of their vacation. The sunlight effect was considered beneficial by 68/114 (59.6%) of patients. In particular, 38/114 patients (33.3%%) reported the improvement of AD and 30/114 (26.3%) the complete resolution of the disease during summer holiday.Our data seem to suggest that sun exposure is beneficial in most patients, but not in all patients. In fact, sun exposure does not appear to improve skin symptoms or even aggravate them in about 4 out of 10 patients. This could be particularly important also considering ongoing climate changes that may affect the clinical history of several skin diseases, among which AD.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has become pandemic on March 11, 2020. COVID-19 has a range of symptoms that includes fever, fatigue, dry cough, aches, and labored breathing to acute respiratory distress and possibly death. Health systems and hospitals have been completely rearranged since March 2020 in order to limit the high rate of virus spreading. Hence, a great debate on postponable visits and treatments including phototherapy for skin diseases is developing. In particular, as regards phototherapy very few data are currently available regarding the chance to continue it, even if it may be an useful resource for treating numerous dermatological patients. However, phototherapy has an immunosuppressive action possibly facilitating virus infection. In the context of COVID-19 infection risk it is important to pointed out whether sunlight, phototherapy and in particular ultraviolet radiation (UV-R) constitute or not a risk for patients. In this review we aimed to focus on the relationship between UV-R, sunlight, phototherapy, and viral infections particularly focusing on COVID-19.

BACKGROUND 1,2-Decanediol (S-Mal) is an organic compound belonging to the 1,2-alkanediol family, with two hydroxyl groups located on the first and second carbon of the alkane chain, probably responsible for the enhanced anti-bacterial efficacy. The willow bark total extract (W-Mal) has been used since thousands of years as an herbal remedy for its antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activities. S-Mal is used in cosmetic preparations, whether W-Mal can be topically or systemically administered. Aim of our study was to evaluate in vitro the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of S-Mal and W-Mal, singularly or in combination, in LPS-stimulated keratinocytes. METHODS The possible toxic effect of S-Mal and W-Mal was assessed through analysis of cell viability 24 hours after treatment. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities were evaluated by measuring IL-8, TNF-α and IL-1β production as well as cellular antioxidants (GSH and NADPH) consumption, 24 and 48 hours, respectively, after LPS stimulation. RESULTS Both substances resulted able to: 1) increase cell viability (P

The incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer continues to increase. Surgical excision remains the best choice of treatment but the demand of patients is to have tissue-sparing approaches with good cosmetic results; these aims led to the development of novel therapeutic agents such as topical ingenol mebutate gel. We report the successful treatment with ingenol mebutate gel 0.05% of three pigmented basal cell carcinomas. Lesions were evaluated by dermoscopy and confocal microscopy before, during and after the treatment.

Background Numerous reports have shown that psoriasis patients are more exposed to lipoprotein peroxidation and to a decrease in the activity of paraoxonase (PON)1, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory enzyme. Thus, it has been suggested that malfunction of the antioxidant system and an increased production of reactive oxygen species drive immune inflammatory events, that result in progressive skin cell damage in patients with psoriasis. The PON protein family, including PON1, PON2 and PON3, is one of the most important endogenous defense mechanisms against oxidative stress. In the present study, we investigated PON gene expression in psoriasis and in cutaneous oxidative stress. Methods The study population included 10 patients affected by moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and 15 healthy donors who have undergone to plastic surgery, were used as control. Skin punch biopsies of lesional and non lesional psoriatic skin were performed for analysis of PON2 and PON3 gene expression. In addition, oxidation assays in ex vivo full-thickness healthy skin organ cultures were performed. Results No significant differences were observed between PON2 and PON3 gene expression in psoriatic lesional and non lesional skin compared with healthy controls. H2O2 treatment induced a significant decrease of PON2 and PON3 expression in ex vivo full-thickness healthy skin organ cultures; conversely the pretreatment of samples with the antioxidant reagent N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) induced a significant increase. Interestingly, no significant alterations were reported for PON2 and PON3 expression in ex vivo full-thickness healthy skin organ cultures stimulated with IL-17. Conclusions Taken together our findings have revealed that a strong pro-oxidative activity is not effectively countered by antioxidant endogenous mechanisms both in psoriatic skin and in ex vivo experimental model.

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 (FDA). The Italian Study Group for Cutaneous Annexial Disease of the Italian Society of dermatology (SIDeMaST) 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 Many efforts have been spent attempting to define clinical, histopathological and molecular markers for differential diagnosis of Spitz nevus and melanoma. Dermoscopy has been widely used but it may be not always sufficient. Methods A retrospective study was performed evaluating Spitzoid-looking lesions showing symmetry at clinical and dermoscopic examination in patients ≥12 years attending our Clinic from 2004 to 2014. Demographic, clinical and dermoscopic data were assessed for each lesion in order to highlight the most common characteristics which could help the differential diagnosis between Spitz nevus and melanoma when clinical or dermoscopic asymmetry is lacking. Results A total of 760 lesions were excised. 690/760 (90.8%), were identified as typical Spitz nevi, whereas 70/760 lesions (9.2%) consisted of malignant melanocytic lesions. Our study showed that almost 9.2% of clinically and dermoscopically symmetric Spitzoid lesions revealed to be malignant melanocytic lesion. For symmetric Spitzoid looking lesions female sex, clinical palpability, the presence of an inverse network at dermoscopic examination and the involvement of lower limbs were observed as the main factors, which were linked to a higher possibility of being malignant lesions. Conclusions In order to avoid missing diagnoses for malignant melanocytic lesions, this study remarked the importance of preventive excision for all Spitzoid-looking lesions in patients ≥12 years, even if they show symmetry at both clinical and dermoscopic level.

BACKGROUND: General skin care recommendations such as the use of moisturizers and products with adequate photoprotection are important components of management for acne patients to complement the medical regimen. This study aimed to evaluate the real-life clinical effects of a novel UV-selective face cream (Acne RA-1,2, Meda Pharma, Solna, Sweden) on acne, epidermal barrier function, sebum production, adherence and tolerability when used together with pharmacological acne treatment. METHODS: Forty patients receiving pharmacological acne treatment applied Acne RA-1,2 once-daily for three months. Investigator's Global Assessment of acne, trans-epidermal water loss, sebum production and tolerability were assessed at one and three months. RESULTS: After 3 months, there was a 38% significant clinical improvement in mean Investigator Global Assessment score (3.4 to 2.1), a 29% significant reduction in trans-epidermal water loss (13.2 to 9.4 g/h/m2), and a 17% significant decrease in sebum production vs. baseline (234.6 to 195.6 μg/cm2; all P