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Background: Eruptive vellus hair cysts are uncommon developmental anomalies of vellus hair follicles that are observed in young patients. Two patients were evaluated for asymptomatic flesh-coloured papules appearing on the chest, abdomen and axillae. Lesions of both patients were diagnosed histologically as eruptive vellus hair cyst, which is a disorder with no standard treatment option., Objective: To introduce an alternative treatment and diagnostic technique for eruptive vellus hair cysts and to evaluate this technique's effectiveness histopathologically., Materials and Methods: We treated the lesions by using cautery and a standard dissecting forceps under topical anaesthesia. After puncturing the overlying skin in the centre using the sharp-tipped cautery point, we grasped the base of the cyst using a standard dissecting forceps and we extracted the cysts out. In patient 1, extracted cysts were sent for histopathological examination; in patient 2, microscopic examination of the extracted material was performed in potassium hydroxide preparations., Results: Over 150 cysts were extracted with this technique in two patients. The technique was simple, quick and tolerated well. No lesion recurrence was observed after 4 months. On histopathological examination, extracted cysts were observed to have cyst walls. In patient 2, the diagnosis was made within minutes by microscopic examination of the potassium hydroxide preparations of the extracted material., Conclusion: Our extraction technique is a simple and effective treatment option for these cysts. It can be regarded as curative since the cyst walls were also extracted. Microscopic examination of the potassium hydroxide preparation of the extracted cysts suggests that this technique can also be used as a simple diagnostic procedure.

A 12-year-old girl had a 4-year history of two asymptomatic, sharply demarcated, granulomatous lesions on her face. The lesions did not respond to topical steroids and histopathologic examination of biopsy specimens showed granulomatous inflammation. Since cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic where the patient lived, she was diagnosed as chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis but did not respond to meglumine antimoniate treatment. Reexamination of the biopsy specimens under polarized light revealed numerous birefringent crystalline particles, and cutaneous silica granuloma was the final diagnosis. The lesions were treated with intralesional triamcinolone acetonide and completely disappeared. We report this case of cutaneous silica granuloma, which is unusual in children, and emphasize the importance of polarized light microscopic examination of granulomatous skin diseases.

Background: Since steatocystoma multiplex is an uncommon disorder, its treatment has not been discussed in detail in the textbooks and surgical excision is the most commonly mentioned method. In this article, we describe a very simple surgical technique, which was developed by modifying previous reports., Methods: A 29-year-old woman, diagnosed clinically and histologically as steatocystoma multiplex, was treated with this modified technique. We punctured the cysts under local anesthesia with a sharp-tipped cautery point and evacuated the contents by squeezing the cyst with a fine forceps. Then, the cyst wall was grasped by the forceps and the sacs were extracted through small holes. More than 50 cysts were treated., Results: The treatment was well tolerated by the patient. No complications developed during or after the procedure. After 14 months follow up no recurrences were observed and the results were cosmetically excellent., Conclusions: This modified technique is very simple and time saving. Its cosmetic and long-term results are successful. We believe that it must be considered as the treatment of choice for steatocystoma multiplex.

Piskin G, Tursen U, Sylva-Steenland RMR, Bos JD, Teunissen MBM. Clinical improvement in chronic plaque-type psoriasis lesions after narrow-band UVB therapy is accompanied by a decrease in the expression of IFN-γ inducers– IL-12, IL-18 and IL-23.Type-1 cytokine-producing T cells are important in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris, for which efficient therapy is provided by means of narrow-band ultraviolet-B (NB-UVB). The expression of the type-1 cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is regulated by interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-15, IL-18 and IL-23; however, not much is known about the effect of this therapy on the levels of these cytokines in lesional psoriatic skinin situ. In this study, we investigated the effects of NB-UVB therapy on the expression of IFN-γ-inducing cytokines. Ten patients with chronic plaque-type psoriasis selected to be treated with NB-UVB therapy were recruited for these experiments and the expression of cytokines IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, IL-23 and IFN-γ in lesional psoriatic skin before, during and after therapy was determined with the help of immunohistochemistry. Double staining was performed in order to determine the cell types expressing these cytokines. The decrease in the psoriasis area and severity index was accompanied by a significant decrease in the expression of IFN-γ, and concomitantly, significant reduction of IFN-γinducers– IL-12, IL-18 and IL-23. Thus, we concluded that the decrease of IFN-γ expression in psoriasis lesions after NB-UVB therapy could be a result of diminished expression of IL-12, IL-18 and IL-23 in lesional skin. Therapies targeting these three cytokines should, therefore, be considered in the treatment of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Favre–Racouchot disease (FRD) is a common disease characterized by solar elastosis and large open comedones and cysts. This disorder mainly affects elderly Caucasian men who have had a great deal of exposure to the sun. Patients having FRD continuously develop numerous large open comedones that could cause a cosmetic problem. We performed a simple and effective extraction technique for these open comedones using a standard dissecting forceps. This technique is well tolerated and no complications were observed. We suggest this comedone extraction technique as a simple alternative treatment for this common cosmetic problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a life-threatening case of a skin disease called lipoid proteinosis (LP) in an three-year-old girl. Perturbation of collagen metabolism suggested to play an important part in the pathogenesis; Factors that led to the life-threatening stage of the disease.

Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) is a common but often unrecognized skin disease with obscure etiopathogenesis. As the lesions mostly develop on the exposed parts of the extremities, ultraviolet has been hypothesized to induce these lesions. However, previous statistical studies did not confirm any association between ultraviolet and IGH. We describe a 72-year-old woman with mycosis fungoides in whom widespread IGH occurred during narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB) therapy. The lesion development in the trunk following narrow band UVB therapy suggests that these lesions may not be idiopathic and they may be associated with UV exposure although controversy exist in the literature. This case is particular as it reveals strong evidence on this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]