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Robert Willan is commemorated by a blue plaque on the house in which he lived in Bloomsbury Square in London. He lived there during a productive period of his career, until ill-health caused him to travel to Madeira, where he died. This fitting tribute to Willan is the result of the efforts of Dr. Henry MacCormac, himself an eminent British dermatologist of the first half of the 20th century., (© The Author(s). CED © 2011 British Association of Dermatologists.)

The use of digital cameras by clinicians is increasing, and raises issues concerning patient consent and confidentiality. An online survey of members of the British Association of Dermatologists was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire. In total, 339 individuals completed the survey, a response rate of 37.6%. The survey shows that there are variations in the type of consent obtained by clinicians taking digital images of patients, and the methods used to store images are not always compliant with current UK legislation. Guidelines would help to improve and standardize the practice of clinicians who take digital images of patients.

Summary Whole-body ultraviolet (UV)A1 (340-400 nm) phototherapy was first introduced 30 years ago, but is currently available in the UK in only three dermatology departments. A workshop to discuss UVA1 was held by the British Photodermatology Group in May 2009, the aim of which was to provide an overview of UVA1 phototherapy and its role in practice, and to identify areas in which further studies are required. The conclusions were that UVA1 phototherapy is an effective treatment in several inflammatory skin diseases, including localized scleroderma and atopic eczema (AE); however, deficiencies and limitations exist in the published evidence base. For most diseases, such as AE, other treatments also exist, which are generally more effective than UVA1. However, for some diseases, particularly morphoea, the evidence of efficacy is stronger for UVA1 than for other treatments. Acute adverse effects of UVA1 are minimal. The risk of long-term adverse effects, particularly skin cancer, is unknown. Medium to high doses of UVA1 are needed for efficacy in most situations, but the equipment to deliver such doses is large, expensive and difficult to install. UVA1 is currently underprovided, and the recommendation of the workshop is that more tertiary centres should have access to UVA1 phototherapy in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Skin problems are the commonest reason for people accessing healthcare services in Nepal but there is little information about the prevalence of skin disease. Objectives To perform a point prevalence study of skin disease in the Terai region of Nepal. Methods Five villages were randomly selected in Bara District in the Terai region of Nepal, and 878 people were examined. Results The number of individuals identified as having a skin disease was 546. The point prevalence of identifiable skin abnormalities was 62·2% (546 of 878) (with 95% exact confidence intervals 58·9–65·4%). A wide range of dermatoses was identified. The six most prevalent were dermatophyte infections (11·4%), followed by pityriasis versicolor (8·9%), acne (7·7%), melasma (6·8%), eczema (5·6%) and pityriasis alba (5·2%). Overall, treatable skin infections and infestations were by far the commonest skin diseases identified. Conclusions Our study has demonstrated a very high point prevalence (62·2%) of skin disease in rural Nepal. This study represents the first formal survey of skin disease in Nepal and demonstrates a large burden of disease, in particular treatable infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin diseases are common and often have an impact on an individual's health-related quality of life. In rural communities where access to healthcare may be limited and individuals rely on farming for food and income, the impact of skin diseases may be greater. The objectives for this study were to perform an assessment of skin disease prevalence in a rural village in Laos and assess the associated impact of any skin disease found using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).Methods: A rural village was purposively selected and 340 participants examined by dermatologists over a four day period. Brief questionnaires were performed, followed by full body skin examinations and DLQI questionnaires completed were relevant. The data were analysed using chi square and Wilcoxon signed rank tests.Results: One hundred and eighty-one participants were found to have a skin disease (53%). The six most common skin diseases were: eczema (22%), dermatophyte infections (19%), acne (10%), scabies infestation (9%), melasma (8%) and pityriasis versicolor (4%). Just over half of those with skin disease (51%) completed the DLQI, with scores ranging from 0 to 24. Those with skin problems on examination were significantly more likely to be farmers, have had a previous skin problem, be older or live in a smaller family. Conclusions This study represents the first formal documentation of skin disease prevalence in Laos and establishes the high rate of skin disease in the rural community and the associated impact these diseases have on health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article about dermatology prescriptions and community pharmacies which was published in the previous issue.